5-Day Murchison Falls & Kibale Safari Adventure

After an early breakfast, you will set off on a scenic 6-hour drive to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and most iconic national park. Along the way, you’ll pass through rural villages and lush countryside. You will stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for optional rhino tracking. Once in the park, you’ll drive to the Top of the Falls, where the mighty Nile River is squeezed through a 7-meter gorge before plunging 43 meters into the Devil’s Cauldron  a truly thunderous and spectacular sight.

Mid-Range Stay: Pakuba Safari Lodge 

Budget Stay: Tilenga Safari Lodge 

Begin your day with an early game drive on the northern bank of the Nile. Expect to see elephants, giraffes, lions, hyenas, buffalo, oribis, hartebeests, Uganda kobs, and perhaps a leopard if lucky. After a bush breakfast or return to the lodge for brunch.

In the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing boat safari along the Victoria Nile towards the base of the falls. Watch hippos wallowing, crocodiles basking, and elephants drinking from the riverbanks, all while birdlife flourishes around you.

Mid-Range Stay: Pakuba Safari Lodge 

Budget Stay: Tilenga Safari Lodge 

After breakfast, set off for Kibale Forest National Park, the primate capital of East Africa. This scenic drive takes you through Albertine Rift Valley landscapes, tea plantations, and small trading centers. The drive takes around 7-8 hours with lunch en route in Hoima or Fort Portal. Upon arrival, settle in at your lodge and relax amid the rainforest ambience in preparation for tomorrow’s chimp trekking.

Mid-Range Stay:Turaco Treetops 

Budget Stay: Chimpanzee Guest House 

After an early breakfast, you’ll head to Kibale Forest for a guided chimpanzee tracking experience. Walk through tropical rainforest with an expert ranger as you search for one of the 13 primate species, including red colobus, L’Hoest’s monkey, and most famously, chimpanzees. Once found, you’ll spend a full hour observing their behavior — grooming, feeding, and playing in the treetops.

In the afternoon, visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a community-run project home to hundreds of bird species, butterflies, and monkeys. The walk is peaceful, immersive, and a perfect complement to your chimp experience.

After breakfast, start your return journey to Kampala or Entebbe (approx. 5-6 hours). Optional stopovers can include a visit to the crater lakes around Fort Portal  a stunning volcanic landscape dotted with beautiful water bodies like Lake Nyinambuga and Lake Nkuruba. You’ll arrive in the city by late afternoon or evening, depending on your departure location.