3 Days Murchison Falls Safari

They are falling for you! Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest national park and very rich in wildlife, with the famous River Nile, one of the world’s longest rivers flowing through. The activities in this park include game safari (elephants, kob, buffalo, lions, giraffes and even the elusive leopard) boat cruise (hippos, Nile crocodiles, water birds, get up-close to the spectacular falls), and hiking to the famous waterfalls of the River Nile. 

Day 1: Travel to Murchison Falls – Uganda’s largest National Park
Our driver/guide will pick you from your Hotel or other residences in Kampala/Entebbe at 7.00am in a customized pop-top safari van. Take a brief break for lunch. Proceed arriving at the Top of the Falls, view of the mighty Murchison Falls, the point where River Nile is squeezed through such a tiny space (7m gap) plunging 42m deep making one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world. What a stunning sight, foaming, crashing white water rushing through narrow channels of stone and plunging down into a curving stretch of river below, silvery in the mid-day light. The payoff is a killer view back toward the falls, and down the Nile in another direction as your eye can see. A vivid rainbow arced right across the plunging spray of the falls. 

You will be thrilled by this magical place and so glad that you need another day. Proceed drive and check in at the camp/lodge. Look out for resident warthogs, and other wildlife around the camp! Enjoy dinner and drinks and weather permitting on a campfire.  

Accommodation: Fort Murchison tents – B&B [ Twin tent] shared facilities or Redchilli RestCamp
Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner 

Day 2: Game drive and boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park
Depart for early (6.30 am) game drive. Enjoy a 3-hour game safari, keep an eye out for the elephants, leopards, lions, warthogs, and giraffes as well as large herds of animals such as oribi, Hartebeests, Kobs, and buffalo, but please note – some wild animals like leopards, lions can be elusive! – nothing is guaranteed but our guides will maximize chances of these cat sightings! You’ll then have time to stop for your lunch by the river Nile. 

At 2 pm we depart for 3-hour on our boat cruise along the Victoria Nile to the bottom of Murchison Falls. Along the way, you’ll be passing large numbers of giant Nile crocodiles, schools of hippos, vast range of birdlife. Enjoy this breathtaking scenery. Upon return, your driver/guide will pick you and take you back to lodge for an overnight. 

Accommodation: Fort Murchison tents – B&B [ Twin tent] shared facilities or Redchilli RestCamp
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Day 3: Return to Kampala (Rhino walk- optional)
After breakfast, we drive back to Kampala/Entebbe, on the way after 4 hours we stop at Nakitoma – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (*for an optional Rhino tracking cost $45 per person), home to 16 white rhinos. The rhinos roam freely on 7000 hectares of land however closely monitored 24 hours a day to protect them from poaching.  

Tracking and viewing the rhinos usually involves a short drive followed by 1 hour walking and viewing with a ranger. Closed shoes, long trousers and insect repellent are strongly recommended. You’ll be guided on foot by an ranger to visit Uganda’s most endangered creature – the Southern White Rhino. This is the only place in Uganda where they still survive and breed with the hopes of one day being reintroduced back into one of the savannah parks. After tracking we’ll drive you back to Kampala, arriving early evening – subject to traffic situation of the day! 

Accommodation: X
Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch. 

Fort Murchison tents
Fort Murchison offers a variety of comfortable accommodations to suit budgets from the mid to lower market, Be it in our beautiful rooms or our comfortable thatched tents a great value for money is guaranteed. Fort Murchison is situated in the former Aswa Lolim Game reserve, just outside the northern park boundaries of Murchison Falls National Park. It is set in a beautiful surrounding and looks out on the majestic Albert Nile. 

Aside from the main accommodation, Fort Murchison offers non-self-contained tents. These are comfortably furnished with 2 single beds with mosquito nets, a bedside table and a power outlet for charging your electrical equipment. All tents are placed under a grass thatched roof which creates your private terrace and provides some welcome shade. The tents share a communal ablution block with showers and flushing toilets. No need to worry about linen as all bedding and towels are provided 

Redchilli Restcamp
Red Chilli is superbly located to explore Murchison at Paraa on the southern bank of the River Nile in the heart of the park. Our camp is just 500 metres from the Paraa ferry, where all vehicles cross the Nile for game drives around the Nile Delta, and from where boats can be hired for game viewing and sport fishing on the Nile – either up to the base of the Falls, or down to the Nile delta at Lake Albert. 

