Exploration of the Sipi Falls and meeting with the Sabinyi tribe
Stay in Uganda’s most remote national park: Kidepo Valley, with a visit to a local Karamojong community, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Chimp tracking in Budongo, Rafting on the Nile
Day 1 : Arrival Warm welcome at Entebbe Airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight at the Boma.
Day 2: Entebbe – Sipi Falls(6-7 hrs) Today we will leave depart to the unknown east. Via Jinja we proceed to Mbale, a charming town at the foot of the Mount Elgon. This area is full of rich heritage and fascinating culture. We will have a lunch stop at Mbale and with beautiful viewpoints on our way we will reach Sipi Village, nestled between mountains and waterfalls. Dinner and overnight at Lacam Lodge. (B-L-D)
Day 3: Sipi Falls In the morning you will enjoy a hike to the lovely Sipi Falls. It is a beautiful walk to the bottom of the famous waterfall, and then continue with a steep climb to a series of caves. As you follow the challenging trail to the other waterfalls, you will pass maize fields, banana plantations and typical bandas. Return to the lodge for a delicious lunch and some relaxing. In the afternoon you will visit a Coffee Project and find out why Sipi Falls is home to one of the finest coffees in the world. Talk to the farmers, see the plantations and learn more about the process behind coffee making. Then enjoy your freshly brewed cup of coffee as you relax and watch the sunset... Dinner and overnight at Lacam Lodge. (B-L-D)
Note: Want to experience a real thrill and watch the waterfalls from a very close distance? Then go abseiling along the famous Sipi Fall! (available on request)
Day 4: Sipi Falls – Kitgum (8 hrs) After breakfast we continue our journey and head to the north. It is a long but beautiful drive as we pass different types of landscapes and traditional villages. This area is really off-the-beaten track and not visited by many tourists yet. You will witness what the many years of civil unrest have done to this region, but also how it is slowly but steadily developing again. It is completely safe to travel and with a lunch stop en route you will arrive in the late afternoon in Kitgum. Dinner and overnight at Fulgy’s Guesthouse. (B-L-D)
Day 5: Kitgum – Kidepo Valley National Park (3 hrs) In the morning we will visit a primary school in the surroundings of Kitgum. Then we continue towards the border with Sudan and enter Kidepo Valley National Park. Have lunch at your accommodation in the middle of the national park, with beautiful views over the vast plains and go for a game drive in the afternoon for a first introduction with the wildlife. Dinner and overnight at Nga’moru Wilderness Camp. (B-L-D)
Day 6: Kidepo Valley National Park A full day in one of the most beautiful and certainly most remote national parks in Uganda! Early in the morning you will explore the Narus River Valley by game drive or safari walk. Go in search of giraffes, ostriches, zebras, elephants and lions. The park is also a birders paradise as it boasts a bird list with over 475 species. Have lunch and relax before going on a visit to one of the local Karamojong communities. The Karamojong tribe is well known for their unique nomadic lifestyle and rich traditions of storytelling. Dinner and overnight at Nga’moru Wilderness Camp. (B-L-D)
Day 7: Kidepo Valley National Park – Murchison Falls National Park (7 hrs) Today we head south to Murchison Falls National Park. We will enter the park from the north and with a game drive continue south towards the famous river Nile. Look out for buffaloes, hartebeests, Uganda Kobs and elephants while we pass the savannah dotted with Borassus palm trees. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge. (B-L-D)
Day 8:Murchison Falls National Park After an early breakfast we start the day with another game drive on the northern bank of the Nile. In the afternoon the safari will be continued with a boat cruise on the river Nile for game viewing at close quarters. Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge. (B-L-D)
Day 9:Murchison Falls National Park In the morning we will visit the magnificent Top of the Falls where you can marvel at the mighty Nile. Watch how the fall is being forced into a seven meter crevice to thunder 45 meters below in a series of cascades. After this spectacular scenery we continue to the southern part of the national park, Budongo Forest Reserve. Here you will go for a guided chimp tracking in the forest. Together with your guide you will look out for tracks well hidden in the forest in search of the habituated chimpanzee family. Dinner and overnight at Budongo Eco Lodge. (B-L-D)
Day 10: Murchison Falls National Park – Jinja (5-6 hrs) After a delicious breakfast in the midst of the tropical rainforest we calmly depart the national park and drive towards the south. En route we can make a stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to the only wild rhinos in Uganda. The reserve was created to reintroduce rhinos to the country which have been extinct since 1982. Together with a guide you will track the rhinos and observe them in their habitat at a very close and safe distance. After this activity continue to Jinja for overnight at the Source of the Nile. Dinner and overnight at The Haven – Honeymoon Bungalow. (B-L-D)
