3 Days Murchison falls wildlife safari

• Rhino tracking
• Game drives
• Boat safari
• Top of the falls

Day 1: From Entebbe – Murchison Falls National Park via Ziwa Rhino sanctuary.

Travel Time: 300 km, 7 hours (3 hours to Ziwa)

Today after breakfast, your guide will pick you from Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park. En route, you will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will go for a game walk with an experienced ranger, which gives you a unique opportunity to view the rhinos from a close distance.

Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley National Parks once had both black and white rhinos; however, widespread poaching during the Idi Amin era resulted in the disappearance of these majestic animals from the wild. Founded in 1998, Rhino Fund Uganda works to reintroduce black and white rhinos into Uganda and runs a breeding programme.

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest conservation area in Uganda, covering an area of over 3,840 km². The park’s name derives from its famous waterfall: the mighty Murchison Falls, which are formed where the Victoria Nile powerfully forces its way through a narrow cleft before plunging 43m down with a thunderous roar

The mighty Nile River divides the park into its north and south sections. At the spectacular Murchison Falls the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. As the river attracts large numbers of game, a boat safari up the Nile provides the perfect opportunity to see and photograph the animals. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, apes and all the other thirsty wildlife that the Nile attracts;  you go to the bottom of the Murchison Falls, which approaches you with a thunderous sound. By car or after a short hike you can reach the “Top of the falls” from where you have a perfect view of the impressive falls and the river snaking below.

You will be staying at a great luxury lodge. Here you can relax during the rest of your day.

Accommodation: Paraa Safari lodge
Meal plan: All meals

Paraa Safari Lodge standard rooms (Semi-luxe)
Paraa Lodge – established in 1954 – is overlooking River Nile from the northern bank of the river. Set in an area of landscaped gardens, the lodge recreates a mood that we have come to associate with the famous explorers of East Africa. From most of the rooms, the restaurant and the pool you have a stunning view over the River Nile.

As a new addition to their standard rooms they have build some luxury tents. The tents are superbly furnished with modern interiors and linens – still reflecting and creating a mood of being ‘in the wild’. Get closer to the River Nile and have some more intimacy!

Because Paraa Safari Lodge is located on the northern bank of the Nile, you can start your game drives straight away, as you don’t have to take the ferry.

*You may upgrade to the deluxe rooms, just let us know.

Day 2: Morning game drive- Afternoon boat safari-Top of falls

Today after breakfast, you will depart for an early morning game drive across the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest National Park.  The 3,893 sq km park is home to a range of animals, and you will have a chance of viewing some of the Park’s residents including lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffaloes, and elephants.  For the birders amongst you, these areas support the secretary bird and the black chested snake eagle, to name a few.

In the afternoon, go for a boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls, where the Nile thunders through a small 7 meter gap plunging 43 meters into the Nile on the way to Lake Albert.  The banks of the Nile are densely populated with crocodiles, hippopotamus, and a range of other wildlife that come to the river to drink. After the boat safari you will hike to the top of the falls. From here you have a wonderful view and fantastic photo opportunities!

Accommodation: Paraa Safari Lodge
Meal Plan: All meals

Optional activity: Chimp tracking Budongo forest
Budongo Forest is located in the southern part of Murchison Falls National Park and has the highest number of wild chimpanzees of Uganda. The habituated groups are located in Kaniyo Padibi, where you can go for chimpanzee tracking. Budongo Forest has an incredible biodiversity that beside the chimpanzee includes several other species like the Blue monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, Vervet monkeys and Olive baboons.

Costing: $95 us dollar p.p.

Day 3: Transfer back to Kampala

Today after breakfast, you will cross the 9.00am ferry and transfer back to Kampala.

Accommodation for tonight is not inclusive in the program. If you wish to depart tonight from Entebbe Airport, make sure your flight is at 10 pm or later. If you want us to book one or more nights in Kampala and/or Entebbe, please let us know.

Journey Time: 7 hours to Entebbe
Accommodation: Not included
Meal plan: Breakfast

Departure Dates

This is a private tour; you are free to choose your preferred departure date subject only to availability in the accommodation listed in the programme.

Extension Tours

If you want to extend your tour to one of our other destinations or if you would like to add a few side trips to the itinerary, kindly let us know.

Booking

The bookings with the hotels mentioned in the program depend on availability. Reservations will only be made after your booking.

In case the mentioned hotels are not available during the requested period, we will do our utmost best to book a hotel in the same class for you (of course we will only do this after consulting you). It is not possible to ‘reserve’ gorilla and chimpanzee permits. Therefore we can only buy them after your booking and down-payment and also here it all depends on availability.

Tour Package Including:

• Transport in a 4WD safari van with pop-up roof for excellent safari view;
• All fuel for the tour;
• English speaking Ugandan driver/guide;
• Accommodation as listed in the program;
• All meals in Murchison Falls NP;
• Park-entrance fees according to the program;
• All activities described in the itinerary;

Excluding:

• International air fares and entry visa Uganda
• Meals that are not part of your accommodation
• A porter for during the gorilla tracking (someone who carries your daypack);
• Personal (medical/travel) insurance;
• Tips and gratuities to rangers, driver/guide, porter, hotel staff, etc;
• All expenses of personal nature (e.g. drinks, laundry, optional

This tour can be tailor made to suite budget and mid range travellers

When you book your trip with Gorilla Link Tours to any of our destinations, Gorilla Link Tours will donate US$ 5 per person to persons with Albinism.