Our 6 Murchison Falls National Park safari package takes you to Uganda’s largest wildlife conservation area for amazing activities including visiting Budongo forest. The national park was established in 1952 under a government act during the colonial administration of the time. Because of its size (3,893 sq. km), the park covers 4 districts. The park is about 280 kilometers away from Kampala city. The key attraction of the national park is the amazing Murchison Falls. It was the British Explorer Sir Samuel Baker who gave the waterfalls the name Murchison. The Murchison falls is a result of the forceful waters of the Nile squeezing through a narrow gorge before dropping 141 feet down a cliff.
Apart from the waterfalls, the park is one of the best places to go for a safari in Africa. It has 76 recorded mammals and countless species of birds. The Murchison falls has more Roskilde giraffe anywhere in East Africa. It also has one the highest population of Nile crocodiles in Africa. The Murchison Falls wildlife conservation zone is now a lion conservation unit. Visitors on a safari to the Murchison Falls national park also have an opportunity to visit one of Uganda’s largest forests, Budongo. Budongo forest is known for having the largest collection of mahogany trees in East Africa. These provide perfect shelter to birds and chimpanzees. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo is the most popular activity in the forest but birders will be impressed with over 360 species on offer.
Key Activities
- Rhino tracking at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
- Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest
- Game drives at the Murchison Falls National Park
- Visiting the top of the falls
- Boat trip on the River Nile
- Cultural encounters and driving through local towns
Summary
Day 1: Arrival and Pickup from Entebbe International Airport
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park with a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Day 3: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat cruise
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest
Day 5: Free Day for relaxation and sight seeing
Day 6: Departure to Entebbe
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Pickup from Entebbe International Airport in Uganda
You will arrive and find out Guide/Driver waiting to pick you from the airport and transfer you to your hotel of choice in Entebbe for dinner and overnight. If the hotel of choice offers airport pickup, then they will do the pickup. The hotel options are Imperial Resort Beach Hotel for luxury travel or Karibu Guesthouse for mid-range travelers.
Day 2: Transfer to Murchison Falls with a stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
A Guide from Mission Africa Safaris will pick you up at 8:00am and start the journey to the Murchison Falls National Park. You will pass through Kampala city and several towns including Luwero and Nakasongola. Luwero is where the Guerilla war that brought the current government to power was launched. You should enjoy the journey though the Ugandan countryside and observe how the locals go about with business. As you pass through Nakasongola you will notice the various farms and pastoralists tending to the longhorned Ankole cattle or selling milk in large Jerry cans by the roadside. You could ask the Guide/Driver to stop for you at the roadside and check out some of the local fresh fruits. Ugandan fruits probably taste better than yours back home because they have more direct sunlight during their growth.
The Ziwa Rhino sanctuary was built in 1998 with the intention of protecting Uganda’s last wild Rhinos. They are now extinct from all national parks and reserves in Uganda as a result of extensive poaching. The Sanctuary has taken on the responsibility of protecting the Rhinos and also ensuring that their numbers increase to a level where they can be reintroduced back into the national parks in Uganda. While tracking rhinos at the Ziwa sanctuary, you will be accompanied by a sanctuary ranger who will introduce you to the Rhinos and share information about the breeding program at the Centre and their outreach activities with communities near the national parks. The sanctuary is also excellent for nature walks, birding and primates viewing.
You will then have lunch and proceed to the Murchison falls national park. The driver will take you straight to the top of the falls to marvel at this natural wonder. Accommodation for luxury travelers will be at Paraa Safari Lodge and Murchison River Lodge for Mid-Range rooms
Day 3: Game Drive and Boat cruise along the river Nile
Wake up and take your breakfast as you prepare for a day full of fun. The driver will come and pick you to go for an early morning game drive in the most interesting part of the park. The best time to spot the animals is during the morning hours. This is the time when they are most active because the sun is not very hot and they are eager to go out and feed. You can also spot the nocturnal animals and birds retreating back to their dens and hideouts. Expect to encounter leopards, lions, hyenas, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and several types of antelope.
The morning game drive lasts for about three hours. After completing it, you will go back to your hotel for lunch and refreshment in preparation for the afternoon boat safari. The boat cruise ends at the foot of the Murchison Falls. While on the boat cruise, you will spot one of the largest collection of crocodiles and hippos in the world. The banks of the river Nile are a favorite drinking spot for many of the park animals and you will be able to spot most of the big mammals including elephants. This is also one of the best birding spots in Uganda with thousands of water birds seen swimming and fighting above the waters. The crowning moment is when the boat approaches the bottom of the awesome Murchison falls. If your trip to the top of the falls on the first day wasn’t very eventful because of fatigue, you will be amazed by view of the falls down the river. Accommodation for luxury travelers will be at Paraa Safari Lodge and Murchison River Lodge for mid-range rooms.
