8 Days Uganda Wildlife and Primates Safari

Embark on an unforgettable adventure with our 8-day Uganda Wildlife and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari. This all-inclusive package starts and ends in Kampala, taking you on a journey of wildlife and scenic discoveries. Our itinerary is designed to provide you with an opportunity to experience the Pearl of Africa at its zenith, with community interactions and numerous activities to enhance your experience.

Our safari includes rhino treks at the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, chimpanzee treks at the Budongo Forest Reserve, thrilling boat cruises, and game drives in both Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo park. You'll behold a plethora of wildlife including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, and more. Additionally, we have included visits to historical sites like Guru Guru Caves and the stunning Sipi Falls.

There's more to this package than just wildlife and scenery. You'll also have an opportunity to immerse yourself in local culture through community visits and cultural interactions. No trip to Uganda is complete without a visit to the Source of the Nile, and this is also included in our package.

With our 8-day Uganda Wildlife and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari, you can rest assured that you'll have an unforgettable and enriching experience. Book now and discover the best of Uganda's natural and cultural treasures

Tour Highlights

• Day 1: Transfer to Murchison and visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

• Day 2: Chimpanzee trekking and afternoon Boat Cruise Murchison

• Day 3: Morning game drive Murchison falls park and cave adventure

• Day 4: Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park and village tour

• Day 5: Game drive Kidepo National park

• Day 6: Sipi falls hike and community visit

• Day 7: Visit Source of the Nile and transfer back to Kampala

GETTING THERE

This tour starts and ends in Kampala or Entebbe

• Book your own international flights - Fly to/from Entebbe International Airport

• A transfer from and back to the airport can also be arranged

• Additional accommodation in Kampala or Entebbe before and at the end of the tour can be arranged for an extra cost.

Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Zziwa (or Ziwa) Rhino Sanctuary is home to Uganda’s wild endangered rhinos. Located in Nakasongola District, near Nakitoma Village, Ziwa covers around 70 square kilometers. Uganda used to have a large number of both black and white rhinoceroses, but the civil wars of 1970’s and early 80’s diminished their numbers close to extinction. In 2005 the sanctuary was established and rhinos were re-introduced by the Rhino Fund Uganda for purposes of breeding rhinos back for reintroduction into the wild. 

This Rhino Sanctuary is the foundation of the restoration of rhino population for all of Uganda, and so they are protected 24 hours a day from poachers by an electrical fence and security personnel. The sanctuary started with 6 rhinos but currently the number has grown to about 19 animals.

A trip to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary gives you a rare opportunity to track rhinos on foot, have an up-close experience and some great and unusual photo opportunities. The white rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary are gentle giants – and approaching them on foot poses no danger to you. You will have the guidance and company of a sanctuary ranger who is knowledgeable about the behavior of the rhinos.

Apart from the rhinos, Ziwa is also home to a number of bird species, reptiles, and 40 other mammal species including antelopes, crocodiles, hippos, monkeys, among others. The sanctuary has become increasingly popular with tourists for rhino trekking, boat riding, bird watching, night walks and nature walks. The accommodation units offer fine foods ranging from local to international cuisines.

Murchison Falls National Park

The park owes its name to the Murchison Falls which span the area. These were in turn named after Roderick Murchison, a geologist and president of the Royal Geographical Society at the time when Sir Samuel Baker explored the region. This place is also informally known as Kabalega Falls National park, with the falls commonly referred to as Kabalega Falls. Kabalega is the name of the King (Omukama) of Bunyoro who was famed for vehemently resisting British colonialism during the colonial era.

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s oldest and largest safari park, and it a conservation area for a variety of fauna and flora. It is situated at the end of the Albertine Rift Valley which is the area where the huge Bunyoro escarpment joins into the vast Acholi plains. It is about 300 kilometres north of Kampala in Masindi district, which takes about 6 hours by car though for those in a hurry and a wallet to match there are flights from Entebbe as well. 

