7 days Murchison Falls, Kibale forest and Queen Elizabeth safari
7 Days Murchison, Kibale Forest and Queen Safari
This 7 days Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth Safari will take you to the savannah national parks, that is, Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you will be able to spot the big five mammals, including rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, buffaloes, lions, leopards, elephants and other animals like Uganda kobs, waterbucks, giraffes, bushbucks, warthogs, hippos, Nile crocodiles, oribi, and Jackson’s hartebeest, among others, during the game drives and boat cruise. This Uganda safari will also take you to Kibale Forest National Park, also known as the primate capital, where you will engage in an adventurous chimpanzee trekking experience and to Bigodi swamp.
Highlights of the safari
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park.
Day 2: Morning game drive and boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
Day 7: Departure to Kampala/Entebbe
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa rhino sanctuary
Depending on your location on the first day of the safari, you will be picked up by our driver guide from Entebbe airport or your hotel in Entebbe, briefed about the safari and then start the journey to Murchison Falls National Park. On the way, you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and then continue the journey with another stopover for en-route lunch in Masindi town. After lunch, you will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, and upon arrival, you will drive to the top of the falls, where you will enjoy views of the most powerful waterfall.
Later, connect to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
After an early breakfast, your driver-guide will pick you up to transfer to the park for a morning game drive, where you will be rewarded with views of animals like buffaloes, giraffes, Uganda kobs, oribi, Jackson’s hartebeest, elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, predators like lions and leopards and different bird species. Later, return to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for an afternoon boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, which starts at around 2:00 pm and takes about 2 to 3 hours. During the boat cruise, you will be able to view hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water, view buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, and others along the shores, and view water birds, among others. After the boat ride, you will drive back to the lodge or go for an optional evening game drive in the park, where you will look out for animals that you might have missed during the morning game drive.
Dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Transfer to Kibale Forest National Park
You will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey to Kibale Forest National Park in western Uganda. On the way, you will have views of the beautiful scenery, tea plantations, Rwenzori peaks, and crater lakes, among others. You will also have stopovers for en route lunch to stretch your legs and also to take pictures. Upon arrival, you will check into the lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking and Bigodi swamp walk
After an early breakfast, you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the park headquarters for a chimpanzee trekking briefing, whereafter you will be allocated a chimpanzee family to trek and a park guide. Trekking of chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park takes about 2 to 4 hours, depending on where they are located.
During chimpanzee trekking, you will be able to view other primates like blue monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, among others. Once the chimpanzees have been found, you will be able to spend one hour with them, which helps you to learn their behaviours and habits; take photos; watch them feed, breastfeed, and play; and record videos, among other things. After the one hour with the chimpanzees, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will go for a guided nature walk in Bigodi wetland, where you will be able to spot different bird species like the great blue turaco, cranes, hornbills, and kingfishers, as it’s a birdwatching paradise, and primates like vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, and red-tailed monkeys, among others. After the swamp walk, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 5: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
You will have breakfast at leisure, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The journey takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive, and upon arrival, you will check into your lodge for lunch and relaxation.
Later, go for an evening game drive in the park, where you will be able to view animals like Uganda kobs, buffaloes, elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, bushbucks, and hippos, among others. After the evening game drive, you will return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise on the Kazinga channel
After an early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge to go for a morning game drive in the park, where you will look out for predators like lions, leopards, and hyenas looking for a morning hunt, and other animals like elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, and different bird species like vultures, eagles, cranes, and plovers, among others. After the game ride, you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
After lunch, you will head out for a boat cruise on Kazinga Channel, a water channel that connects Lake Edward and Lake George. During the boat cruise, which takes about 2 to 3 hours, you will be able to view hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water, other animals along the water banks, and aquatic bird species like the African darter, long-tailed cormorant, malachite kingfisher, saddle-billed stork, and black crake, among others. Later return to your lodge for an evening of relaxation, dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 7: Departure to Kampala/Entebbe
On the last day of the safari, you will have breakfast, check out of the lodge and meet up with your driver guide to start the journey back to Kampala. On the way, you will have en-route lunch and a stopover at the Equator in Kayabwe to take photos and buy souvenirs. Later, proceed to Kampala, arriving early evening, and your driver guide will drop you off at Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight. At the end of 7 days, Murchison Falls, Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth Safari.
Tour includes
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Bigodi swamp walk
- Park entrance fee/game drives
- Rhino tracking
- Boat cruise
- Top of the falls
- Full board Accommodation
- All meals at the lodge and en-route (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Full-time English-speaking driver guide
- Pick up and drop off in Entebbe
- 4WD safari Vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water during the safari
The tour excludes
- All Air flight tickets
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses like buying soft and alcoholic drinks, souvenirs, crafts, telephone calls, laundry services, hiring a porter, among others.
- Tipping and gratuities
