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14 DAYS MOST ENJOYABLE UGANDA SAFARI

9th May, 2023 | Article By Worthwhile Africa Safaris

AdventureBird WatchingCultureHolidaysWildlife

14 DAYS MOST ENJOYABLE UGANDA SAFARI

Uganda’s Most Popular Safari

Start/End: Kampala

Duration: 14 Days

Activities: Nature Walks, Primate tracking, Savanna Game Drives, Launch trips, Gorilla tracking, Cultural encounters

Destinations: Murchison falls park, Kibale forest, Queen Elizabeth Park, Bwindi forest, Lake bunyonyi, Lake Mburo

We invite you to participate in our 14 days for a lifetime safari experience in Africa unfolding the best thrilling wildlife encounters with our best-guiding team in Uganda’s Wildlife, history, and culture.

TOUR SUMMARY

This is probably one of the most popular Safari that will take you to Uganda’s largest national park with vast savannah & landscape bisected by the Victoria Nile which plunges 45 meters over the remnant rift valley. Along the way before Masindi town, visit the Ziwa sanctuary & track rhinos to support the initiative that wants to reintroduce them back into the wild. Game drives within Murchison fall park and a boat trip upstream the Nile to Spot the Murchison falls, formed by eternal war between rock and water.

Driving past a verdant countryside with traditional homesteads & farms to the Primate Capital of the World – Kibale forest via Hoima, Fort portal the tourism city. This is where you will have a 90% chance to see Chimpanzees in their natural habitat plus 13 other primate species. The nearby Bigodi swamp has a wide range of flora & fauna with beautiful birds, butterflies & insects.

This journey will take you to Queen Elizabeth Park set against the backdrop of the jagged Rwenzori with dozens of enormous craters, Panoramic views of the Kazinga Channel & endless Ishasha plains. You will get to enjoy a number of activities including game drives & launch trips before heading to Bwindi passing through the Ishasha sector. Gorilla tracking is the most commonly enjoyed activity in this impenetrable forest and most visitors have rated it as an excellent activity. You will have time to relax after the trekking, at Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale and perhaps take a boat ride to one of the Islands. Also, visit Lake Mburo one of Uganda’s most breathtaking & spectacular game parks located in the middle of an extensive rich acacia woodland. Activities to enjoy within the park include Horse riding, Birding, Game drives, Boat cruises & Nature walks.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Entebbe International Airport/ Kampala

Ziwa Rhino & wildlife sanctuary

Murchison falls national park

Fort-portal town

Kibale forest national park

Bigodi wetland sanctuary

Queen Elizabeth national park

Kazinga Channel

Ishasha sector

Bwindi impenetrable forest park

Lake Bunyonyi

Kabale town

Lake Mburo national park

Igongo Cultural Village

The Equator

TOUR ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival Entebbe Airport – Kampala

You’ll be personally met by our company representative upon arrival at Entebbe airport, and transferred to Kampala for an overnight stay and dinner.

Accommodation at Adonai Guest House (Standard), Cassia Lodge (Comfort), Serena Hotel Entebbe (Luxury)

Meal plan: Dinner

Day 2: Kampala – Murchison Falls National Park

Begin the panoramic drive northwest through the famous Luwero Triangle and, travel to Masindi via Ziwa Rhino Project. A visit to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for Rhino trekking is a must. After lunch, drive to Murchison falls national park at the spectacularly situated site at the top of the fall where you will see the Nile’s beauty perfected!! Marvel at the Nile, compressing from up to 1 km squeeze through a 7-meter canyon dropping 45 meters with a thunderous roar creating a beautiful rainbow, a plume of spray, and the best thing that happened to the Nile “the Murchison Falls.”

