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7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Uganda Safari
7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari Overview
This 7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari is a conjoined big game experience in the northern savannah national parks of Uganda. It offers you the opportunity to explore the last remaining natural habitats of the threatened Rothschild’s giraffe, also known as the Uganda giraffe on intense game drives.
Kidepo Valley is Uganda’s northernmost hidden gem and is relatively less explored because of its remoteness and past insecurity in the surrounding areas. If combined with the Pian Upe, Bokora, and Matheniko wildlife reserves, Uganda could have a park that stands toe-to-toe with Tanzania’s Serengeti and Kenya’s Masai Mara. Kidepo Valley was described by CNN as one of the very best things Africa has to offer.
More than 50 different bird species can be found in Kidepo Valley, including the fairly common yellow-billed kite, fox kestrel, pygmy falcon, tawny eagle, uncommon Verreaux’s eagle, extremely rare Taita falcon, and several vulture species. Large herds of buffalos and elephants can be seen easily in Kidepo, while lions and cheetahs are seen by chance. Ostriches are notable residents of the park and can be observed in the northern part during game drives to the hot springs of Kanangorok.
Murchison Falls National Park, on the other hand, is the largest and one of the oldest parks in Uganda. It is closer to the capital, Kampala, and stands out as the only park in Uganda that offers impressive sightings of all the big 5 and the largest population of the Rothschild’s giraffe in East Africa.
You will marvel at the abundant wildlife of this legendary savannah park during game drives, which includes bush elephants, Uganda kobs, lions, leopards, and spotted hyenas. Many bird species can be seen on a boat trip to the foot of the dramatic waterfalls. You will hike to the top of the falls and enjoy stunning views of the park and wrap it up with a visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see the critically endangered white rhinos on your way back to Kampala.
Quick Safari Details
Country: Uganda.
Departure/End City: Entebbe/Kampala.
Destinations: Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison Falls National Park.
Group Type: Private.
Number of People: Tailored.
Availability: Year-Round.
Dates: Open.
Duration: 7 Days.
Cancellation Policy: Up to 90 days.
Activities: Rhino tracking, Game drives, boat cruise and cultural experience.
Price: Request a quote.
Safari Highlights
- Explore the remote northern side of Uganda.
- An opportunity to see some of the rare animal and bird species that are not found in other parks in Uganda but are only found in Kidepo Valley i.e., ostriches and cheetahs among others.
- Rhino tracking in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- An amazing cultural encounter with the Karamojong people—experience their way of life and tradition.
7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Kampala to Kitgum.
After an early breakfast, your driver guide will pick you up from your hotel in Entebbe or Kampala and embark on a scenic road trip to Kitgum, northern Uganda. You will have a quick lunch stop along the way.
Accommodation & meals:
- Budget: Fugly’s Hotel – Kitgum.
- Midrange: Fugly’s Hotel – Kitgum.
- Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge.
Bed & Breakfast
Day 2: Kitgum to Kidepo Valley National Park.
After a hefty breakfast, you will take another scenic road trip to Kidepo Valley National Park while catching sight of changing landscapes as you traverse Uganda’s fragmented eco-geographical zones. You will see pockets of diminishing rain forests, savanna woodland and grasslands, water bodies (the River Nile), semi-arid areas, villages, and farm fields.
Upon arrival at the park, you will check in at your reserved lodge and enjoy a delicious lunch. Kidepo ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. From Apoka, which sits in the heart of Kidepo, a savanna landscape extends in all directions, far beyond the gazetted area of 1442 km2, towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges. You will enjoy an exciting evening game drive later on.
Accommodation & meals:
- Budget: UWA banda’s.
- Midrange: Apoka Rest camp/UWA banda’s.
- Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3: Game drives and visit the Kanangorok hot springs.
Start the day with an early breakfast and then embark on a game drive along the trails of Kidepo Valley. The park is home to over 80 species of mammals, many of which are endemic to Kidepo National Park, like cheetahs, caracals, and striped hyenas, and over 465 bird species, including ostriches.
Day 4: Visit a Karamojong homestead and head to Kitgum.
