This 8 days Uganda luxury safari tour is a perfectly crafted 7 nights/8 day Uganda luxury tour that incorporates wildlife viewing, Chimpanzee trekking, mountain Elgon hiking & community cultural tours in Uganda.
This exclusive Uganda safari includes gentle day hikes to Sipi Falls and Mount Elgon to discover the secrets of this magnificent extinct shield volcano which features the 4th highest point in East Africa and the largest base of any of the world’s volcanically formed mountains.
From Elgon we visit Kidepo Valley National Parks for 2 days game viewing tour as you enjoy the spectacular views of this Africa’s finest wilderness roamed by the game; Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Elephants, Buffalos, Zebras, Giraffes, Elands, Aardwolves, Bat-eared foxes, and Ostriches.
Here we will also experience the cultural heritage of the fascinating Karamajong and the endangered Ik tribal people who live nearby.
We continue to Murchison Falls National Park for a beautiful game drive through the Palm-dotted savannah plains, filled with almost all African big gems including Lions, Elephants, Buffalos, Leopards, and Rothschild’s giraffes, and antelopes plus much more.
Then surely you will be fascinated by the park’s concentration of hippos and fantastic waterbirds especially the iconic Shoebill storks as you cruise up the historic Nile River to the spectacular Murchison Falls. We hike to the top of the falls and marvel as the Nile squeezes through a 7-meter gap, with enormous Nile crocodiles weighing over 200 kg and almost 17 feet long basking at the bottom.
We proceed to Budongo Forest, a magnificent tract of intact tropical rainforest to track wild chimpanzees (our closest genetic living relatives) on foot. We will then drive back to Kampala with an en-route visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Here you get the opportunity to track wild white rhinos on foot and you’ll get to appreciate what a 2-ton animal really looks like.
Book/customize and enjoy this wonderful unforgettable safari with a variety of wildlife, culture and adventure.
Explore scenic Kidepo Valley National Park on 2 days game drives
Cruise along the legendary River Nile to spectacular Murchison Falls
Hike to the top of world’s most powerful falls– Murchison falls
Spot massive white rhinos on a walking safari at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Undertake a jungle trek to encounter chimpanzees in their natural habitat
Hike to discover the secrets of the East Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Elgon.
Hike to the spectacular Sip Falls
Experience the unique culture of the incredible Ik and Karamajong tribal people
Drive through some of the most iconic landscapes in eastern Africa
Day 1: Sipi Area
Day 2: Mount Elgon
Day 3, 4 & 5: Kidepo Valley National Park.
Day 6 & 7: Murchison Falls National Park
Day 8: Budongo Forest & drive to Kampala.
Day 1: Drive to Sipi Area & hike the Sipi falls.
Day 2: Undertake a whole day hike to Mount Elgon
Day 3: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park.
Day 4: Do game drive / wild game viewing in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Day 5: Another day of game drive in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Day 6: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park from Kidepo NP.
Day 7: Morning game drive, afternoon Nile boat cruise & hike to the top of the falls.
Day 8: Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest & drive to Kampala. Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary enroute.
After breakfast at around 7.00 am, we will embark on a 214km (5-6hours) drive from Kampala to Sipi Falls. The drive to Eastern Uganda is long but rewarding. We will explore the en-route landscapes including; Sugar plantations, Mabira Forest Reserve, Rice fields and towns. We will drive through busy roadside markets and quiet rural villages where you will see people going on with their daily life.
Upon arrival, we will take up an adventure hike to the Sipi waterfalls. The 100m-high Sipi Falls is the last in a series of three pretty waterfalls formed by the Sipi River as it cascades downhill from the upper slopes of Mount Elgon into the Kyoga Basin.
The waterfalls are surrounded by beautiful walking trails and lush green hills. A local guide will lead you on a 3-hour hike through the region to visit these falls. Besides nature in abundance your hike will include a tour of a small local coffee-producing farm. This is the perfect time to pick up some high-quality Ugandan coffee to take home to your friends and family.
If you are missing a bit of adrenaline in your day you can abseil from the top of the 100-meter-high Sipi Falls. Hanging from a rope in the cool mist of the cascading falls right beside you, you will have a spectacular panoramic view of the valley below.
Highlight of the day: – Gentle day hikes to Sipi Fall, a very peaceful and pretty spots on the slope of Mount Elgon.
