Our 5 Days Safari Uganda Trip is a fantastic 5 days safari to Uganda with wildlife viewing in Murchison Falls National Park and Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale National Park.
This 5 days safari Uganda trip takes us to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track the wild white rhinos on foot before heading to Murchison Falls National Park for a game drive in search of fantastic African animals such as Lions, Leopards, Rothschild’s giraffes, Buffalos, Elephants, and Hippos plus much more as the checklist of mammals reaches 76 species.
We will also undertake an exciting boat cruise along the Nile River, the longest river in the world, to the bottom of the 45m high Murchison Falls where the 50m wide Nile River is squeezed through a 7 metre gap in the rift valley escarpment plus a hike to the top of this world’s most powerful waterfall.
For our thrilling chimpanzee tracking encounter, we will proceed to Kibale National Park a primates’ paradise hosting over 1500 chimpanzees−the cheeky and intelligent tailless apes with over 98% human DNA. Kibale harbors incredible biodiversity, and besides chimps, contains 12 other primate species, a total of 70 Uganda mammal species, 250 butterfly species, and 325 birds of Uganda species including the highly prized Green-breasted Pitta.
This 5 days Safari Uganda Trip is just an idea which can be customised to create your dream trip, please contact us.
Track chimpanzees and other primates in Kibale Forest
Exciting game viewing in Murchison Falls National Park
Cruise along the historic Nile River to the bottom of Murchison Falls
Track the wild southern white rhinoceros on foot
Enjoy the scenic views of the Ugandan country side during the road transfers
Day 1 & 2: Murchison Falls National Park
Day 3 & 4: Kibale National Park
Day 5: Transfer back to Kampala.
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park, visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary enroute
Day 2: Do game drive in the morning, afternoon Nile launch cruise hike to the top of the falls
Day 3: Drive to Kibale National Park through the Albertine rift
Day 4: Undertake Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest
Day 5: Transfer back to Kampala. Optional cycling in Mpanga Tea Estates and tour to the Nakayima tree
At around 6.30 am, shortly after breakfast at your hotel in Kampala (the capital city of Uganda), we will embark on a 375km (7-8hours) drive to Murchison Falls National Park. We will pass via Luwero as we enjoy a panoramic drive northwest through the former battle zone of the Luwero Triangle, the impressive rural landscapes of Uganda with a lush green cover, scattered human settlements, towns, and markets where you will see people going on with their daily life. Here you can make a stop and take a photo or buy a snack
On the way, we will visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a 2 hours rhino tracking encounter which is usually done on foot in this Uganda rhino restoration project. Following the extinction of Uganda’s rhino in the early 1980s during the period of civil unrest and heavy poaching, a sanctuary has now been established to breed southern white rhinos, and restore rhino populations in Uganda’s protected areas in a later stage. Apparently, a count of 22 rhinos thrives in the sanctuary.
After this amazing experience, we will connect to Murchison Falls National Park through Masindi town and the lush tropical forest of Budongo arriving in the evening for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – Tracking wild rhinos on foot in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Accommodation: –
Upmarket/Luxury: – Bakers Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge
Moderate/Mid-range:- Murchison River Lodge/Pakuba Safari Lodge
Basic/Budget: – Hornbill Bush Lodge/ Red Chilli Rest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 375km or 7-8 hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:-
This day starts with a breakfast at around 6.00am, after which we embark on a morning game drive on the northern bank of Murchison Falls Park for a chance to see many impressive African mammals such as Rothschild’s giraffes, Elephants, buffalos, Lions, Leopards, Waterbuck, Uganda kobs, Hartebeest, Warthog, Hippos, Oribi and many more.
You also see a variety of special bird species including Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Senegal Coucal, Whistling Cisticola, Buff-bellied Warbler, Grey Crowned Crane, Double-toothed Barbet, and White-thighed Hornbill.
The game drive will take 3-4 hours after which we will relax at the lodge up to lunchtime then gather at Paraa Jetty for a stunning boat cruise on the World’s longest river – The River Nile. This 3 hours boat cruise will take us to the bottom of Murchison Falls where animals like Buffaloes, Hippos, Crocodiles, Elephants, and plenty of water birds can be viewed from the peaceful sailing boat.
We will also take a hike to the captivating top of the fall viewpoint for an awesome moment, where we will watch and listen to the roar of the 50 meters wide Nile River as it squeezes itself through a 7 meter wide cleft in the rift valley escarpment before falling 45 meters below to what has been termed as the devil’s Cauldron forming a plume of spray marked by a thunderous roar and trademark rainbow.
Here you will taste the spray on your face and feel the rock shake beneath your feet. Sheer sensory overload! After this wonderful encounter, you will link up with the guide and the vehicle at the top of the falls and transfer to the lodge for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – The afternoon boat cruises on the Nile River to the bottom of Murchison Falls.
Accommodation:-
Upmarket/Luxury: – Bakers Lodge/Paraa Safari Lodge
Moderate/Mid-range:- Murchison River Lodge/Pakuba Safari Lodge
Basic/Budget: – Hornbill Bush Lodge/ Red Chilli Rest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services of the day:-
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day include:-
This day starts early in the morning at 6:00 am in order to enable us to cross with the 7:00 am Ferry and then begin our thrilling road drive through the countryside of Uganda as we proceed to our next destination, Kibale National Park. This very scenic drive takes you through the Albertine Escarpment of the western Rift valley on the Buliisa-Hoima-Fort portal road.