At the area known as the Murchison Falls, the waters of the mighty Nile River force their way through a small slit within the rocks, which is just 7 metres or 23 feet wide, and topples to 43  metres below with a thunderous roar, forming a residual water stray that creates a beautiful rainbow effect, providing a breathtaking photo opportunity. From here the river continues its westward journey into the stunning Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda's most remarkable wildlife spectacles.

The adventure activities in the park include: boat cruises on the Victoria Nile, chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest, wildlife/game viewing, launch trips to the bottom of the falls and hikes to the top (Devil's Cauldron), birding, fishing adventures  and nature walks, with hot air ballooning activities available within the park.

Launch trips stand out as the most common exciting activities because they get you close to the heart and the jewel of the park (the falls). The vegetation of Murchison Falls National Park is made up of savannah, rain forest and woodland. Some of the wildlife includes the Uganda kobs, African bush elephants, African buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, leopards, lions, chimpanzees and many bird species that include waterbirds, the rare shoe-billed storks, Budongo's 59 "restricted range" species, dwarf kingfishers, Goliath herons, white-thighed hornbills and the great blue turacos. Hippopotami, the Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents along the water bodies.

Murchison Falls National Park is known globally for the wonderful experience it has in store for people from all walks of life. Thus, it is featured in African Tour Safaris, CNN, Huffington Post, New York Times and many others. The 1951 film "The African Queen" starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park. Notable visitors to the park include Sir Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British royals. By the mid-1960’s, Murchison Falls had become the premier safari destination in all of East Africa, with over 60,000 visitors per year.

Budongo Forest

 Budongo is the largest mahogany forest in East Africa with an incredible biodiversity which includes  at least over two dozen small mammals, 9 primates, nearly 500 species of trees, over 300 species of birds and a similar number of types of butterflies and moths, among others. The forest covers about 115 square kilometers of land (roughly the size of Paris) which in its isolation offers a safe haven for lions, leopards as well as buffaloes.  

The forest is habitat to the largest number of chimpanzees in Uganda, with a population estimated between 600-700, making the chimpanzee trekking experience the number one attraction although the forest walks are also scenic and pleasurable even without siting chimpanzees.

Some other activities to enjoy within this forest include nature walks and bird watching, and bird watching guides are available on request. 

Guru Guru Caves

 They are located some 25 kilometers from Gulu, the biggest city in Northern Uganda. The caves have an interesting history, and are said to have been used as a hiding place during the 1911 Lamogi rebellion against the British rule. The rebellion was begun by the Acholi people, the largest ethnic group in the region, and they were protesting against the taxes and exploitation by the British, but their resistance was violently quelled. What evidence is left of the rebellion are the drops of blood that are said to be visible on the large boulders that have survived the weather for more than a century. The rather arid landscape around the site is home to a variety of reptiles and on a sunny day, there are butterflies, birds and monkeys in abundance.

Kidepo Valley National Park

This is the most isolated national park in Uganda. It is located in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with South Sudan and Kenya. Kidepo means “to pick from below,” and the valley was visited by people coming to gather fallen borassus fruit for fermenting to make palm beer. Kidepo has an abundance of wildlife, and it is ranked among Africa’s finest wildernesses. The park contains two rivers, Kidepo and Narus, which dry out in the dry season, leaving just pools for the wildlife.  

A trip to Kidepo is also ideal for a cultural walk, especially in the local communities around the park including the pastoral Karamajong and the Ik, a hunter-gatherer tribe whose survival is threatened. These nearby local communities possess teams of cultural entertainers that are normally accessible to offer performances on request. These performers have a wide range of traditional dances as well as songs for example the Emuya of the Nyangia as well as the Naporre ethnic groups along with the Larakaraka plus Apiti dances performed by the native Acholi people.

Kidepo has several exciting tourism activities in the wilderness of this area including nature walks, sightseeing, birding and hiking with game viewing of different game while driving in vehicles on the dirt roads that crisscross the southern and western parts of the park and the few improved roads exist and are easily passable no matter the weather.

Some of the favorite locations include Apoka Tourism Centre overlooking the game-rich Narus Valley and home to an upmarket lodge and simple UWA-run cottages. Apoka is the park’s tourism hub. Ranger guides are stationed at Apoka to escort tourists on game drives and walks.