Accommodation:-
Upmarket/Luxury: – Sipi River Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 214km or 5-6hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
After breakfast at around 7.00am, we will embark on a transfer to Kapkwai Forest Exploration Center at 2050m from where you start your hike of Mount Elgon. Mt Elgon is an extinct shield volcano featuring the fourth-highest point in East Africa (4321m).
Elgon also features the broadest base of any free-standing mountain anywhere in the world (4,000km²) and the world’s largest intact mountain caldera (42km2). The day hike allows you to explore the mountain foothills with great scenic views of the ridges, lush flora and colorful bird species.
You also have an option for cultural experiences on the slopes of Mount Elgon. Here you can spend time learning and engaging with the Sabiny culture and community. A visit to the Sipi Widows group is highly recommended. This is the origin of the finest washed Arabica Coffee. The Sipi Widows’ Group takes you through the coffee plantation demonstrating how to plant, pick, grind, store, and wash the coffee.
You can learn about the Sabiny – participate in traditional weaving, African cuisines – its preparation, cooking and tasting of local dishes and visit the women’s handcraft shop.
Highlight of the day: – An adventurous day hike on the lower slopes of the Mount Elgon.
Accommodation:-
Upmarket/Luxury: – Sipi River Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 214km or 5-6hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
We will start our day with a breakfast at around 6.30am, and then set off for the transfer to the amazing Kidepo Valley National Park. The drive will take us through the remarkable northern Uganda landscapes including Mount Moroto and extensive plains dotted with Manyattas of the Karamojong people.
A manyatta is a village made up of several huts, which in turn are surrounded by a fence made of branches and thorns. These are put up to keep the cattle in and to protect them from thieving rival tribes and wild animals. We will have lunch along the way and then continue to Kidepo Valley National Park.
The alluring scenery of uniquely formed valleys, the untampered wilderness, and freely roaming animals is the sight that will welcome you to 1,442km2 Kidepo National Park.
With the sweeping plains of Kidepo and Narus Valleys overshadowed by the brooding mountainscape of Mount Morungole (the sacred peak of the Ik people,) this park has huge appeal just for the scenery alone. According to CNN, Kidepo might be the most picturesque of all Africa safari parks.
The vegetation of Kidepo is high catching grassland and savannah that spread into horizons beyond the eye can see. The broad savannah and its mountain backdrop indeed paint gorgeous scenery and if there wasn’t a single animal living there, it would still be a wonderful place to visit. But, that is not a concern because the animal populations in Kidepo Valley National Park are high and the sightings are easy.
You will reach Kidepo in the evening and check-in your accommodation for dinner.
Highlight of the day: – Driving through the remarkably scenic landscapes of northern Uganda.
Accommodation:-
Upmarket/Luxury: – Apoka Safari Lodge/Adele Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Drive time: – Approx. 526km or 7-8 hours
Activities & services of the day:-
After breakfast at around 7.00 am, we will embark on an extensive photographic game drive along the trails of the Kidepo Valley National Park. The vast open savannah plains of this park make it easy to spot animals.
Expect to explore the Narus Valley in the south sector of Kidepo, the only area of the park with permanent water sources throughout the year and for that matter, most of the animals are easily seen in this part of the park. Animals you can expect to see include Buffalos, Elephants, Lions, many Zebras, Giraffes, Hartebeest, and Reedbucks.
There are also Cheetahs, Leopards, Aardwolves, Bat-eared foxes, and caracals.
A variety of waterbirds can also be seen Narus including African Jacana, yellow-billed stork, white-faced whistling duck and various herons and egrets plus other Kidepo specials such as Clapperton’s francolin, rose-ringed parakeet, Abyssinian ground hornbills, bateleur, Meyer’s parrot, and superb starling. You will return to the accommodation for dinner and overnight stay.
Highlight of the day: – Superb game drive adventure in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Accommodation:-
Upmarket/Luxury: – Apoka Safari Lodge/Adele Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & services of the day:-
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
This is dedicated for another game drive in Kidepo. The park is well endowed and every moment in it will surely be a rewarding one. An optional cultural tour to the Karamajong Manyattas (homesteads) can be arranged. The Karamojong people are Uganda’s most distinctive ethnic tribe.
The colorful blankets, piercings and beads they wear, as well as the language and other cultural traits of the Karamajong set them apart from other tribes in Uganda. They are well known for their love for cattle and cattle rustling and their resistance to the trappings of modern world.
They take a lot of pride in their culture and customs, harbor foreign interference with their traditional lifestyle, and view new trends in life, travel, education, technology, dress, fashion, housing, medicines, religion, and several others as unnecessary inconvenience. There is such a rich culture in these Manyattas that have been preserved over the centuries.