Day 4: Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest
After seeing most of the park mammals and the beautiful Murchison falls, it’s now time to focus on the primates. Wake up early, take breakfast and prepare for the journey to Budongo forest. As already noted earlier, Budongo forest is part of the Murchison Falls national park. It is one of the best places to spot chimpanzees in Uganda. Before taking part in chimpanzee tracking, you need to have light hiking shoes, long trousers and long shorts. There will be a briefing before you head out for a guided walk to find the chimps. Budongo is one of the best places to spot birds while in Murchison falls national park. You need to carry a binocular so that you can spot the chimps and other primates on top of the trees. The lodges for the night will be different and close to Budongo forest. Chobe Safari Lodge is for luxury travelers while Budongo Eco Lodge is for the mid-range traveler.
Day 5: Leisure Day, Relaxation and optional activities
This day is designed to allow you relax and take part in any activity of your choice apart from chimpanzee trekking. Wake up at your own time and enjoy breakfast. You can ask the Guide/Driver to take you for a game drive in the southern section of the park or relax around the lodge. Another alternative would be to go for a cultural encounter or visit one of the local communities living close to the park. Chobe Safari Lodge is for luxury travelers while Budongo Eco Lodge is for the mid-range traveler.
Day 6: Departure to Entebbe or Kampala.
Since this is a day with no activity, you will wake up at your own time and take breakfast as you wait to discuss with the Guide about the trip back home. Ensure that you are ready at the right time so that you reach in time for your flight back home.
Tour Package Includes and Excludes
Tour package includes
- Full board accommodation for 5 nights
- Transportation in a 4X4 tour van with a pop-up roof that is suitable for game drives
- An experienced English Speaking Guide/Driver who will be on call throughout the journey
- All meals during the safari
- Water while carrying out activities outside the hotel or during transfers
- Park Entrances
- Games drives and site-seeing as indicated
- Chimpanzee permits
- Any transfers by boat from one area of the park to another
- All other activities indicated in the itinerary
Tour Excludes
- Medical and travel insurance
- Other Personal expenses like tips (porters, hotel staff, rangers and Guides), excess baggage fee, luxury drinks, telephone or other communication charges. Meals that were not included in the itinerary
- Visa fees and air tickets
Hotels and Lodges
Chobe Safari Lodge: Chobe Safari lodge is a luxury hotel built on the banks of the river Nile. It offers breathtaking views of the rive Nile as it flows to Egypt. Chobe safari lodge is excellent for bird-watching and enjoying beautiful scenery. If you are planning to do sport fishing in Murchison Falls, then this is probably the best place to stay for the night.
Imperial Resort Beach Hotel: This is one of the best Luxury hotels in Entebbe. It is built on the shores of Lake Victoria with large and beautifully mowed gardens. The hotel is very close to the airport and only 30 minutes away from Kampala by road. Imperial Resort Beach hotel has rooms in four levels that are each designed differently. One of the rooms is a presidential suite. The resort is a popular venue for conferences, business meetings, weddings and other major events. If you book with them, you get to snoop around, see and even Uganda’s business, diplomatic and political class. Among the facilities are 9 conference halls with a total capacity of 1500 people. The hotel also has a large swimming pool, steam bath, Sauna, a gym, squash courts and a health club. If you are tired of staying in your room, you can go for a walk at the gardens or at the hotels beach to enjoy the cool breeze from the lake.
Karibu Guest House: Karibu Guest House is a mid-range accommodation facility located only ten minutes away from the airport in Entebbe. It is built at the former residence of the president before the new state house was built. The Guesthouse has 7 self-contained rooms with 24-hour service which includes breakfast in the room or dining area. All the rooms are spacious and uniquely designed while offering the same quality of service. Each room has a large sized bed, a mosquito net, a chair and desk. Among the other facilities in the Guesthouse are a large swimming pool, Wi-Fi and free airport transfers. Both local and Mediterranean inspired meals are carefully prepared for each resident. Karibu is a perfect place to stay if you are staying in Entebbe for a few days and wish to discover the town more.