Day 11: Jinja No better way than to end your safari at the banks of the river Nile! You can spend the day at your own leisure and read a book, relax at the natural pool or enjoy the breathtaking views of the Nile. Those who wish to experience some adventure can decide to go rafting the Source of the Nile. After receiving instructions, you will start peddling and enjoy the beautiful scenery and thundering rapids at its fullest! Other optional activities include the Wild Nile Jet, bungee jumping, quadbike safari, horseback riding along the Nile, village walk or a visit to the true origin of the Nile. Dinner and overnight at The Haven – Honeymoon Bungalow. (B-L-D)
Day 12: Departure Enriched with an experience of a lifetime and unforgettable memories you will say goodbye to the Pearl of Africa. In time you will be transferred to Entebbe Airport for your international flight. (B)
Included in the price: - Airport transfer - Ground transport per comfortable 4WD safari vehicle - English speaking driver/guide - Accommodation in budget places mentioned in the itinerary, based on a double room - Full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner), apart from the stay in Entebbe and Kampala (B&B) - Bottled mineral water throughout the safari - Park entrance fees - Game drives, boat launches and walks according to the program - Chimp tracking in Budongo Forest - Ferry in Murchison Falls NP -Hiking Sipi Falls - Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Exclusions: - International flight - Visa - Rafting ( USD $ 125 per person) - Meals and drinks not mentioned above - Laundry and tips - Items of personal nature
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I was very impressed with the website when I was looking for a company to plan our trip to Murchison Falls. My friend and I were going to Uganda to visit my daughter and her friend who were working as volunteers with an NGO in Jinja. The four of us wanted to visit Murchison Falls.
We were pleased that the operator was able to make arrangements to suit our budget. They also accommodated our wish to be picked up in Jinja instead of Kampala.
Our driver, Beki was wonderful. Not only was he a very competent driver, but he was full of good humour and knowledge about the culture of Uganda and its animals and plants. He answered all of our questions about everything we saw on our trip to Murchison Falls and we had many as this was our first trip to Africa. He pointed out many things of interest to us and made us feel so comfortable on our trip. Beki helped to make our safri a most enjoyable and memorable experience.
The company sent us an information package and a complete itinerary before we went on our safari. I thought this was very helpful. I have only praise for their staff. If Beki is representative of all their drivers, then you are ensured of an amazing safari experience.
We thought they did a very good job of meeting our needs during our trip to Uganda. They were responsive when we asked to modify the standard itinerary - visiting a local hospital, the Kampala marketplace, and the veterinary school at the University.
At our request, they substituted an extra game drive for the scheduled activity, and accommodated our request for a different hotel in Kampala on our last days.
Our guide/driver was named David, and he answered all of our questions, maintaining his composure despite some unforeseen circumstances (car broke down, and he had to get a different driver to bring us back to Kampala).
We took the luxury option except for Travellers Rest, which we chose when the Nkuringo Lodge was not able to honor our reservations. It was an unexpected pleasure to stay at Travellers Rest -- wonderful food and friendly service at a very reasonable price. The Primate Luxury Tented Camp, where we stayed when we tracked chimps in Kibale, seems like it's not quite ready for prime time but shows promise for the future.
Overall, we were very pleased, and if we were going to make the trip again, we'd call them.
We would be delighted to provide you with information about our holiday. We have nothing but praise for this operator, both for their helpfulness throughout and their flexibility in planning our itinerary.
We had a rather unusual plan for our holiday, in that, as well as touring the game parks, we wished to seeand meet Ugandans on the ground as much as possible,and also we wished to end our holiday by being taken to Gulu, where our daughter is working as an NGO.
They responded to this by including a 2-day visit to a farm in the far south-west, near the Tanzanian and Rwandan borders, and by agreeing to drop us off in Gulu, rather than returning us to Kampala.
We visited Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabth, Kibale and Murchison Falls National Parks, in addition to Nshenyi village referred to above. All this was achieved in an 11-day itinerary, at a very reasonable cost. Our driver was fantastic. He was not only one of the best drivers I've ever come across either inside or outside of Uganda, but he was also very friendly, and most knowledgeable about all the wildlife, including the rich variety of birds we saw. He also had phenomenal eyesight; even when the road he was negotiating was particularly pitted and rough, he still managed to catch sight of birds and game a long way of, which we would have missed.
Altogether a most positive, enjoyable and educational trip. I'd recommend anyone to go; Uganda is a truly beautiful country. We look forward to returning.
I found the safari operator to be very accommodating with any special requests we had regarding the itinerary.
The Safari Lodge pool made for a perfect setting for a sunset swim, overlooking the channel filled with hippos. The lodge also provided the unique experience of waking up to a hippo grazing outside our door.
