Explore Murchison Falls

Budongo Forest Reserve is part of Murchison Falls National Park (Uganda)

Murchison Falls NP is known for the powerful falls and of course its abundant wildlife and birdlife. This short tour will give you a complete experience of the park through game drives, hikes,  and a boat cruise to the falls. On this tour, you will most likely to witness the Big 5! A visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only home of wild rhinos complements this tour in a great way. Round the trip up with a visit to Budongo Forest for chimpanzee trekking.

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) is running a festive season price discount. From 1st December 2020 to 31st March 2021, the following discounts have been offered:

a) 50% discount on park entrance fee for Lake Mburo NP, Queen Elizabeth NP, Kidepo
Valley NP, Murchison Falls NP, Semuliki NP, Toro Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Katonga
Wildlife Reserve, Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve.
b) 50% discount on birding fees.
c) Reduction on gorilla and chimpanzee tracking fees for all visitors:

-    Gorilla permits reduced from USD 700 to USD 400
-    Chimpanzee permits reduced from USD 200 to USD 150

This reduction on gorilla and chimpanzee permits will only apply to new purchases between 1st December 2020 and 31st March 2021 and not on reschedules.

Highlights

Activities

PARKS & PLACES:
Discover Kampala and Entebbe
Discover Murchison Falls

SPECIAL INTEREST
Game Viewing
The endangered Rothschild's Giraffe
Uganda Birding
The Chimpanzee Habituation Experience
Chimpanzee Habituation: what does it mean?

RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATIONS:

BUDGET (**): Fort Murchsion 

MIDRANGE (***): Murchison River Lodge or Pakuba Safari Lodge.

HIGH-END (****): Baker’s Lodge or Paraa Safari Lodge

More information on Uganda Recommended Accommodations

ROAD MAP (Estimates): 
Entebbe -Ziwa: 250 km – 04h30
Ziwa – Paraa: 130 km – 02h00
Crossing the Nile by Ferry: 20 min.
Paraa – Budongo Forest : 60 km – 02h00
Budongo Forest - Kampala: 280 km – 05h30

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS: Entebbe to Pakuba (North Bank) and Bugungu (South Bank) to Entebbe.

  • Itinerary
    Explore Murchison

    Day 01: Transfer to Murchison via Ziwa
    Day 02: Game Drive, boat cruise and  hike to the top of the falls.
    Day 03: Game drive and delta boat trip
    Day 04: Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest

    Male Waterbuck (Murchison Falls Uganda)
    Two female waterbuck (Murchison Falls Uganda)
  • Day 01
    Transfer to Murchison Falls via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

    Your driver-guide will pick you up from your accommodation early in the morning for the drive to Murchison Falls NP. On the way, you will stop for a rhino trek at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only place to see rhinos in the wild in Uganda!

    In 1983, both black and white rhinos were declared extinct in Uganda. The Rhino Fund Uganda, a non-governmental organization set up in 1997 to repopulate Uganda with wild rhinos through a breeding and release program.  After this visit, we have a hot lunch at Kabalega Diner and then continue our drive to the park.

    See the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Video

    Dinner & overnight at your accommodation.

    The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – a privately owned ranch comprising of savannah and woodland was leased to the Rhino Fund for the sole purpose of breeding rhinos. It was here that the first six southern white rhinos were translocated in 2005. This is quite an exotic breed since Uganda only had northern white rhinos.

    Kori bustard on the murram road (Murchison Falls Uganda)
    Secretary bird looking for food in the savannah (Murchsion Falls Uganda)
  • Day 02
    Game drive, boat cruise and a hike to the top of the falls

    Most of the wildlife is found in the northern part of the park. If you are staying on the south side, you will have to board the ferry and cross to the northern side.

    After an early morning breakfast, you have a full morning of spectacular game viewing. Murchison Falls NP is probably one of the most visited national parks. The park is home to different wildlife including several mammals such as Rothchild’s giraffes (an endangered species), hyenas, lions, antelopes, buffaloes, elephants and so much more as well as plenty of bird species. These are widely spread over the park and will make a game drive worthwhile.

    After this extensive game drive, you return to your accommodation for a hot lunch.

    The afternoon will be spent on an extensive exploration by boat on the Nile river, upstream towards the Falls. This is where the Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and cascades down to become a placid river. You can admire on the slopes of the Nile river, the big number of hippos, elephants and the Nile crocodiles. The launch trip is a unique adventure, full of activity and constant surprises!

