3 Days Murchison Falls Safari

The 3 Days Murchison Falls Safari is a 3-day sample itinerary: a tailor-made waterfall safari covering Murchison Falls in Uganda. Rhino tracking at Ziwa, the launch trip up the Nile to the foot of Murchison Falls, the hike to the top and a game drive on the Buligi plains.

Highlights

• White rhino tracking on foot at Ziwa
• Launch trip to the foot of the falls
• Hike to the top of Murchison Falls
• Game drive for giraffes, lions and elephants

Suggested places to stay on this route include Paraa Safari Lodge, Baker's Lodge.

Who this safari suits

• Short trips from Kampala or Entebbe
• Travellers who want rhinos, the falls and a game drive in one trip
• A first safari in Uganda

Route and travel times

Kampala → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (about 3 hours) → Murchison Falls National Park (about 2 to 3 hours more) · Paraa ferry for north-bank game drives · → Kampala or Entebbe (about 5 to 6 hours).

Times are typical and vary with road conditions, border queues and weather.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1

   Kampala to Murchison, via Ziwa

   Leave Kampala early and drive north for about three hours to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where rangers lead you on foot to see southern white rhinos, the only rhinos in Uganda. After lunch, continue two to three hours to Murchison Falls National Park, entering through the southern gate and stopping at the top of the falls before checking in near Paraa.

   Overnight Paraa Safari LodgeMeals All meals

2. Day2

   Game drive and the Nile

   Cross the Nile on the Paraa ferry at dawn for a game drive on the Buligi grasslands, looking for Rothschild's giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kob and lions. After lunch, take the three-hour launch trip upstream among hippos and crocodiles to the foot of Murchison Falls; ask to be dropped at the trail and hike about 45 minutes to an hour to the top.

   Overnight Paraa Safari LodgeMeals All meals

3. Day3

   Return to Kampala

   Take an optional early boat trip to the Nile delta on Lake Albert, the best chance to see the shoebill, then drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, arriving in the evening.

   Meals Breakfast, lunch

When to go

Best time for this route: December–February; June–September. At Murchison Falls: Year-round flow; December–February and June–September for the driest game drives. See the month-by-month water levels.

Making this trip your own

This is a sample route, not a fixed departure. You can add nights where you want more time, swap the lodges named for others at a different budget, drop activities that do not interest you, or join this itinerary to another one. Tell us your dates, the number of travellers and what matters most to you, and we will send back a tailored version with a price.

Lodges named are examples; ask about alternatives at other budgets. Activities depend on water levels and park rules.