11 Day Kidepo Valley, Murchison & Budongo Chimp Safari

This 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.

It also features gentle day hikes to Sipi Falls and Mount Elgon to discover the secrets of this magnificent extinct shield volcano which features the 4th highest point in East Africa and the largest base of any of the world’s volcanically formed mountains.

You will also have the opportunity to experience the cultural heritage of the fascinating Karamajong and the endangered Ik tribal people who live near Kidepo Valley National Park.

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

Day 01: Transfer to Sipi

Day 02: Hike Mount Elgon

Day 03: Drive to Kidepo Valley National Park

Day 04: Morning and afternoon game drives in Narus Valley

Day 05: Game drive to Kidepo Valley, Hot springs and visit to the Manyattas

Day 06: Drive to Murchison Falls National Park

Day 07: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise

Day 08: Morning boat to the Delta region and top of the falls hike

Day 09: Morning chimp trekking in Budongo and drive to Amuka Lodge

Day 10: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Day 11: Transfer to Kampala

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: TRANSFER TO SIPI

After breakfast at around 7.00 am, we will embark on a 214km (5-6hours) drive from Kampala to Sipi Falls. The drive to Eastern Uganda is long but rewarding. We will explore the enroute landscapes including; Sugar plantations, Mabira Forest Reserve, Rice fields and towns. We will drive through busy roadside markets and quiet rural villages where you will see people going on with their daily life.

Upon arrival, we will take up an adventure hike to the Sipi waterfalls. The 100m-high Sipi Falls is the last in a series of three pretty waterfalls formed by the Sipi River as it cascades downhill from the upper slopes of Mount Elgon into the Kyoga Basin. The waterfalls are surrounded by beautiful walking trails and lush green hills. A local guide will lead you on a 3-hour hike through the region to visit these falls. Besides nature in abundance your hike will include a tour of a small local coffee producing farm. This is the perfect time to pick up some high-quality Ugandan coffee to take home to your friends and family.

If you are missing a bit adrenaline in your day you can abseil from the top of the 100-meter-high Sipi Falls. Hanging from a rope in the cool mist of the cascading falls right beside you, you will have a spectacular panoramic view of the valley below.

Highlight of the day: – Gentle day hikes to Sipi Fall, a very peaceful and pretty spots on the slope of Mount Elgon.

Accommodation: Sipi River Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 02: HIKE MOUNT ELGON

After breakfast at around 7.00am, we will embark on a transfer to Kapkwal Forest Exploration Centre at 2050m from where you start your hike of Mount Elgon. Mt Elgon is an extinct shield volcano featuring the fourth highest point in East Africa (4321m). Elgon also features the broadest base of any free-standing mountain anywhere in the world (4,000km) and the world’s largest intact mountain caldera (42km2) The day hike allows you to explore the mountain foot hills with great scenic views of the ridges, lush flora and colorful bird species.

You also have an option for cultural experiences on the slopes of Mount Elgon Holy you can spend time learning and engaging with the Sabiny culture and community a visit to the Sipi Widows group is highly recommended. This is the origin of the finest washed Arabica Coffee The Sipi Widows Group takes you through the coffee plantation demonstrating how to plant, pick, grind store, and wash the coffee.

You can learn about the Sabiny participate in traditional weaving African cuisines its preparation, cooking and tasting of local dishes and visit the women’s handcraft shop

Highlight of the day: – An adventurous day hike on the lower slopes of the Mount Elgon.

Accommodation. Sipi River Lodge

DAY 3: DRIVE TO KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

After breakfast preferably very early in the morning, drive to Kidepo Valley National Park. On your way, you will enjoy some scenic views of the few hills that separate Acholi Land and Karamoja, you will not miss the great manyattas on the way. A manyatta is a village made up of several huts, which in turn are surrounded by a fence made of branches and thorns. These are put up to keep the cattle in and to protect them from thieving rival tribes and wild animals.

The alluring scenery of uniquely formed valleys, the untampered wilderness and freely roaming animals is the sight that will welcome you to 1,442km² Kidepo National Park. With the sweeping plains of Kidepo and Narus Valleys overshadowed by the brooding mountainscape of Mount Morungole (the sacred peak of the Ik people,) this park has huge appeal just for the scenery alone.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge

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. Kidepo game drives are so unique that you may find yourself in a vast and un spoilt national park. The valley is surrounded by hills which makes the scenery very stunning.