Other sites of interest are the Kanangorok Hot Springs that lie 11 kilometers beyond the Kidepo river on the Southern Sudan border. This is a glorious place to sit and view the mountains beyond the frontier. There is also Mount Morungole that stands at 2,750 meters high and is crossed by the Kidepo and Narus  rivers that nourish the park’s wildlife and this natural habitat as a whole.

Sipi Falls

Sipi falls is located in Kapchorwa, which is found in the eastern part of Uganda, approximately 277 kilometres from Kampala. It takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes to get there by road. Kapchorwa’s neighbouring districts of Mbale and Sironko are also known to be related to these agreeably most beautiful waterfalls in Uganda.

This trio of steep falls separated by brant hills is found on the foothills of Mountain Elgon, just at the edge of Mount Elgon National park nearing the Kenyan border to Uganda. The name sipi was derived from the word ‘sep’ which is a wild banana-like indigenous plant that grows along the banks of the Sipi River. Sep is used by the locals in that area as medicine for treating ailments such as fever and measles.

Of the three saults that make up Sipi falls, the 95 metre main drop is more attention-grabbing and thus a darling to the viewers. That is why most places of accommodation are built facing it. The vast plains that wind up the distance offer magnificent views, making a hike in this area a venture worth undertaking.

There are a number of other activities to undertake while at Sipi falls. You can go on sightseeing and bird watching sprees, visit the Sipi River and the native communities, check out the coffee plantations on the lower slopes of Mountain Elgon or get immersed in abseiling and rock climbing.

When planning for a hike, bear in mind that since all the waterfalls are not clustered together in the same locality, it is impossible to view them simultaneously. Nevertheless, they can be seen in one day at different intervals, which makes it all the more interesting. The paths to these falls are approximately 7 to 8 kilometres as you walk. It takes about 3 hours to visit all the falls, but this pretty much depends on individual fitness and pace. As you hike, you will need walking sticks to give you support because of the steep slopes at certain spots. Also, in case it rains, the paths get slippery and rather muddy.

For the hikes, still, there are different starting points depending on which waterfall to visit first. In the event that you have limited time to hike, you are strongly advised to start with the main waterfall and then proceed to the others thereafter. However, if you have plenty of time at your disposal, it is always better to first make for the first and second water fall, take a break, then crown it all with the third and most breathtaking of them all. At the base of the falls, you will notice some rocks at the mouth of the caves and beyond that look like they were manually sculpted to appear like seats. However, they were sculpted not by man but by Mother Nature herself.

Please note that vehicles cannot access all these spots owing to the steep terrain. In spite of this, you should look forward to having an amazingly unforgettable experience, because at your disposal will be some local guides who are very knowledgeable about the historical and geographical background of the area. Also, should your car get stuck because of the bad weather, you needn’t worry as they will readily offer you a helping hand.

The Budadiri Community

Budadiri is a town in Sironko District, which is located in eastern Uganda. It is situated just within Mount Elgon National Park. Those intending to scale the heights of Mount Elgon pitch camp here and use this place as their base. The Budadiri community group offers accommodation, car hire, cultural dances, guided coffee tours and community nature walks to its visitors.

Budadiri is inhabited by the Gisu/Gishu people who are the growers of the famous Arabica coffee that is savoured worldwide by coffee enthusiasts. A community walk in Budadiri will give you a noteworthy ecotourism experience. Visitors to this culturally laden small town can discover the region’s cultural dances, food preparation, folklore and its famous malewa (bamboo shoots), a revered delicacy.

Furthermore, visitors are treated to a tour of Mt Elgon’s famous Arabica coffee processing plants, which support local farmers. Nature lovers can indulge in one of the three trails – the full-day Namugabwe Cave Trail, passing through BaMasaba community land and banana plantations to reach a historical cave filled with bones; the Dirigana Loop Trail to the Dirigsana Falls and Gabushana Cave past local markets and the “Walls of Death”; or the three day walk to Sipi Falls which reveals the culture of two neighbouring tribes.

