9 Days Kidepo Murchison Falls, Budongo and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Day 01: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport
Upon arrival, you will be met by our trusted tour guide at Entebbe International Airport and transferred to a Hotel prepared for you, refresh, have a light or heavy meal depending on how you feel, then take a rest in preparation for the long journey.
Day 02: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park
After breakfast, you will start your 418km drive to Kidepo Valley National Park, Murchison and Budongo chimp safari by driving north wards to Gulu town. We will stop in Gulu town for lunch you will have an opportunity to see Karuma falls and a number of small communities along the way. You may meet some seasonal springs and rivers often crossed by bridges. You will also start seeing the Manyatas of the Karamajong people arriving Kidepo valley National Park in the evening for dinner and retire into your warm and confortable beds
Day 03: Morning and afternoon game drive
After an early morning cup of tea, you will drive to Narus valley to enjoy a morning game drive. Try to look out for as many animals as you can keep in mind a cheaters if luck strikes. Kidepo game drives are so unique that you may find yourself and guide in a vast and un spoilt national park. The valley is surrounded by hills which makes the scenery very stunning. Return to the lodge for lunch and then later go for a nature walk in the park with an armed guide.
Day 04: visit to the Karamojong village
Wake up at a relative time have breakfast and drive through Narus Valley to Lolkul Village, this is one of the favourite activities you will have while in Kidepo, they have amazing culture that will make you think differently while in their happy humble home steads. They are very happy people and free. You will enjoy moving around entering one of the huts and most of all trying the local brew oooh very strong and amazing, then proceed to the cultural dance area probably try the dance as well and then bid them farewell. Return to the lodge in time for lunch but you may need a shower first beacause of the dust and too much sun. Have lunch relax and then go for another game drive, you need opportunities to see as many animals as possible. This time you will drive up to the border of Uganda and Sudan at the hot springs. Be sure to see ostriches that side. Return to the lodge, have dinner around a fire and sleep peacefully.
Day 05: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park
After breakfast, you will drive from Kidepo Valley National Park to Murchison Falls National Park arriving late evening for Lunch and an evening game drive on the Paraa side of the park.
Day 06: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
After an early cup of tea, you will head for a morning game drive in Paraa. Murchison Falls National Park is gifted by many wild animals that may include elephants, buffaloes, several antelopes, many bird species, lions, giraffes and leopards. There is much more to see and this will depend on your luck of the day. Lunch break and then go for the boat cruise to the base of the mighty Murchison falls. This boat cruise takes you up stream to see how Nile water passes through a narrow gorge of 5meters wide to explode into what has been termed as the strongest waterfall on planet earth. On your way to the falls, you will have an opportunity to spot many water birds, hippos, crocodiles and other animals that come to drink water. If you want, you can hike up to the top of the falls. Retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 07: Top of the falls and delta cruise
After breakfast, you will take a boat cruise to the Delta region. Enjoy seeing how water slows down as it gets closer to Lake Albert. This is at a point where it starts dropping most of the load that was being carried from up stream. This side of the river has many animals that include Elephants, Hippos, crocodiles and if lucky, you may spot the rare and elusive shoebill stock. After your boat cruise, you will proceed with a game drive to your Lodge for Lunch and a short relaxation. In the afternoon, prepare for some hiking as we will drive to the top of the falls to enable you see the falls from the top and then hike up and down to view the falls from up to down and then up again.
Day 8: Budongo chimps tracking
After breakfast, you will drive to Budongo Forest located in Murchison Falls Conservation Area for chimpanzee trekking. Budongo Forest has the highest number of wild chimps in Uganda and is one of the best places to trek habituated chimpanzees in the wild. You will be met by your guide who will brief you and lead you to the forest for chimpanzee trekking. On the walk, you will benefit from the informative talk of your guide will spotting some other primates, birds and trees in the forest. Once you find the chimps, you will be allowed to spend one hour of observation and photography and then return back. After Chimpanzee tracking you will transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and spend the night there.
Day 9: Ziwa Rhino tracking and travel back to Kampala
After breakfast, you will take a walk into the wild to track Rhinos in this sanctuary. Rhinos were poached to extinction and it’s here that efforts to restore them back in Uganda are in high gear. After your tracking, you will have lunch and travel back to Kampala.
