6 Day Ziwa, Murchison falls and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour

6 Day Ziwa, Murchison falls and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour features a visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place to find and see the rare rhinos in the wild. The Rhino fund Uganda is a Non-governmental Organisation formed in 1997 in cooperation with Uganda Wildlife Authority with the interest of re-introducing the wild rhinos in Uganda after their extinction during the reign of President Idi Amin inn 1987. The sanctuary is located in Nakasongola district; about 176km drive north of Kampala city on Gulu highway. The Sanctuary lies on 7,000 hectares of land with both savannah and woodland vegetation. There are about 22 rhinos in the sanctuary and has become increasingly popular for tourists visits for rhino trekking, shoebill trek and Canoe ride, Bird watching and nature walks. Murchison Falls on the other hand is the largest national park in Uganda where we find the big 4 game and it is the home of the most powerful falls in Africa. Bwindi Impenetrable national park is located in the far southwestern part of Uganda close to Rwanda border. Bwindi forest is the only forest where we find the mountain gorillas. Flying from Murchison falls national park is the easiest way to access Bwindi given the long distance.

Highlights of the 6 Day Ziwa, Murchison falls and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour

Day 1: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and nature walk
Day 2: Rhino trekking and transfer to Murchison falls national park
Day 3: Morning game drive and boat cruise
Day 4: Top of the falls visit and fly to Bwindi Impenetrable national park
Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience
Day 6: Transfer back to Kampala

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Pick-up and Transfer to Ziwa

Pick-up and Transfer to Ziwa: Depending on your location in Kampala, meet with our company representative who will also be your driver-guide for this 2 days trip. Transfer to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, the only place where you find the rhinos in Uganda. It’s a 3-4 hours’ drive. Upon arrival at the sanctuary, connect to check-in your booked accommodation. Later afternoon, connect for a nature walk around the sanctuary to have a glimpse of a diverse and plentiful wildlife that share the sanctuary, explore animals like the Uganda Kobs, bushbucks, Oribi, common grey duiker, warthogs, Ververt monkeys, black and white Colabus monkeys, reedbuck to mention but a few. Return for dinner and overnight stay at
Luxury and mid-range option: Amuka Safari lodge
Budget option: Ziwa Guesthouse

Day 2: Rhino trekking and transfer to Murchison falls national park

Rhino trekking and transfer to Murchison: You will enjoy morning breakfast and then connect for your rhino trekking experience. Meet your ranger guides for briefing then drive to the starting point where you will start your trekking in search of the rhinos. You will be able to spot different rhinos, coming up close to them. Spend time in their presence then return. Have lunch then continue to Murchison falls national park. It’s a 2-3 hours’ drive, entering through Kichwabanyobo gate and proceed to connect to your booked accommodation with an en-route evening game drive. Check-in for dinner and overnight stay
Luxury option: Paraa Safari lodge
Mid-range: Pakuba Safari lodge/Fort Murchison lodge
Budget option: Red Chilly Rest Camp/Heritage Safari lodge

Day 3: Morning game drive and Boat cruise

Morning game drive: After an early breakfast at the lodge, you will go for a morning game drive. The activity takes about 3-5 hours depending on animals available, and you will find animals including elephants, Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, lions, Hartebeest, Uganda Kobs, Oribis, and waterbucks.
Boat cruise: After the drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch. Later afternoon at 2 pm, go for a launch cruise on the along the Nile which will give you an exciting panoramic view at the bottom of the mighty Murchison falls. Along the cruise, you will encounter crocodiles, hippos, and birds on the river banks like kingfisher, cormorants and bee-eater. You will spend take viewing the falls at the bottom while taking pictures then later return to meet your drive and connect back to your lodge and a relaxed evening. After viewing the bottom of the falls, sail back to meet your driver who will transfer you back to your lodge with en route game drive. Dinner and overnight stay at lodge as above

Day 4: Top of the falls – fly to Bwindi Impenetrable national park

Top of the falls – fly to Bwindi: After breakfast, drive to the top of the falls for a closer view of the Murchison falls and the Uhuru falls, this will take about 2 hours before you connect to Bugugu airstrip for your one-way domestic connecting flight to Bwindi Impenetrable national park. Aero-link Uganda limited operates daily flights from Murchison falls national park to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, it’s a 2 hours flight landing in Kihihi airstrip. There, you will meet your other safari guide waiting to transfer you to your booked accommodation where you will have late lunch after check-in. Spend the rest of your evening relaxing at your lodge. Dinner will be served before you sleep.
Luxury option: Mahogany springs lodge/Buhoma lodge
Mid-range option: Buhoma Haven lodge
Budget option: Buhoma Community Rest Camp

Day 5: Gorilla trekking experience

Gorilla trekking experience: After breakfast at the lodge, head to the park headquarters with your trekking gears and packed lunch; meet with other trekkers for briefing about gorilla trekking. After you are allocated a group in groups of 8 people, head into the forest for your trek. Gorilla trekking takes 2 to 8 hours depending on the movement of the gorilla family being visited. These primates roam the park freely and there is no way of telling where they will be for a particular. On finding them, you will be allowed 1 hour to view and take photos of these gentle primates before you descend back to meet your driver/guide and transfer back to your lodge.
The time after trekking can be spent on a village/community Batwa tour or relaxing off at the lodge as you unwind with a glass of wine with the memories of your gorilla experience in Bwindi. Dinner and overnight booked lodge as above

Day 6: Transfer back to Kampala

Transfer back to Kampala: After breakfast and checking-out of the lodge, meet your safari guide to embark on your journey back to Kampala. It is 8-9 hours’ drive with en-route lunch in Mbarara town and also a stop at the equator for the Equator experience. You will be dropped off a place you will advise in Kampala/Entebbe or at Entebbe airport for your onward flight back home.

End of the 6 Day Ziwa, Murchison falls and Bwindi Gorilla Trekking Tour