5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari

5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari will give you an opportunity to explore Murchison falls national park which is the largest protected area located in the northern part of Uganda. Murchison falls National Park is divided into two sectors with River Nile that is the northern sector and the southern sector. during the safari in the park, you will engage in interesting activities such as the game drive where you will view various animal species like the elephants, buffaloes, lions, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda kobs, warthogs, waterbucks among others, participate in an amazing boat cruise to the bottom of the falls which is the most powerful waterfall and Nile delta boat cruise. You will also participate in chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest the largest mahogany forest in East Africa.

Highlights of the 5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari

Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Day 3: Nile delta boat cruise and community tour
Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest
Day 5: Departure to Kampala

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Murchison falls national park

Arrival and transfer to Murchison falls national park, upon arrival on the first day of your 5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari, our driver guide will pick you up from Entebbe airport, brief you about the safari and then start the journey to Murchison falls national park in northwestern part of Kampala. The journey takes about 5 to 6 hours drive and on the way you will have great views of the traditional homesteads, beautiful scenery, landscape, roadside markets, local people among others. You will have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for Rhino tracking, Ziwa rhino sanctuary is the only place in Uganda that harbors the endangered white rhinos in their natural environment. After rhino tracking you will continue the journey with en-route lunch in Masindi town. After lunch you will proceed to the park and upon arrival you will drive directly to the top of the falls where you will be able to view the waterfall, beautiful scenery, bird and animals species among others. From the top of the falls you will transfer to the lodge where you will check in, have dinner and overnight.

Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Morning game drive, on the second day of the5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari, you will have an early breakfast and meet up with your driver guide to go for a morning game drive which starts as early as 6: 30 or7:00am so as to catch up with the predators which will be going back to their hiding places. The game drive in Murchison falls national park is done following different tracks such as Buligi game track, Victoria game track, Albert game track among. During the game drive you should therefore look out for animals like bushbucks, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, waterbucks, Jacksons hartebeests, oribi, warthogs, predators like lions, leopards, hyenas, bird species like marabou stork, black bellied bustard, open billed stork, black headed lapwing, Abyssinian ground hornbill, grey crowned crane, yellow billed stork, secretary bird, osprey among others. You will also be able to view the sunrise and take clear pictures. After the game drive you will drive back to the lodge for lunch.
Boat cruise, after lunch you will drive to Paraa landing site for an exciting boat cruise to the bottom of the falls. The scheduled boat cruise starts at around 2:00pm and takes about 2 to 3 hours, during the boat ride you will have great views the waterfall, take beautiful photos, cruise near aquatic animals like hippos and Nile crocodiles, other animals like elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, antelopes drinking water along the shores, views aquatic bird species like grey headed King fisher, Bee-eaters, Herons, cormorants, long toed plover, African darter, veracious dove among others. The boat will continue to the bottom of the falls where you will either opt to hike to the top of the falls or cruise back to the starting point. Hiking to the top of the falls is an adventurous activity takes about 45 minutes to reach on top but strenuous therefore it requires you to be physically fit. During hiking you will be able to view beautiful scenery, enjoy water plashes, listen to roars of the water among others, when you reach on top you will find your driver waiting for you and then drive to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 3: Nile delta boat cruise and community tour

Nile delta boat cruise, after breakfast on the third day of the 5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari, your driver guide will pick you up to transfer to the Paraa jetty for a Nile delta boat cruise. The Nile delta boat cruise is done in schedules and cruising starts from Parra jetty and stretches to the shores of Lake Albert. The Nile delta boat cruise takes about 4 to 5 hours ride and during this breathtaking activity you will have spectacular views of Murchison falls which is the most powerful waterfall, large concentrations of hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, animals like Uganda kobs, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks drinking water along the shores, bird species like the elusive shoebill stork, goliath heron, African jacana, pied and malachite kingfisher, African skimmer, papyrus gonolek, African fish eagle, saddle billed stork, view fishermen who will be catching fish on Lake Albert in dugout canoes among others. After the Nile delta boat cruise you will meet up with your driver guide and return to the lodge for lunch.
Community walk, after lunch you will go for a community tour around the park where you will visit different local communities surrounding the park such as Mubako community and BOOMU women’s group. During the community tour you will explore the heritage of Bunyoro culture and be able to interact with the local people which gives you an opportunity to learn more about their way of living, culture, enjoy traditional dances from Mubako dancers, visit the craft shop where they sell handmade crafts, wood sculptures, taste their local dishes, visit farmlands among others. After the community tour you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer back to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest

Chimpanzee trekking, after an early breakfast on the third day of the 5 days wildlife and chimpanzee trekking in Murchison falls national park, you will carry packed lunch and meet up with your driver guide to transfer to Budongo forest for chimpanzee trekking. Budongo forest is located in the southern part of Murchison falls national park and harbors different wildlife species including primates, birds, mammals, butterflies, tree species, moth among others. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest starts with a briefing at the headquarters about the rules, regulations and expectations of chimpanzee trekking and after the briefing you will start trekking with a park guide who will be sharing information about chimpanzees and also conversant with different trails in the forest. Trekking of chimpanzees in Budongo forest takes about 30 minutes to 4 hours or even a full day depending on where the chimpanzees are located because they like to move deep into the forest in search of food especially during the dry season. During trekking you will be able to view other primate species like blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, bird species like grey long bill, African emerald cuckoo, yellow manted weaver, slender billed greenbul, tree species, butterflies, small mammals among others. Once the chimpanzees are found you will be allowed to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat which gives you an opportunity to take photos, record videos, learn more about their habits, behaviors, lifestyles, watch them feed, breastfeed, play , rest, hunt among others which gives you lifetime experiences on your safari. After the one hour with the chimpanzees you will trek back to the starting point where you will meet up with your driver guide to transfer to the lodge for an evening relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Departure to Kampala

Departure to Kampala: On the last day of the 5 days wildlife and chimpanzee trekking in Murchison falls national park, you will have a relaxed breakfast, check out of the lodge and your driver-guide will pick you up to meet up to start the journey back to Kampala. You will have en-route lunch on the way and reach Kampala early evening, upon arrival your driver-guide will drop you off at Entebbe international airport for your departure flight or drop off at any place of convenience.

End of 5 Days Murchison Wildlife and Chimpanzee trekking Safari

Tour includes

Boat cruise fees
Chimpanzee trekking permit
Hiking to the top of the falls (optional)
Rhino tracking
Professional English speaking driver guide
Park entrance fees
Full board accommodation
Ground transfers (in a 4WD vehicle)
Vehicle and fuel
Bottled water

Tour excludes

International air flight tickets
Visas
Optional activities not included on the itinerary
Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.