Accommodation at Fort Murchison (Standard), Murchison River Lodge (Comfort), Paraa Safari Lodge(Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 3: Murchison Falls National Park

Begin the day with a cup of African Coffee. Thereafter, cross the Nile by ferry to the northern bank of the park. Your guide will help you spot Elephants, Lions, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, hartebeest, Waterbuck, Oribi, Bushbuck, Bohor reedbuck, hyena and if you are lucky, the leopard. Return to the hotel for breakfast and lunch. After lunch, go for a boat safari upstream the calm Victoria Nile to the base of the falls stopping just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron”. En route, marvel at the toothsome hippos, and crocodiles, and over this 17 km stretch, you may see elephants, waterbuck, and Uganda Kob, crocodiles. This is also a zone of many bird species like the Goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant, and the rare shoebill stork. There you leave the boat and start your – quite heavy – hike to the Top of the Falls (approx. 1 hour). See where the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. Your driver/guide will be waiting for you to bring you back to the lodge.

Accommodation at Fort Murchison (Standard), Murchison River Lodge (Comfort), and Paraa Safari Lodge(Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 4: Murchison Falls – Kibale forest

Drive south via Hoima to Fort Portal through verdant countryside and past traditional homesteads and farms along Albertine Rift escarpments. Fort Portal rests in the shadow of the fabled Mountains of the Moon. Overnight stay at your lodge with a stunning location overlooking a dramatic Crater Lake and the fabled “Mountains of the Moon”.

Accommodation at Kibale Forest Camp (Standard), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Comfort), Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

 Day 5: Kibale Chimpanzee Trekking & Bigodi Swamp Walk

After early breakfast, report at Kanyanchu Tourist Centre where tourist activities begin, and set out to track chimpanzees in the forest. The chances of viewing the chimps are over 90% but not a guarantee. Kibale forest national park is one of the most beautiful and stunning forests in Uganda. It is home to our closest living relatives the endangered Chimpanzee, the threatened Red Columbus monkey, and the rare L’Hoest’s monkey. The forest also boasts of having one of the highest diversity and density of primates in Africa totaling 13 species including the Black and white Colobus, Blue monkey, Grey-cheeked mangabey, Red-tailed monkey, and Bush babies, and Pottos.

After lunch visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary from where you will take on a guided walk around the Swamp which will provide you with the opportunity to see a wide range of flora and fauna. View a variety of butterflies, birds, and other insects. Have a tour of the crater region around Ndali lodge. You may also stop over at any tea plantation along the road if you wish. Return to your accommodation for dinner and overnight. Have an evening tour of the crater region, and visit the “top of the world’’, the natural bridge. On a clear day, you will be able to have a view of the snow cap on the Rwenzori.

Accommodation at Kibale Forest Camp (Standard), Mountains of the Moon Hotel (Comfort), Papaya Lake Lodge (Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6: Kibale – Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park viewing the mystical Rwenzori Mountain range for much of the journey. Check-in at your accommodation facility as you wait for your lunch. After lunch, take on an afternoon Launch cruise along Kazinga Channel – one that joins Lakes Edward and George. The cruise is a wonderful way to see hippos, buffalo, kobs, and the occasional Nile crocodile (which up until recently did not inhabit this area) and a spectacular bird watching on the water bank. Many who experience the launch cruise consider it the highlight of their entire African safari.

Accommodation at Bush Lodge (Standard), Kasenyi Safari Camp (Comfort), and Mweya Safari Lodge(Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7: Queen Elizabeth National Park tour

Rise very early with your packed lunch and take on a morning game drive to catch up with the early risers and predators returning to their hideouts. You will most likely meet grazing Hippos, Elephants, Lions, spotted Hyenas, bushbucks, water bucks, stripped jackals, comical warthogs, and the elusive leopard. Proceed to Maramagambo forest. Many surprises await you here for example pythons are often observed in the crevices of the bat cave floor using the bats as a source of food. The cave is near a picturesque formerly Blue lake and Hunters cave. You may also see forest birds such as bat hawks, brown-eared woodpeckers, and other primates.