    You will then get off the the launch cruise and hike to the top of the falls. This hike may be tough for some people but it is greatly rewarding as you near the top and hear the roaring sound of the water as it falls and taken in the breathtaking views of the falls.

    Your driver-guide will pick you up from the top and you will have a short game drive back to your accommodation.

    Meals & overnight at your accommodation

    Nile Crocodile on the bank of the Victoria Nile (Murchison Falls Uganda)
    Three Nile Crocodiles on the bank of the Victoria Nile (Murchison Falls Uganda)
    Nile Crocodile on the bank of the Victoria Nile (Murchison Falls Uganda)
    Two hippo on the bank of the Victoria River Nile (Murchsion Falls Uganda)
    School of Hippo in the Victoria River Nile (Murchsion Falls Uganda)
  • Day 03
    Game drives and Delta Boat trip

    After an early breakfast, we continue the exploriation of the park with a game drive in the Pakuba area near the lodge ruins towards the Tangi Gate.  Look out for buffaloes, giraffes and big herds of elephants.

    You return to your accommodation for lunch and in the afternoon, you have a boat cruise to the delta. The Victoria Nile Delta is a peaceful stretch where the River Nile flows into Lake Albert and it is here that the park’s prime wildlife is explored by boat.  During the boat cruise, you are will see the hipppos and huge Nile crocodile basking in the morning sun. As you go further, you will also see fishermen on the banks of the river as they prepare to head out for a night of fishing. The delta cruise may also provide you an opportunity of spotting the rare shoe bill.

    Meals & overnight at your accommodation

    Borassus Savannah is typical for Murchison Falls (Uganda)
    Borassus aethiopum typical for Murchison Falls (Uganda)
  • Day 04
    Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest

    Today, you visit Budongo Forest. After an early breakfast, you depart the park and drive to Budongo Forest for chimpanzee trekking.

    Budongo Forest is part of Murchison Falls NP and it is the largest natural forest in Uganda.  The forest hosts a large population of chimpanzees. Other than the chimpanzees, the forest is home to unique tree species, mammals, bird species and several other primates. 

    Find out about the Conservation challenges of Chimpanzees in Budongo Forest.

    Of this large population of chimpanzees, some have been habituated for tourism purposes. You will be trekking these. While on the trek, look out for other mammals such as buffaloes. You are like to see several monkeys such as the blue monkeys, the red-tailed monkeys and the black and white colobus monkeys. The trail is also a birder’s paradise. Look out for Forest Robins, Kingfishers, Pygym Crakes among the many species that reside in this forest.

    Trekking chimpanzees in Budongo Forest will start with briefing at the Information Centre and then you head into the forest. During the dry season, the activity will take not more than 3 hours since most of the chimps usually roam around the Information Centre. It is only in the wet season that they move further away in search for food.

    After this activity, you will continue your drive back to Entebbe/Kampala. We shall have a stop over for a picnic lunch in Masindi. Your driver-guide will drop you off at the airport or at your accommodation in Kampala. 

    This is the end of what has been hopefully a memorable tour of Murchison Falls NP!

    Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (Kibale Uganda)
    Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (Kibale Uganda)

Your lifetime experience

This safari idea can be tailor-made to create a unique holiday for you. With our intimate knowledge of both Rwanda and Uganda, we look forward to designing and organizing a personalised and memorable holiday.

Contact us for a free quote

The Tour package includes: Airport transfers, accommodation, all meals, plenty of mineral water, the services of a driver-guide, all park and entry fees, all activities as per programme including: 1 boat excursion on the River Nile upstream to the bottom of the Falls, hiking permit to the top of the falls and 1 Chimp trekking permit (Budongo).  

It Excludes: International airline ticket, the domestice flight Kisoro-Entebbe, beverages, tips, visas and personal expenses. 

What to bring with you? Money for your personal expenses, outfit with adapted colours for wildlife observation, good walking shoes, raingear, a few long-sleeve shirts, slippers, sweater for cool evenings, sun protection: hat, sunglasses, sun cream, video/photo camera, a 200 mm or longer telepholens is very usefull, reserve batteries, films and a torch.

Uganda Visa & Travel Requirments: Find out more.

And there is nothing more beautiful than the moment which precedes the trip, the moment when the horizon of tomorrow comes to visit us and tell us its promises
Milan Kundera
Czech writer