5-Day Big 5 Safari to Murchison and Chimpanzee Tracking

The pick-up will be either from your hotel or from Entebbe Airport upon arrival. Your assigned professional English-speaking tour driver-guide will receive you and set off for Murchison Falls National Park.

The highlights of the park include the roaring rapids of the Murchison and the rolling plains of Uganda’s largest national park, where you may encounter lions, giraffes, hartebeest, buffalo, and elephants, among other wildlife. We will stop for lunch in Masindi before continuing into Murchison Falls.

Optional: Detour to visit the top of the falls to fully appreciate the beauty and magnificence of Murchison Falls. Alternatively, it is also possible to do a game drive in the park first before heading to the accommodation.

Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge (Midrange Level)

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Transfer Time: Approximately 7 hours

Be up early and set out for a full day of wildlife viewing in Murchison Falls National Park. The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including buffalo, Jackson hartebeest, elephants, lions, giraffes, leopards, hyenas, and more. These animals are widely spread across the savannah grasslands, grazing or hunting for prey, making the landscape ideal for game viewing and driving.

At around 10:30 a.m., drive to the boat launch area for a trip upstream toward the falls. Along the riverbanks, you are likely to spot hippos, crocodiles, and various bird species. From the boat, continue to Red Chilli for a hot lunch.

After lunch, return for the second leg of game viewing. Following a satisfying day of wildlife encounters, head back to the lodge to freshen up, enjoy dinner, and spend the night.

Accommodation: Pakuba Safari Lodge (Midrange Level)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer Time: Approximately 30 minutes to/from the lodge

Be up early and set out for another sunrise game drive, lasting until around 10:00 a.m. After the game drive, embark on the journey to Budongo Forest Reserve. Budongo is astonishingly biodiverse, hosting 24 mammal species, over 360 bird species, 289 butterflies, and 465 plant species. The forest is also renowned for its primate population, including approximately 800 chimpanzees.

Upon arrival, attend a briefing before setting out to encounter humans’ closest relatives in the wild. Enjoy a guided primate walk through the lush expanses of the tropical forest in search of a habituated chimpanzee family. Your guide will provide insights on the animal and plant species encountered along the way.

After the trek, continue the drive to Masindi and check in at your booked accommodation.

Accommodation: Masindi Hotel (Budget Level)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer Time: Approximately 2 hours

Enjoy breakfast before embarking on a transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a successful conservation effort established to save Uganda’s near-extinct rhino population. Thanks to this initiative, visitors to Uganda now have the chance to encounter these magnificent animals.

Upon arrival at Ziwa, embark on an hour of on-foot rhino tracking. After tracking, proceed to your accommodation for lunch and some rest. Around 4:00 p.m., set out on a guided nature walk within the sanctuary. This walk offers a close-up view of the diverse and abundant wildlife that call the sanctuary home. In addition to wildlife sightings, you can enjoy the pristine fresh air and the stunning scenery—truly a chance to reconnect with nature.

Return to the lodge afterward for dinner and overnight stay.

Accommodation: Amuka Lodge (Midrange Level)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer Time: Approximately 2 hours

Be up early and proceed for the 6:00 a.m. shoebill trek and canoe ride through Lugogo Swamp. This excursion offers the opportunity to spot the prehistoric shoebill stork among other bird species, as well as to enjoy the stunning Ugandan sunrise over the swamp.

After this adventure, return to the facility before beginning your journey back to Entebbe, with drop-off either at the airport or at your booked accommodation.

Accommodation: Available on request

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer Time: Approximately 4 hours