The morning excursion is a cultural experience with one of Uganda’s most popular indigenous tribes, the Karena and Kapedo. The Karamojong are one of the tribes in East Africa that have not embraced modern culture wholly. They are nomadic pastoralists whose lives are centered on their cattle.
The Karamojong believe that all cattle in the world belong to them or that those in other communities or countries were stolen from them in the past, which makes them notorious cattle raiders.
While with the Karamojong, you will learn about their ancient cattle culture, music and dance, and their love for cattle. Unlike most other Ugandans, many Karamojong shun western-style clothes and instead wear “traditional” dress of a blanket-like shawl, often in red and black, with women wearing elaborate beadwork.
After experiencing the Karamojong culture, you will transfer to Kitgum town in the afternoon after enjoying lunch.
Accommodation & meals:
- Budget: Fugly’s Hotel – Kitgum.
- Midrange: Fugly’s Hotel – Kitgum.
- Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge.
Bed & Breakfast.
Day 5: To Murchison Falls National Park.
After an early breakfast, you will drive to Gulu town and then connect to Murchison Falls National Park through the northern sector. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison waterfall, the park’s signature feature and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids.
The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. You will see lots of wild game on your way to the lodge through the park, such as elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes. hippos, Nile crocodiles, and aquatic birds.
Accommodation & meals:
- Luxury: Chobe Safari Lodge/Paraa safari Lodge.
- Midrange: Pakuba safari Lodge/Murchison River Lodge.
- Budget: Heritage safari Lodge/Red Chili Rest Camp.
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 6: Game drive and boat cruise.
After a sumptuous breakfast, you will embark on a 3–4-hour game drive on the northern side of the park. Expect to see Uganda kobs, giraffes, elephants, lions, topis, Jackson hartebeests, other antelopes, and different bird species in the savannah.
You will take a boat cruise in the afternoon to the bottom of the dramatic waterfall. Expect to see a diversity of wildlife, including elephants, buffalos, crocodiles, hippos, and countless water birds, and then hike to the top of the falls.
From here, you will be amazed by the thrilling view of Murchison Falls as the Nile River drops 50 meters down from a narrow gorge, producing a thunderous roar. After this thrilling view, you will retire to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Day 7: To Kampala via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
After a sumptuous breakfast, you will check out of the lodge and embark on a road transfer southwards to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking. On arrival, you will join a group of trackers and be led by a ranger guide to see the endangered white rhinos in their natural habitat. You will enjoy lunch after tracking the rhinos and then resume your journey back to Kampala or Entebbe.
No accommodation
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch.
End of 7 Days Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls Safari.
Safari Includes
- Transfers in 4WD.
- Accommodation and meals as per the itinerary.
- Local guide.
- Bottled drinking water.
- Fees & permits
- Any ferry transfers.
- Game drives.
- Rhino tracking.
- English speaking guide/driver.
Safari Excludes
- Visa & Travel insurance
- Emergency medical bills
- Trip cancellation insurance
- International flights
- Airport taxes
- All meals and drinks not specified
- Tips and gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
Start planning a dream safari with us. You can book this safari itinerary, create one from scratch with the help of an African safari expert, or customize one of our suggested tours to suit your travel preferences.
Important Notes for the 7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari
- The 7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari is limited to a maximum of six travelers per vehicle, and a 30% deposit is required on confirmation.
- Travelers with special needs may be required to pay an extra fee for necessary facilitation.
- Dinner and accommodations before and after the trip are not included in the overall tour cost.
- This 7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari is tailor-made and can be customized to your own style of travel. You can set your own dates (subject to availability) and choose your accommodation facilities with our guidance. Accommodations selected here are what we think will suit this kind of safari and are where we have the best rates for you.
- Due to the uncertainty of travel during these times, you can postpone your trip up to 12 months ahead (considering accommodation availability) and have a minimum of 30 days to cancel.
Tips for the 7 Days Kidepo Valley & Murchison Falls Safari
- Do not forget your closed or water-proof hiking shoes.
- Rain poncho during the rainy season.
- Camera with an additional battery and charger.
- Binoculars for birders
- Sun hat.
- Sunscreen.
- Insect repellent.
