Murchison Falls & Chimpanzee Safari — 3 Days / 2 Nights

A Terrain Safaris Itinerary

Trip Overview

This three-day safari takes you from Kampala into Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and one of its most scenic protected areas. Over three days you’ll track rhinos on foot, drive through savannah teeming with wildlife, cruise the Nile by boat to the base of the falls, and trek through rainforest in search of wild chimpanzees.

Day One: Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park

Route: Kampala → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary → Kabalega Dinners → Kichumbanyobo Gate → Murchison Falls → Pakuba Safari Lodge

The day begins with an early breakfast in Kampala before setting off on the roughly 300-kilometer drive north to Murchison Falls National Park. The route passes through the Luwero Triangle, a historically significant region of rolling farmland and rural homesteads.

Mid-morning stop — Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: A guided visit here offers the rare chance to view rhinos on foot in their natural habitat. Ziwa is the only site in Uganda where rhinos are being reintroduced into the wild through an active conservation program.

Lunch: A hearty meal at Kabalega Dinners, a popular midway rest stop, before continuing north.

Entering the park: You’ll pass through Kichumbanyobo Gate and enjoy a leisurely game drive toward the heart of the reserve, watching for giraffe, hartebeest, buffalo, and various antelope across the savannah woodlands.

Murchison Falls: The highlight of the afternoon is a visit to the falls themselves, where the Nile is forced through a narrow seven-meter gorge before dropping 45 meters into the river below. The roar of the water and the mist rising from the gorge make this one of the most dramatic sights on the itinerary, best viewed from several vantage points.

Evening: Arrive at Pakuba Safari Lodge by late afternoon, check in, relax, and enjoy dinner under the night sky.

Note: On this day, lunch can alternatively be taken as a packed meal at Paraa landing site while waiting to board the boat cruise upstream, depending on scheduling.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge Meal Basis: Full Board

Day Two: Game Drive & Nile Boat Cruise

Route: Pakuba Safari Lodge → Delta area game drive → Lodge (lunch) → Paraa/Nile boat cruise → Lodge

Morning: The day starts before sunrise with an early breakfast, followed by a game drive through the Delta area in the park’s northern sector — known for its high concentration of wildlife. As the light spreads across the savannah, look for:

• Rothschild’s giraffe
• Elephants
• Jackson’s hartebeest
• Lions
• Warthogs
• Uganda kob
• Patas monkeys
• With luck, leopard

This area is also rich in birdlife, from bee-eaters to the secretary bird.

Midday: Return to the lodge to relax and have lunch before the afternoon’s main activity.

Afternoon — Nile boat cruise: At 2:00 p.m., board a launch for a roughly three-hour cruise upstream along the Nile toward the base of Murchison Falls. From the water, you can observe wildlife at close range, including:

• Hippos wallowing in pods
• Nile crocodiles sunning on the banks
• Elephants bathing in the shallows
• Buffalo grazing by the water’s edge

Birdlife along the river includes African fish eagles, kingfishers, and — for the fortunate — the shoebill stork. The cruise concludes with close-up views of the falls before you return to the lodge in the early evening in time for sunset.

Overnight: Pakuba Safari Lodge Meal Basis: Full Board

Day Three: Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest & Return to Kampala

Route: Lodge → Nile ferry crossing → Budongo Forest Reserve → Masindi (lunch) → Kampala / Entebbe Airport

Morning: After an early breakfast, depart the lodge and cross the Nile by ferry, heading south to Budongo Forest Reserve — a pristine rainforest on the southern edge of Murchison Falls National Park, home to one of Uganda’s largest wild chimpanzee populations.

Chimpanzee trekking: After a briefing with experienced guides, set off into the forest, where birdsong, rustling leaves, and chimp calls fill the air. The trek typically lasts around three hours, giving you the chance to observe chimpanzees feeding, grooming, and playing in the canopy, along with other forest residents such as butterflies and rare bird species.

Afternoon: Continue to Masindi for a relaxed lunch, then begin the drive back toward Kampala. Depending on your schedule, you’ll either be dropped at your accommodation in the city or transferred directly to Entebbe International Airport for your onward flight.

Overnight: Not applicable (trip concludes) Meal Basis: Breakfast & Lunch

Trip Highlights

• Rhino trekking on foot at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
• Game drive through the wildlife-rich Delta area
• Nile boat cruise upstream to the base of Murchison Falls
• Chimpanzee trekking at Kaniyo-Pabidi, Budongo Forest
• Views of Murchison Falls from base to top