Also day visit to Ik community can also be organised to give you a rare insight into this tribe of people with less than 10,000 members and is seen as endangered for its future existence as they attempt to eke out a living high in the Morungole Mountain. Ik are believed to have migrated from Ethiopia and first settled in Kenya and migrated to what is now Kidepo Valley Park.
They were cattle herders however due to cattle raids from the Karamojong they gave up cattle herding for subsistence farming, goat keeping, and honey production. These tribal people became famous in 1972 when British-American anthropologist Colin Turnbull published his book “The mountain people” in which he described the IK people he comes across as people who did not love.
However, a visit to the IK village will disapprove of what, they love, welcome and Turnbull simply got it wrong.
Highlight of the day: Morning game drive and cultural tours to the Karamajong Manyattas and Ik community.
Accommodation:-
Upmarket/Luxury: – Apoka Safari Lodge/Adele Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & services of the day:-
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
We will start the day with an early breakfast and then embark on a 347km (7-8 hours) drive to Murchison Falls National Park enjoying the views of the rural landscapes of northern Uganda including the remains of the infamous Konyi war.
We will arrive in the park in the evening and depending on the lodge location, an evening game drive can be made en route to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest National Park in Uganda, covering an area of 3,840km2. The park is named after the dramatic Murchison Falls which in turn were christened by explorer and naturalist Sir Samuel Baker. Baker named the falls Murchison Falls after the geologist Roderick Murchison, the president of the Royal Geographical Society in the 1860s.
Notable visitors to the park include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British royals. The 1951 film The African Queen starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile River in Murchison Falls National Park.
Highlight of the day: – A scenic drive through the flat plains of Northern Uganda.
Accommodation:-
Luxury/Upmarket: – Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 400km or 7-8 hours
Activities & Services of the day:-
After breakfast at 7am, we will embark on a 3-4 hours game drive in the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park with its impressive palm-dotted savannah plains following the respective tracks including Pakuba, Buligi among others and to the Delta Area.
Murchison is home to over 76 mammal species including 4 of the iconic African Big Five gems (lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalos) and offers good sights of Rothschild Giraffes, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Oribis and much more.
After the game drive, relax, enjoy your lunch & later embark on a 3-hour Nile launch cruise to the bottom of the falls exploring the wonders of the Nile River including the second-largest Reptile in the world; Nile Crocodile, great counts of Hippos, wild game on the river banks and the fascinating world’s most powerful waterfall.
The boat cruise also offers amazing bird watching thanks to presence of over 450 bird species including shoebills, Goliath herons, Saddle-billed storks, African Jacana, Squacco herons, Black-headed gonoleks, Giant kingfishers, Malachite kingfishers and Palm-nut vultures.
Upon reaching the bottom of the falls, you hike upwards to the top of Murchison Falls where you can truly appreciate the staggering power with which the 50 wide Nile crashes through a 7 meter gap in the escarpment generating a plume of spray as it falls 45m below to what has been termed as Devil’s Cauldron creating a thunderous roar and a trademark rainbow.
Meet your driver-guide at the top of the falls and connect to the lodge for overnight
Highlight of the day: – The afternoon boat cruise along the Nile River to the bottom of the Murchison Falls.
Accommodation:-
Luxury/Upmarket: – Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakers Lodge
Meal Plan: – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Activities & Services of the day:-
Other optional activities you can choose to do on this day:-
After early morning breakfast at around 6.00am, we will visit Budongo Forest for an on-foot Chimpanzee tracking tour and watch our closest living relatives close up in their magisterial natural surroundings. There aren’t many places to see chimps safely and easily in Africa but Budongo Forest and Kaniyo-Pabidi forest supports an 800-strong chimpanzee population.
There are also several other primates that can be see while searching for the chimps including red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black-and-white colobus. Also over 360 bird species and 250 species of butterflies have been recorded in this this forest reserves.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo starts at 8 am and takes 2 – 5 hours inclusive of one hour of actual Chimp viewing exploring them as they forage, play, mate, patrol, and jump among other behaviors.
From the activity, you set off for the drive to Kampala making a stop en route to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – the only spot in Uganda where you can see Rhinos in their natural habitat. Here we will have an up-close encounter with these pre-historic-looking creatures on foot. From the activity, proceed to Kampala
Highlight of the day: Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest.
Meal Plan: – Breakfast & Lunch
Drive distance & time: – Approx. 375km or 7-8 hours.
Activities & Services of the 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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