Narus Valley is popular for mammals such as elephants, giraffes, buffaloes antelopes, zebras and birds. Being the only permanent water point, many animals come to Narus valley to drink water and feed. This is where you will find one of the largest buffalo herds than you can find anywhere on the planet too. Chances of spotting big cats hunting are very high as well. If lucky, you may spot the rare cheeters too. The park has observation points with binoculars and it will be your pleasure to use one of them. The vast open savannah plains of this park also make it easy to spot animals. Animals you can expect to see include Buffalos, Elephants, Lions, many Zebras, Giraffes, Hartebeest, and Reedbucks. There are also Cheetahs, Leopards, Aardwolves, Bat-eared foxes, and caracals.

A variety of water birds can also be seen in Narus including African Jacana, yellow-billed stork, white-faced whistling duck and various herons and egrets plus other Kidepo specials such as Clapperton’s francolin, rose-ringed parakeet, Abyssinian ground hornbills, bateleur, Meyer’s parrot, and superb starling.

You will return to your lodge for lunch and then have an afternoon game drive to view other animals in the valley.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge

DAY 5: GAME DRIVE TO KIDEPO VALLEY, HOT SPRINGS AND VISIT TO THE MANYATTAS

After breakfast you will enjoy an en route game drive through Narus Valley as you drive to Kidepo Valley. You will then visit the hot springs on the Uganda-Sudan boarder and if lucky spot the giant Ostriches which are found in this place but have been seriously poached by Sudanese. The guide will be delighted to explain to you the cultural attachments to these hot springs and the indigenous people.  There are seasonal rivers on this side so if it is a rainy season, get ready to be interrupted for few hours.

Return to your lodge for lunch and relaxation as you prepare to visit the Karamajong people. The Karamajong are very famous as cattle keepers who love their cattle. Visit their home steads known as the manyattas where they will dance for you and explain their culture to you before retiring to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Apoka Safari Lodge

DAY 6: DRIVE TO MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

We will start the day with an early breakfast and then embark on a 347km (7-8 hours) drive to Murchison Falls National Park enjoying the views of the rural landscapes of northern Uganda including the remains of the infamous Kony war. We will arrive in the park in the evening and depending on the lodge location, an evening game drive can be made en route to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Pakuba safari lodge and Murchison river lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 7: MORNING GAME DRIVE AND AFTERNOON BOAT CRUISE

After breakfast, you will go for your morning game drive that will provide you an opportunity of spotting wild game that may include many of the park’s 76 species of mammals including Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffalos, Rothschild’s giraffes, spotted hyenas, Jackson’s hartebeests, Hippos, Warthogs, Oribis, Uganda kobs and Waterbucks. You will also have an opportunity to see several of the park’s 451 bird species.

You will then return to the lodge for a lunch break before proceeding to the pier for your two hour boat cruise to the bottom of the falls to witness how river Nile squeezes itself in a 7 meter wide gorge before dropping down while exploding out a 45 meters narrow gorge producing an experience of a lifetime.

On the launch cruise, you will be able to see passing hippos and crocodiles, elephants and waterbuck that come to the river to drink along with numerous birds such as shoebills, Goliath herons, Saddle billed storks, African Jacana, Senegal thick-knee, African quail finch, Squacco heron, kingfishers, skimmers, and Comrants.

Retire to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Accommodation: Pakuba safari lodge and Murchison river lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 8: HIKE TO 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. Thereafter, you will undertake a challenging but rewarding hike to the top of the falls from where you will be marvelled by the power with which the Nile crashes through the narrow gap in the escarpment with a deafening roar and voluminous spray.

After this exciting afternoon, you will drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and over night

Accommodation: Pakuba safari lodge and Murchison river lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 9: 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.

This 2-5 hour remarkable experience of Chimpanzee tracking allows you to encounter a community of habituated Chimpanzees that is part of the 800 chimpanzees that reside in this tropical rainforest. The trek leads you into depths of the lush green forest surrounded by bird songs since Budongo is home to over 366 bird species. This trek is fairly easy due to reasonably flat terrain provides the perfect opportunity to see several other primates including Black-and-white colobus monkeys, Red-tailed monkeys, Blue monkeys, Anubis baboons, Forest giant squirrels and of course the chimpanzee. Once a chimpanzee community is found, you will have an hour with these fascinating creatures to watch them interact and play with each other. You will proceed with your driver to Amuka Lodge for overnight.

Lodging: Amuka Safari Lodge

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

DAY 10: ZIWA RHINO TRACKING

After breakfast, you will take a walk into the wild to track the Southern White Rhinos that were re-introduced in 2005 following their notable extinction in 1982. The rhino tracking experience on foot will provide a great opportunity go closer to these Jurassic animals, have clearer view and photo moment. This may take 2-5 hours and moving with packed lunch is highly recommended. Return to your lodge for dinner and overnight.

Highlight of the day: Rhino tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Lodging: Amuka Safari Lodge

DAY 11: TRANSFER TO KAMPALA

This morning, after breakfast you will be transferred to Kampala/ Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight.

END OF TOUR