Red Chilli has a fully stocked bar and restaurant below a large open thatched roof with spectacular views towards the Nile. The bar serves drinks from 6.15am until midnight and meals are available at the following times: Breakfast 7.20am – 10.30am, Lunch 11.30am – 3 pm, Dinner 6.30pm – 9 pm. Breakfast and lunch are Á la carte, whereas at dinner the cooks offer a choice of 3 different dishes daily: one red meat, one white meat/fish, and one vegetarian option. We cater for other dietary requirements on request – please call/email to discuss. The accommodation also supplies packed breakfasts (please order before 8 pm the previous day) and lunches. Tea and coffee are available so long as the bar is open! 

A bonfire is lit most evenings (weather permitting!) for the full ‘safari’ experience. Our modern toilets and showers have provision for disabled visitors and all our en-suite bandas are fitted with solar hot water systems, although the heat in Murchison means this isn’t always necessary! 

Price of the entire trip: $375 *with 6 people on board.
Gather your friends or join with other travelers on this trip to bring the price down!

Terms & Conditions:

• A better price for everyone! Get a refund for every additional traveler joining your trip.
• The overall rate of this trip, with every additional passenger, gradually decreases
• This trip will be paid via Direct Pay Online, an easy and reliable service for all modes of payments, all cards, mobile money, all currencies, mobile apps and cards readers
• This trip is based on a shared usage of rooms – a single usage of rooms will result in an additional fee.
• The maximum capacity of this trip is 6 people

Inclusive

• Boat Cruise & Game drives as indicated on the itinerary 
• Accommodation on full-board basis 
• Transport in a 4×4 Land Cruiser 
• National Park entrance fees
• Return transport to and from Kampala 
• Professional English speaking safari guide & chef
• Game drives as indicated on the itinerary

Exclusive 

• International & domestic flights
• Travel insurance & Visa fees 
• Sodas & alcoholic beverage
• Meals & accommodation in Kampala 
• Tips for guide and chef 
• Personal items
• Optional Activities – Ziwa rhino walk (45 USD p.p) 

CHECKLIST

The following list is a general guideline of what to bring on the safari:

• Shorts and t-shirts or light trousers for the daytime.
• A wide-brimmed hat to shade you from the sun, this should have string/straps if standing in the van or jeep as it could be blown off.
• Plenty of sun protection, lotion or cream (High SPF).
• A good pair of binoculars (there’s usually just one pair in vehicles).
• Long trousers and long or short-sleeved shirts for the evening and protection from mosquitoes
• A fleece/jumper/sweater for the early morning (or a safari jacket) and evening game drives, as it tends to get very chilly, especially in the highlands and in the Masai Mara.
• Plenty of film or flash card memory for your camera and a battery charger for all electronic devices.
• A small first aid kit.
• Swimming costumes/bathing suits as most of the lodges and camps have swimming pools.
• A good pair of sunglasses as you are on the equator where the sun is very powerful. Prescription sun spectacles are not recommended as may scratch or fall off the vehicles.
• A pair of safari shoes or trekking boots.
• A pack of wet wipes.
• Mosquito repellent.
• Bottle’s or jugs of water to keep you hydrated. Spending a lot of time in the sun, even when wearing hats and sunglasses will dehydrate you in most cases.

WATCH OUT

• On a safari, be prepared for bumpy and dusty roads. These can be irritating to the contact lens wearers. Eye drops and an extra pair of glasses are sensible protection.
• Pack light. Laundry facilities are available throughout your safari at extra cost. Remember your weight limit on your return from East Africa.
• Our equatorial sun is strong. Too much can cause dehydration, nausea, dizziness and headaches. We recommend that you wear sunscreens and a hat, as well as a strong pair of dark glasses.
• DO NOT take photographs of the locals without permission. Never take photographs of the military, policemen in uniform, and the President or Government officials.
• Always keep your camera loaded and ready for action. You never know when it is going to start