This 441km about 8 – 9 hours’ drive is indeed a long journey, passing though verdant countryside and traditional homesteads and farms. Upon arriving in Fort Portal Area, you will settle for lunch at one of the best restaurants in town. Fort-Portal is located at the base of the fertile Rwenzori Mountains (Africa’s highest Mountain range) also known as the Mountains of the Moon in Uganda. We will reach our lodge/camp in the late afternoon and settle in.
Here you will get seduced by forest smells and sounds, spot primates swinging through the trees, and observe rare birds and beautiful butterflies fluttering around. A magical place indeed!
The highlight of the day: – The fantastic views south to the Albertine Rift area, marked with incredible steep escarpments.
Accommodation options:-
Luxury/Upmarket: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
Mid-range/Moderate: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/ Kibale Forest Camp/Mountains of the moon Hotel
Budget/Basic: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/ Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 441km or 8-9 hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day.
After breakfast at around 7.00 am, we shall drive to Kibale’s Kanyanchu Visitor Centre (only about 10 minutes drive from our camp) for the incredible chimpanzee tracking and primate viewing experiences. Kibale National Park is one of the best places in Africa to view many primate species.
The park is home to over 1500 chimpanzees and 12 other primates including Black-and-white colobus, Ugandan red colobus, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Olive Baboons, Red-tailed Monkeys, and Blue Monkeys, L’Hoest’s Monkeys, Bush babies, and Pottos. There are also over 351 bird species including the rare Green breasted pitta and African pitta.
Chimpanzee tracking in Kibale starts at 8.00 am with a briefing from the excellent park rangers who will be your guides for the activity. After the briefing, you head to the forest in search of the man’s closest relative. The activity lasts about 2 to 4 hours and over the years have had a 95% success rate of seeing the chimpanzees. Viewing them as they munch fruit, swinging in trees, socializing, patrolling, mating, and making hooting calls is an unforgettable experience that you will treasure forever.
You have a full hour to enjoy these precious creatures and you are free to take as many photos as you wish! After our amazing Chimpanzee trek, we will return to the starting point where we will enjoy our packed picnic lunch and catch our breaths after all the excitement.
After lunch, the fun doesn’t stop, as we visit the Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The sanctuary is a famous successful community tourism initiative where we have a chance to walk in the swampy habitat that has become known as the “bird paradise”, as we have the chance to see some special species here including include Great Blue Turaco, Papyrus Gonolek, and Black-crowned Waxbill and Bocage’s Bushshrike. After our exciting day, we will head back to our camp for relaxation, dinner, and overnight.
The highlight of the day: – Tracking wild chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park on foot.
Accommodation:-
Luxury/Upmarket: – Crater Safari Lodge/Kyaninga Lodge/Ndali Lodge
Mid-range/Moderate: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/ Kibale Forest Camp/Mountains of the Moon Hotel
Budget/Basic: – Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse/ Kibale Forest Camp
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services of the day:-
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
After breakfast at around 8.00am, embark on the transfer back to Kampala. You connect 26km to Fort Portal town and then 300km about 5 hours’ drive to Kampala. You can opt to take Mpanga Tea Estate Cycling where you explore the beautiful tea plantation on the bike in the company of the local guide.
Another stop can be made in Mubende to visit the Nakayima Tree, the best-known Bachwezi-associated sacrificial site in Buganda. The tree is estimated by scientists to be between 500 and 1,000 years old. It is a compelling piece of natural engineering towering almost 40m above its park-like surrounds like an oversized surrealist sculpture whose fin-shaped buttresses fan out from the base to create around a dozen cavernous hollows, each of which is dedicated to a particular spirit.
The most popular spirit dedicated to the tree is of course Nakayima (fertility and various illnesses) and Ndahura (smallpox), but others with their buttressed ‘rooms’ include Nabuzana (marriage), Walumbe (death and diseases) Mukasa (lakes and rivers), Bamweyana (madness). The tree remains an active shrine visited by Bachwezi cultists from all around Buganda and Bunyoro to pay homage or leave sacrifices (coins, cowrie shells, gourds, food, etc) to relevant spirits.
Every so often, a group of cultists will spend a night by the tree, where they might roast a goat or pig in honor of the incumbent priestess, who claims to have left below the tree and serve in that role since the 1960s. We will have our lunch in Mubende after which we will continue on the drive to Kampala and this marks the end of our 5 Days Uganda Safari.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Activities & Services of the day:-
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 326km or 6 – 7 hours
Optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
Full time English professional safari driver guide
4×4 safari van/ 4×4 Safari land cruiser with poop up roof for game viewing with functional A/C
Full board accommodation
Chimpanzee trekking permit fees
Boat cruise fees
Wi-Fi Internet on board the safari vehicle
Bottled water
International &domestic flight fees
Visa fees
Laundry services
Items of personal nature
Gratuities and tips
Other beverages/ drinks
Other extras not mentioned in the itinerary above
Cate
Samuel
Robert
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