10 Days Kidepo, Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari gives you a pure African wildlife safari experience that combines the top wildlife safari parks in Uganda. This Kidepo, Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari is one of the most rated African wildlife safari itineraries. The safari runs from Kidepo Valley National Park to Murchison Falls, Uganda’s largest wildlife safari park and then into Queen Elizabeth National Park.
With almost 100 mammal species and a remarkable 606 bird species, Queen Elizabeth is a superb safari destination in Uganda. While here, you will explore giant African elephants, a profusion of hippos, the elusive giant forest hogs and handsome Uganda Kobs. Elsewhere, the remote Ishasha Sector is famed for its tree-climbing lions, therefore, this ranks Kidepo, Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth wildlife safari as among the ultimate wildlife tours in Uganda.
Kidepo, Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth Itinerary
Day 1: Kampala – Kidepo Valley National Park
Our guide/driver picks you from your hotel of residence after your early morning breakfast at around 0600am in Kampala and start the panoramic drive north, to Kidepo via Gulu – Lira, with lunch en-route.
Kidepo Valley National Park is a completely different world of vast plains, in spring view from every vantage point, with a lot of wildlife as you drive into the park. Kidepo offers breathtaking open savannah which is surrounded by spectacular mountain landscape nowhere to be seen in Africa! Kidepo Valley is Uganda’s second biggest national park and one of Africa’s finest wilderness areas.
Dinner and overnight stay at Apoka Safari Lodge (high-end facility) or Nga’ Moru Safari Lodge (mid-range facility) or Kidepo Savannah Lodge (budget facility). Meal Plan: Lunch & Dinner.
Day 2: Kidepo Valley National Park – Game drive to Kanangorok Hot Springs
After your early morning breakfast, catch the sun rise behind the mountain before flooding the valley. Then set off for the game drive to the ostrich farm that is not any man made occurrence, but given the massive number of bird species, one would compare it a farm.
Along this drive we shall be able to view herds of elephants, cape buffaloes, giraffes, lions and then the hot springs at Kanangorok. In the afternoon, you will have a cultural experience that will bring you into contact with Karamojong peoples. Meet the local elders and have an opportunity to interact with them. They will show you the kraals, the grinding stones and many more interesting items.
Dinner and overnight stay at Nga’ Moru Safari Lodge (mid-range facility) or Kidepo Savannah Lodge (Budget facility) Meal plan Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3: Kidepo Valley National Park
After an early breakfast, today is dedicated for a visit to the Ike Community (at Karenga and Kapedo) to learn and share their lifestyle. Learn about their traditional living, way of life and if possible engage in their day-to-day activities. Return to your lodge for an overnight stay and dinner at Nga’ Moru Safari Lodge (mid-range facility) or Kidepo Savannah Lodge (budget facility). Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4: Kidepo Valley National Park – Murchison Falls
Today is dedicated for a drive to Murchison Falls National Park with sightseeing and scenery along. You will be moved by the most beautiful scenery in the countryside. The evening is spent on relaxation and sightseeing around the lodge.
Dinner and overnight stay at Parra Safari Lodge (luxury facility) or Murchison River Lodge (mid-range facility) or Heritage Safari Lodge (budget facility). Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5 & 6: Murchison Falls National Park
Begin the day with a cup of African coffee while getting ready for a game drive. Your guide will help you spot giant African elephants, lions, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffe, hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, bushbucks, Bohor reedbuck, hyena, and if you are lucky, the leopard. Return to the hotel for breakfast and lunch.
After lunch, go for a boat safari upstream the calm Victoria Nile to the base of Murchison Falls, stopping just tens of meters from the “Devil’s Cauldron”. En-route, marvel at the toothsome hippos, crocodiles, elephant, waterbuck and Uganda Kobs, over this 17 km stretch. This is also a zone of many bird species like Goliath heron, Egyptian goose, pelican bee-eater, kingfisher, hornbill, cormorant and the rare shoebill stork.
There, you will leave the boat and start your – quite heavy – hike to the top of the falls (approx. 1 hour). See where the world’s longest river explodes violently through a narrow cleft in the Rift Valley escarpment to plunge into a frothing pool 43m below. Your driver/guide will be waiting for you to bring you back to the lodge.
Overnight stay and dinner at Para Safari Lodge (luxury facility) or Murchison River Lodge (mid-range facility) or Heritage Safari Lodge (budget facility). Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Murchison Falls – Queen Elizabeth National Park
After an early morning breakfast, get ready for a long day drive south into Queen Elizabeth National Park, while viewing the mystical Rwenzori Mountain ranges, on much of the journey at leisure with your lunch en-route. This is a tiresome day associated with long hours of drive time to reach Queen Elizabeth (+9hrs).
Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury facility) or Enganzi Lodge (mid-range facility) or Simba Safari Camp (budget facility). Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 8: Queen Elizabeth National Park
Begin your day with a cup of coffee, and then an early morning game drive along Kasenyi and Queens’ Mile. Other wildlife to encounter includes elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, lions, spotted hyenas, bushbucks, stripped jackal, comical warthogs, elusive leopard, Uganda Kobs and a variety of bird species.
Later, you will proceed for an afternoon launch cruise along Kazinga channel – one that joins Lakes Edward and George. The cruise is a wonderful way to see hippos, buffaloes, kobs and the occasional Nile crocodile and a spectacular bird watching on the lake shores. Many visitors who experience this launch cruise consider it to be the ‘highlight’ of their entire African safari.
Dinner and overnight stay at Mweya Safari Lodge (luxury facility) or Enganzi Lodge (mid-range) or Simba Safari Camp (budget facility). Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Queen Elizabeth – Ishasha
Experience the morning game drive to Ishasha sector where you will take on yet another evening game drive in search of tree climbing lions. During the afternoon second game safari you will spot more wildlife.
Meals and overnight stay at Ishasha Wildness Camp (luxury facility) or Ishasha Jungle Lodge (mid-range facility) or The River Ishasha (budget facility). Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
Day 10: Ishasha – Kampala/Entebbe
Get on an rarly morning guided bush walk for a closer interaction with nature. Thereafter, you will return to Kampala and Entebbe with your lunch en-route, a stopover at the Uganda Equator crossing is a must.
You will also make local souvenir purchase as take home gifts for your African safari memories. You will thereafter be dropped at Entebbe International Airport for your flight back home. Meal Plan: Breakfast & Lunch.
Kidepo, Murchison Falls & Queen Elizabeth Inclusions and Exclusions
Includes
- Airport transfers
- Transportation by a 4wd vehicle
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary
- Lion tracking experience
- Boat trips
- Cultural visit Kidepo
- Visit the Karamojong
- Hot springs visit Kidepo
- Hike top of the falls
- Park fees
- Hike to top of the falls
- Ferry crossing
- Bush walk Ishasha
- Services of English speaking Driver/guide.
- Enroute lunches
- Day Game drives
Excludes
- Expenses of personal nature like: Visa, drinks, laundry, tips to local guides, telephone, porter fee while trekking, personal insurance, and tobacco.