Accommodation at Bush Lodge (Standard), Kasenyi Safari Camp (Comfort), Mweya Safari Lodge(Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 8: Queen Elizabeth NP – Bwindi forest

With the previous day’s memories, enjoy your breakfast ready for a guided Chimpanzee/primate walk along Kyambura Gorge to look for habituated chimps through the gorge. After the primate walk, proceed to Ishasha sector. You will drive along the deep and wide dry craters that are occupied by savanna grasses and acacia. The drive takes you through the unique western rift valley escarpment and the (southern part of Queen Elizabeth National Park) Ishasha sector where you will take on yet another game drive in search of the tree climbing lions before proceeding to Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park. The journey takes about 4 hours but driving through interesting features. Arrive in Bwindi Impenetrable forest in the evening. The forest itself is lush and green and there are streams running through it.

Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), and Silverback Lodge(Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 9: Bwindi forest Gorilla Tracking

After early breakfast, set off with guides to Gorilla Trekking. The thrill of your encounter will erase the difficulties of the potentially strenuous trek. Bring jungle boots and rain jackets because the park is often wet. Spend time in awe watching the gorillas go about their activities. Each gorilla safari encounter is different and has its own rewards, but you are likely to enjoy the close view of adults feeding, grooming, and resting as the youngsters frolic and swing from vines in a delightfully playful display.

Time permitting, spend the afternoon on a community foot safari to explore the lifestyle of the people living and surrounding the park. Return to camp exhilarated to relieve the encounter with friends over a drink.

Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Rushaga Gorilla Camp (Comfort), and Silverback Lodge(Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 10: Bwindi forest park – Lake Bunyonyi

After an early breakfast transfer to Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale. Lunch break is made in Kabale. The afternoon is spent on relaxation and sightseeing around the Lake.

Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Arcadia Cottages (Comfort),  Birds nest Bunyonyi resort (Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 11: Relax at Lake Bunyonyi

The whole day is dedicated to relaxation and after Lunch break then take on an afternoon boat ride to some of the islands on the lake.

Accommodation at the Bunyonyi Overland Camp (Standard), Acardia Cottages (Comfort), Birds nest bunyonyi resort (Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 12: Lake Bunyonyi – Lake Mburo

After breakfast, drive to Lake Mburo National park. This time a visit to Igongo cultural center to learn and experience the lifestyle and culture of the Ankole and the Bahima. It is only at Igongo that the future meets the past.

Accommodation at the Rwakobo rock lodge (Standard), Mburo Safari Lodge (Comfort),  and Mihingo Lodge (Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 13: Explore Lake Mburo national park

Morning game drive. The park is renowned for zebras, impalas, buffaloes, hippos, topi, and elands including the rare shoebill, crested crane, pelicans, fish eagle, heron, and many water birds. The afternoon boat cruise amidst the Hippos is amazing.

Accommodation at the Rwakobo rock lodge (Standard), Mburo Safari Lodge (Comfort),  and Mihingo Lodge (Luxury)

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 14: Lake Mburo – Kampala

After early breakfast, take on a morning Bush walk. Lake Mburo National Park is a very special place; every part of it is alive with variety, interest, and color. It contains an extensive wetland. You are likely to see elands, impalas, waterbucks, warthogs, and zebras. Thereafter drive back to Kampala with a stopover at the Equator monument and later transfer to Entebbe to catch up with your evening flight back home.

Meal plan: Breakfast & lunch.

End of tour

 

INCLUDED

Transport in a 4WD vehicle with a pop-up roof.

All fuel for the tour

English-speaking Ugandan driver/guide.

Accommodation and Meals on Full Board (Breakfast Lunch and Dinner)

Park entrance fees for all National parks

All activities described in the itinerary

1 Gorilla permit per person.

1 chimp permit per person.

Drinking water throughout the safari.

NOT INCLUDED

International air fares

Entry visa Uganda

Meals that are not part of your accommodation.

A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your day pack).

Personal (medical/travel) insurance

Tips and gratuities to rangers, drivers/guides, porters, hotel staff, etc.

All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional activities, souvenirs etc.)

