During this 7 Days Kidepo and Murchison Falls Safari, you will be visiting the two great national parks in the northern part of Uganda. That’s Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.
Detailed Itinerary.
Day 1: Transfer to Gulu in Northern Uganda
Today, you will be picked from your hotel after breakfast, and you will drive to Gulu town in Northern Uganda. On the way, you may decide to visit Ziwa Rhino sanctuary to track the white rhinos in Nakasongola. You will cross river Nile and via Karuma bridge as you proceed to Gulu town for overnight. You will drive to the hotel for relaxation since it will be a long hot journey from Kampala.
Accommodation: Boma Hotel Gulu
Meals: Lunch and Dinner.
Day 2: Transfer from Gulu town to Kidepo Valley National Park
After your breakfast at the hotel, you will drive to Kidepo Valley National Park via Kitgum. On your way, you will enjoy some scenic views of the few hills that separate Acholi Land and Karamoja, you will not miss the great Manyatas on the way, cross some few seasonal rivers and arrive Kidepo Valley National Park in the afternoon for Lunch. You will have your lunch at the lodge and relaxation till evening. You may also decide to have an evening game drive in Narus Valley.
Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 3: Morning game drive and visit to the hot springs
After early breakfast, drive to the Narus valley to do an early morning game drive to trace wildlife that walk around the valley for water. During your game drive, expect to see the “big four” including lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo may all be sighted on your safari game drive. On addition to this, you may also see the giraffes, zebras, Cheetahs, hyenas, Kongoni, ostriches among many others.
Later you will return to the Lodge for Lunch, short relaxation and then drive to Kidepo Valley to visit the hot springs, near the Uganda-Sudan boarder, and if lucky, you will spot the giant Ostriches which are found in this place but have been seriously poached by Sudanese. There seasonal rivers on this side so if it is a rainy season, get ready to be interrupted for few hours. Finally return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 4: Community visit and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Today, you will wake up to a warm breakfast, check out and transfer to the Karamojong community for a culture experience. While at the Karamojong village, you will learn more about their culture, music and dance. Karamoja has a cattle culture and the Karamojong are notorious as cattle raiders. Unlike most other Ugandans, many Karamojong shun western-style clothes and instead wear “traditional” dress of a blanket -like shawl, often in red and black. After, you will proceed to Kitgum town, have lunch and drive straight to Murchison Falls National Park. Check in at your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 5: Morning Game Drive and Afternoon Boat Cruise
After an early morning cup of hot tea / coffee, you will leave for an early morning game drive looking for the early morning riser. As you head out for the game drive, you will be in position to spot animals like the buffaloes, elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, Rothschild giraffes, Oribi, Kobs and waterbucks together with some bird species along the way with some feeding together with the big animals.
After you will head back for breakfast and rest at the lodge till lunch is served. In the afternoon you head for a Boat ride along the Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. This Boat ride on River Nile goes for 3 hours and you will be able to see some Nile crocodiles, numerous hippos, as well as various bird species. You will then return for dinner and the overnight at the lodge.
Accommodation: Fort Murchison
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Short morning game drive, Top of the Falls visit and rhino tracking
After a relaxed breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and drive to the top of the falls. While there, you will enjoy the spectacular view of the most powerful waterfall in the world, Murchison falls. Murchison Falls National Park runs on the Victoria Nile that connects to Lake Albert, in Northwestern Uganda. It’s originally known as Kabalega falls where water forces its way through a very narrow gorge of about 7 meters wild forming the world’s most powerful waterfalls, and a rainbow on a sunny day. In Every single second, the equivalent of 200 bathtubs full of water drops down through this narrow space. This experience a must see on your safari to Uganda.
After, you will head to Ziwa rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola District, near Nakitoma Village, where you will get a moment to track these beautiful animals. The white Rhinos became extinct in Uganda’s national parks in 1980, but conservationists and the government through Uganda wildlife authority took the few that had remained and transferred them to the sanctuary for better protection. There are about 32+ rhinos in the sanctuary at the moment and there is a plan to reintroduce them in Uganda’s game parks in the future.
This safari experience will give you a full encounter of the big five as you see the rhinos in their nature habitat.
You will spend the night at the sanctuary observing other animals around and enjoying the gifts of nature.
Accommodation: Amuka Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Transfer back to Kampala.
On this beautiful day, you will have breakfast at a chill, check out of the lodge after and transfer back to Kampala for you late evening flight or drop off at the hotel.
End of your 7 Days Kidepo and Murchison Falls Safari