Day 1: Pickup – Visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – Continue to Murchison Falls National Park
Our Guide/Driver will pick you up from the airport or your hotel in Entebbe/Kampala and brief you before starting the journey to the Murchison Falls National Park. Enjoy the drive as you observe the African countryside and small towns like Luwero and Nakasongola. Nakasongola is a cattle-keeping corridor and you will be amazed by the vast herds of long-horned cattle grazing close to the roadside. Luwero is where the National Resistance Army (current government) started a rebellion that toppled the government of Tito Okello. You may ask the Guide/Driver to stop briefly at one of the markets so that you can mingle with the locals and check out some of the tasty local fruits like mangoes, oranges, pineapples, bananas, and maize.
Your first main stop is at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary. This sanctuary was established to protect the few remaining white rhinos in Uganda after 99% were killed by poachers. Rhinos once roamed the national parks in Uganda but extensive poaching wiped them out. It was easier to kill them for their valuable horns because they have no fear of humans like the other large mammals. The Ziwa Rhino sanctuary has also embarked on a breeding project to increase the number of Rhinos and later reintroduced them to the national parks. The sanctuary is also great for birding, primates viewing, and spotting antelopes. After tracking the lions, you will proceed to have lunch at the nearby Masindi town
After Masindi, you will proceed to Murchison Falls national park and proceed straight to the top of the falls. Spend some time here as you marvel at the magnificent waterfall. The falls are formed when the river Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge and drops with a thunderous force. Take as many photos as possible so that you can share them with your friends. The driver will then take you to your hotel for rest, refreshments, and a later evening walk if you have time. Dinner and overnight will be at Paraa Safari Lodge for Luxury travelers, Pakuba Safari Lodge for mid-range accommodation, and Murchison River Lodge for budget travelers.
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Launch Cruise on the Nile
Wake up early, take breakfast and prepare for a very eventful day. The drive/Guide will pick you up and take you for a game drive to see lions, leopards, giraffes, the Uganda Kob, buffaloes, oribi, jackals, elephants, warthogs, Jackson hartebeests, hyenas, and countless birds. Look out for the early morning risers and predators like leopards returning back to their dens after hunting.
After the four-hour game drive, you will be taken back to the lodge for lunch, refreshments, and relaxation as you for the Afternoon boat cruise. While on the cruise you will spot crocodiles, hippos, and most of the animals already seen while on your earlier game drive. They will be drinking water and bathing by the shores of the river. This part of the river Nile offers some of the best birding spots in Uganda. Watch out for the Shoebill storks, Goliath herons, hornbills, the yellow-billed stork, pelicans, bee-eaters, kingfishers, Egyptian geese, and African fish eagles. The boat cruise ends at the bottom of the Murchison falls and is a great time to take some great photos to show your friends back home. Dinner and overnight will be at Paraa Safari Lodge for Luxury travelers, Pakuba Safari Lodge for mid-range accommodation, and Murchison River Lodge for budget travelers.
Day 3: Boat ride at the Nile delta and afternoon Game drive.
Wake up early and take breakfast as you wait for the Guide/ Driver to come and take you for another 4-hour boat ride to the Nile Delta area. This area is known for its amazing collection of wildlife including lions, bushbucks, elephants, and buffaloes. This time the boat goes downstream where you will encounter amazing wildlife and birds. You will pass through vast swamps and wetlands with countless water birds. After this boat cruise, you will get back on land, take lunch, and be taken for another game drive but in a different section of the park. This is a chance to see any wildlife you might have missed out on during the first game drive and boat rides. Dinner and overnight will be at Paraa Safari Lodge for Luxury travelers, Pakuba Safari Lodge for mid-range accommodation, and Murchison River Lodge for budget travelers.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest – transfer back to Kampala
Wake up early and go for the briefing at the forest offices. You will be allocated a group and a ranger to be your leader. Chimpanzee tracking in the Budongo forest can take up to 5 hours and you are allowed only one hour with them. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo is special because it has fewer crowds and there are higher chances of interacting with international researchers for more information about the primates. Budongo forest is also one of the best places for birding in Uganda. While tracking the chimpanzees, watch out for the birds, other smaller primates, and the ancient mahogany trees. The driver will start the journey back to Kampala after tracking the chimps. You will have lunch on your way (to Masindi or Luwero town) back. If you reach early, you can request a Kampala city tour.
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