The tour costs $ 5754 p.p

Worthwhile Africa Safaris is a leading wildlife and community focused travel company, offering ethical and original tours of Africa including: Uganda, DR. Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Tel: + 256 39 3252870

Email: info@worthwhileafricasafaris.com

https://worthwhileafricasafaris.com

Worthwhile Africa Safaris Ltd (WAS), Plot 153, Namugongo Road, Kamjjansi, Entebbe, Uganda.

Discover the wonder of Murchison Falls Uganda

14th December, 2022 | Article By Worthwhile Africa Safaris

AdventureHolidaysSafarisToursWildlife

Murchison Falls National Park

The Mighty Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savannah. The first gazette as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 birds.

The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80lm stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. At Murchison Falls, the Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge and plunges with a thunderous roar into the “Devil’s Cauldron,” creating a trademark rainbow.

This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles. Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles, and aquatic birds are permanent residents.

Accessibility:

Roads

Several routes can be used to reach the Nile at para at the heart of the Murchison falls conservation area. The river is crossed here using a vehicle ferry which runs at roughly hourly intervals throughout the day.

Southern Entrance Gates

Two southerly approaches to para lead out of Masindi town, which is a 4-hour drive (305km) from Kampala. Along the way to Masindi is the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to the only wild rhinos in Uganda. You can track them on foot and support this important initiative to reintroduce rhinos to protected areas.

A longer but more scenic alternative runs for 135km from Masindi to the park’s Bugungu gate, the route includes a passage through Budongo forest and a memorable descent of the rift valley escarpment with views across Lake Albert towards the mountains of the Congo.

Northern Entrance Gates

Murchison falls national park can also be entered via the Chobe Wankwar, Mubako, and Tangi gates north of the Nile. These are reached from the Kampala-Pakwach road which crosses the Nile at Karuma falls bridge in the northeastern corner of the park, 260km from Kampala. These gates are convenient for visitors traveling to/ from Gulu town and Kidepo valley national park.

Air Travel

Pakuba airfield, 19km from north Paraa, can be reached using chartered aircraft from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield near Kampala. Other airfields in the park include: Chobe to the east and Bugungu near Murchison falls to the south.

Activities:

Birding

Both the game drives and the launch trips offer an opportunity for one to come across distinct birdlife, including savannah forest birds, water birds, and Albertine rift endemics. The park’s main birding attraction is the shoebill, best sighted in the dry season from January-March.

Game Drives

A game drive around the Buligi game tracks on the northern bank with a trained ranger guide is a fantastic way to see and photograph the wide range of animals in the Nile valley. Your guide will have a good idea where the lions are hiding and you may even spot a leopard at dusk!

Hiking and Nature Walks

The vast landscapes and varied scenery of Murchison falls national park and the surrounding conservation area can be explored on foot. Trails through Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo forests provide sightings of many primates and birds, while around the Nile Delta, 2-4 hour guided swamp walks offer possible Shoebill sightings.

Launch Trips

The launch trip upstream from Paraa presents an astonishing display of wildlife and culminates with a memorable frontal view of the falls. Recommended for birders is a morning cruise downstream to the Nile-Lake Albert Delta. Alternatively, a tranquil sundowner cruise offers the classic view of an equatorial sunset reflected on the river.

Sport Fishing

The banks of the Nile below Murchison falls provide exciting challenges to anglers. Living within strong currents and highly oxygenated water is the Nile perch. There is a chance to land a massive catch – the record is 108kg!

Cultural Encounters

Energetic dancers from Mubako perform around lodge campfires, making for a magical African experience at dusk. Boomu Women’s Group offers to accommodate, a craft shop and village tours, revealing the realities of life in this rural community.

Worthwhile Africa Safaris is a leading wildlife and community focused travel company, offering ethical and original tours of Africa including: Uganda, DR. Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Tel: + 256 39 3252870

Email: info@worthwhileafricasafaris.com

https://worthwhileafricasafaris.com

Worthwhile Africa Safaris Ltd (WAS), Plot 153, Namugongo Road, Kamjjansi, Entebbe, Uganda.