Overview

Our 11 day Kidepo Valley, Murchison and Budongo chimp safari combines two of the great national parks to give you the best safari experience. You will visit Kidepo valley National Park for game viewing, scenery and culture and then Murchison Falls National Park for boat cruises, hikes to the top of the falls and chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest. As a bonus, you will also visit Ziwa Rhino sanctuary for Rhino trekking. This is a road trip and is aimed at those that want to visit Uganda and its country side as they explore both wildlife and communities.

Summary of our 11 Day Kidepo Valley, Murchison and Budongo Chimp safari

• Day 01: Arrive and transfer to a Guest House in Entebbe
• Day 02: Drive to Gulu town
• Day 03: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park
• Day 04: Morning and afternoon game drives in Narus Valley
• Day 05: Morning and afternoon game drives in Narus Valley
• Day 06: Game drive to Kidepo Valley, Hot springs and visit to the Manyatas
• Day 07: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park
• Day 08: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
• Day 09: Morning boat to the Delta region and top of the falls hike
• Day 10: Morning chimp trekking in Budongo and drive to Amuka Lodge
• Day 11: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and transfer to Entebbe Airport

Detailed Itinerary

Arrival

• You’ll be picked up from the airport (or hotel)
• Accommodation before the tour departs can be arranged for extra cost

Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Guest House in Entebbe

Upon arrival, you will be met, greeted and transferred to a Guest House in Entebbe for overnight. Entebbe is a small town located closer to Entebbe international Airport and is one of the best places to stay on your 11 Day Kidepo Valley, Murchison and Budongo chimp safari mostly on the first and last day. This helps you to acclimatize and avoid long distances of driving to Kampala City.

Drive time: Approximately 10 minutes

Lodging: Papyrus Guest House

Meal Plan: Bed and Breakfast

Day 2: Drive to Guru town

After breakfast, you will start your 11 Day KidepoVallay , Murchison and Budongo chimp safari by driving north wards to Gulu town. We stop at a Gulu town in order to break the lond drive from Entebbe to Kidepo Valley National Park. On your way to Gulu, you will have an opportunity to see Karuma Falls, small community villages and if time allows, you will explore Gulu town.

Drive time: Approximately 5-6 hours

Lodging: Boma Hotel Gulu

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park

After breakfast, you will drive to Kidepo valley National Park. You may meet some seasonal springs and rivers often crossed by bridges. You will also start seeing the Manyatas of the Karamajong people arriving Kidepo valley National Park in the afternoon for lunch and relaxation.

Drive time: Approximately 2-3 hours

Lodging: Apoka Safari Lodge/NgaMoruwWilderness Camp/Apoka Rest Camp

Day 4: Morning and afternoon game drive

After an early morning cup of tea, you will drive back to Narus valley to enjoy a morning game drive. Try to look out for the same animals and may be others like cheaters if luck strikes. Kidepo game drives are so unique that you may find yourself and guide in a vast and un spoilt national park. The valley is surrounded by hills which makes the scenery very stunning. Return to Apoka Safari Lodge for lunch, relaxation as you prepare to visit the Karamajogo people. The Karamajongo are very famous as cattel keepers who love their cattle. Visit their home steads known as the Manyatas, they will dance for you and explain their culture to you before retiring to Apoka Safari Lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Lodging: Apoka Safari Lodge/NgaMoru Wilderness Camp/Apoka Rest Camp

Day 5: Morning and afternoon game drive

Kidepo Valley National Park are exciting so we wake up today for morning and afternoon game drive to explore more that we could have missed the previous day.

Lodging: Apoka Safari Lodge/NgaMoru Wilderness Camp

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6: Morning game drive and manyata

After breakfast you will enjoy an en route game drive through Narus Valley as you drive to Kidepo Valley. This drive will take you to the area where you are likely to sport many birds included the endangered ostriches. You will also visit the hot springs and the guide will be delighted to explain to you the cultural attachments to these hot springs and the indigenous people. You may also view or visit the Uganda-South Sudan boarder before returning to the Lodge for Lunch, Dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Lodging: Apoka Safari Lodge

Day 7: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park

After breakfast, you will drive from Kidepo Valley National Park to Murchison Falls National Park arriving late evening for Lunch and an evening game drive on the Paraa side of the park.

Drive time: Approximately 5-6 hours

Lodging: Paraa Safari Lodge/Pakuba Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 8: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

After an early cup of tea, you will head for a morning game drive in Paraa. Murchison Falls National Park is gifted by many wild animals that may include elephants, buffaloes, several antelopes, many bird species, lions, giraffes and leopards. There is much more to see and this will depend on your luck of the day. Lunch break and then go for the boat cruise to the base of the mighty Victoria Falls. This boat cruise takes you up stream to see how Nile water passes through a narrow gorge to explode into what has been termed as the strongest waterfall on planet earth.  On your way to the falls, you will have an opportunity to spot many water birds, hippos, crocodiles and other animals that come to drink water. Retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Lodging: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakuba Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 9: Top of the falls and delta cruise

After breakfast, you will take a boat cruise to the Delta region. Enjoy to see how water slows down as it gets closer to Lake Albert. This is at a point where it starts dropping most of the load that was being carried from up stream. This side of the river has many animals that include Elephants, Hippos, crocodiles and if lucky, you may spot the rare and elusive  shoebill stock. After your boat cruise, you will proceed with a game drive to your Lodge for Lunch and a short relaxation. In the afternoon, prepare for some hiking as we will drive to the top of the falls to enable you see the falls from the top and then hike up and down to view the falls from up to down and then up again.

Lodging: Paraa Safari Lodge/Bakuba Safari Lodge

Day 10: Budongo chimps tracking

After breakfast, you will drive to Budongo Forest located in Murchison Falls Conservation Area for chimpanzee trekking. Budongo Forest has the highest number of wild chimps in Uganda and is one of the best places to trek habituated chimpanzees in the wild. You will be met by your guide who will brief you and lead you to the forest for chimpanzee trekking. On the walk, you will benefit from the informative talk of your guide will spotting some other primates, birds and trees in the forest. Once you find the chimps, you will be allowed to spend one hour of observation and photography and then return back. You will proceed with your drive to Amuka Lodge for overnight.

Drive time: Approximately 3-5 hours

Lodging: Amuka Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 11: Ziwa Rhino tracking and transfer to Entebbe Airport

After breakfast, you will take a walk into the wild to track Rhinos in this sanctuary. Rhinos were poached to extinction and it’s here that efforts to restore them back in Uganda are in high gear. After your tracking, you will then transfer to Entebbe Airport for your international flight out.

Drive time: Approximately 4 hours

Meal Plan: Breakfast and Lunch