The Source of the Nile

River Nile is well known to be the longest river in the world. Its source (or rather one of its many sources) is right here at Jinja, Uganda. If you may be wondering how the name Nile came about, it is a famous Greek word simply meaning valley. The river flows from the surrounding areas close to the Equator to the outrageous Sahara desert and up to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Lake Victoria was first sighted by Europeans in 1858 when British explorer John Hanning Speke reached its southern shore while traveling with Richard Francis Burton to explore central Africa and locate the great lakes. Believing he had found the source of the Nile on seeing this "vast expanse of open water" for the first time, Speke named the lake after the then Queen of the United Kingdom. Burton, recovering from illness and resting further south on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, was outraged that Speke claimed to have proved his discovery to be the true source of the Nile when Burton regarded this as still unsettled. A very public quarrel ensued, which sparked a great deal of intense debate within the scientific community and interest by other explorers keen to either confirm or refute Speke's discovery. British explorer and missionary David Livingstone pushed too far west and entered the Congo River system instead. It was ultimately Welsh-American explorer Henry Morton Stanley who confirmed Speke's discovery, circumnavigating Lake Victoria and reporting the great outflow at Ripon Falls on the lake's northern shore.

Flanked today by the city of Jinja, the waterfall described by Speke now lies submerged beneath the Owen Falls Dam, Uganda’s main source of hydro-electric power. Still, a visit to the source of the Nile remains a moving and wondrous experience, no less so to those who have seen the same river as it flows past the ancient Egyptian temples of Luxor some 6,000 kilometres downstream. (Source: www.ugandatourismcenter.com) The source of the Nile, alluded to hazily in the ancient writings of Ptolemy, stood as one of the great geographical mysteries of the Victorian Age.

Closer to home, the Nile downriver from Jinja offers some superb white water rafting and game fishing. Its crowning glory, however, is Murchison Falls, where the world’s longest river funnels through a narrow fissure in the Rift Escarpment to erupt out of the other side in a crashing 43 metres plume of white water. The river below the falls is no less spectacular in its own way, with its profuse birdlife, thousands of hippos, and outsized, gape-mouthed crocodiles.

A tour to Nile will take you through another life of adventure. There is a golf course unwinding along the banks and the Source of the Nile, which provides a pretty focal point to the flow of water from Lake Victoria’s only outlet. A boat ride out to Samuka Island is another trip of itself, not counting the beautiful fauna you will see along. Booking a safari downstream on the Nile River brings you to Adrift Nile High Camp with various activities including bungee jumping. A few kilometres further is Bujagali Falls, the adventurer’s capital with grade-five white water rafting, kayaking, river boarding, and mountain-biking. These activities offer a unique way to explore the river banks, passing though farms, forests and villages beside the Nile. (Source: www.aboutuganda.com)

According to www.tripadvisor.com, while at the authentic, original Source of the Nile Site, where the British Explorer Speke first discovered the River Nile you can stand where he stood, take a picture with the monument, go for boat rides across the River Nile and into Lake Victoria, see monkeys, monitor lizards, pythons (and maybe even an authentic African Witchdoctor). The site also allows for camping, nature walks, parties and occasions with a truly spectacular nature setting. It is deal for bird watching and for anyone looking for a 1 day tour in the Ugandan Countryside.

 While planning an excursion to the Source of the Nile, you are advised to visit it during the day time, and endeavour to carry binoculars in order to have a spell-binding birding experience. You can also visit the curio shops and grab yourself some souvenirs. The Speke monument just near the river’s source is also a landmark worth beholding, and it is ideal for photographic moments in which you will capture life-long memories of your River Nile adventures!

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SAFARI INCLUSIONS

Safari includes:

Transportation in a Tour Van/Landcruiser.

Service of an English-speaking tour guide/Driver

Boat cruise

Game drive

Cultural village tour

Park admissions

Accommodation on full board

Entrance fees to all destinations as per the program.

Transfers to and from Entebbe Airport/Kampala

Safari excludes:

All activities not mentioned in the program

Phone call bills

Tips

International Transfers

Visas to Uganda

Gratitude to tour-guides

Personal insurance

Visas to Uganda

Personal effects of any nature

Hotel fees before and after the safari

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