4 Days Murchison Falls & Budongo Chimpanzees

The 4 Days Murchison Falls & Budongo Chimpanzees is a 4-day sample itinerary: a tailor-made waterfall safari covering Murchison Falls in Uganda. Rhinos at Ziwa, the launch trip and the top of Murchison Falls, a delta cruise for shoebills and chimpanzee tracking in the Budongo Forest.

Highlights

• White rhino tracking at Ziwa
• Launch trip to the foot of the falls
• Hike to the top of Murchison Falls
• Delta cruise for shoebills
• Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest

Suggested places to stay on this route include Paraa Safari Lodge, Murchison River Lodge.

Who this safari suits

• Travellers who want rhinos, the falls and chimpanzees in one short trip
• Birders, for the delta and Budongo Forest
• Families with children old enough for chimpanzee tracking

Route and travel times

Kampala → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (about 3 hours) → Murchison Falls (about 2 to 3 hours) · Budongo Forest (about 1 to 1.5 hours from the falls area) · → Kampala (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

   Drive north from Kampala to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, about three hours, and track white rhinos on foot with rangers. Continue to Murchison Falls National Park and check in at a lodge on the south bank of the Nile.

   Overnight Murchison River LodgeMeals All meals

2. Day2

   Game drive and the falls

   Cross on the Paraa ferry for a morning game drive on the north bank. In the afternoon, take the launch trip to the foot of the falls and hike to the top, where the whole Nile forces through a seven-metre gap.

   Overnight Paraa Safari LodgeMeals All meals

3. Day3

   Delta and Budongo

   Set out early on the delta cruise to Lake Albert for shoebills and water birds, then drive to the Budongo Forest for an afternoon of chimpanzee tracking with a ranger guide. Return to your lodge in the evening.

   Overnight Paraa Safari LodgeMeals All meals

4. Day4

   Return to Kampala

   After breakfast, drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, arriving in the afternoon.

   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.