Country: Uganda
Destinations: Entebbe, Kampala, Jinja, Mount Elgon National Park, Sipi falls and Murchison Falls National Park.
Itinerary at Glance
Day 1: Arrival in Entebbe
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja
Day 3: White water rafting on the Nile
Day 4: Boat cruise at the source of the Nile and transfer to Sipi
Day 5: Sipi falls hike and coffee tour
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park
Day 7: Game drives and the Nile boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park
Day 8: Game drives and boat cruise to the Nile delta in Murchison Falls National Park
Day 9: Visit Ziwa Rhino sanctuary and departure (evening flight)
Trip Overview
The 9 days epic Uganda adventure and Wildlife encounter safari, takes you to one of the famous regions in Uganda and visits the most popular national parks. You will be able to undergo white water rafting on the Nile River, and later proceed to Mount Elgon National Park for a nature walk/ hike adventure before you proceed to Murchison Falls National Park, the oldest Uganda National Park, known for the Big Five mammals. You will enjoy a wonderful road transfer, full will a lot en route attraction, and beautiful view of the countryside.
Trip Highlight.
- Wildlife game drives in Murchison Falls National Park
- Sipi falls hike
- Endless wildlife experience
- Coffee tour experience
- Community cultural experience
- Boat cruise on the Nile delta
- Boat cruise on the Nile
- Birdlife experience
- White water rafting on the Nile
- Boat cruise at the source of the Nile
- Hike to the top of the falls
- Rhino trekking experience
- Cross country drive experience
Day 1: Welcome to Uganda!
Day Itinerary
Upon landing at Entebbe International Airport, you will go through the immigration protocol and on getting done, as you exit the tunnel, your driver/guide, will warmly welcome you to Uganda, and he will pick you up from Entebbe airport and transfers you to your booked accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight stay at: Karibu Guest House
Meal Plan: Dinner
Day 2: Transfer to Jinja (Source of the Nile). Journey time +3 hrs
Day Itinerary
Have a deluxe morning breakfast, and shortly be joined by your guide at 7.30 am, who will brief you shortly as you enjoy a cup of coffee, later get your bags packed, and jump into your jeep, to get the safari started, through the city of Kampala, with is burning city life and find your way to Jinja.
Jinja lies on the shore of Lake Victoria, about 3 hours East from Kampala. This town is famous as the historic source of the river Nile and at the same time the adrenaline capital of East Africa. Besides enjoying peaceful sunsets, birdlife and tranquility, this is also where visitors get their adventurous fix. Enjoy activities such as white-water rafting, kayaking, tubing, quad biking, and mountain biking and horse riding. Jinja has a gorgeous natural setting with crumbling colonial architecture. With the arrival of British colonial rule in 1906 the town began to grow as a trading canter and important river crossing. These days Jinja has a vibrant downtown and broad leafy residential streets set next to the Nile River. Shortly you will be in Jinja, and catch up with lunch. After lunch, we shall head for a boat ride, to explore the source of the Nile, later return, and have a drive through Jinja city, watch the old architecture and later return to your lodge, for relaxation.
Overnight stay at: The Haven Uganda
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3: True Nile white water rafting.
Day Itinerary
Today, the real adrenaline calls. Get out your comfort bed, take a cap off coffee, and we drive off for the great Nile white water rafting adventure. It is about having fun on water. You will start with a heavy breakfast, later briefing, before you get into the water. You may opt to book for a full day white water rafting which goes up to around 4 pm or just do a half white water rafting which goes up to around mid – day. The full day rafting gives you a total fun enjoyment on water, as you discover the great falls of the Nile. You end the rafting session with BBQ and drinks, before your driver guide, lead you back to your lodge.
Overnight stay at: The Haven Uganda
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Optional activities in Jinja
Today you can relax at the lodge or choose optional activities:
- White water rafting (full day USD 145 / half day USD 125)
- A horseback safari (USD 50 for 2 hours / USD 70 for 3 hours)
- Quad-biking (USD 70 for 2 hours / USD 90 for 3 hours)
- A day of whitewater kayaking on the river (USD 120)
- A sundowner cruise on the Nile (USD 35)
- A visit to Jinja market
Day 4: Transfer to Sipi Falls – Kapchorwa. Journey Time +5 hrs.
Day Itinerary
Wake up with your breakfast ready at the restaurant. Enjoy a moment of breakfast with your guide, head for boat cruise on the source of the Nile, which is roughly an hour boat ride, discover the beautiful Nile River and its source, proceed to the shores of Lake Victoria, where it is believed to be the source of the great Nile. Number of bird species can be sighted, along the boat cruise. Later return, meet your guide, jump into your jeep as you get ready to explore the Eastern region as you find your way to Kapchorwa, land of great runners, world medalist and athletic record breakers, some of the best Arabica coffee in the world, fresh vegetables are grown here. Along the way, you will see numerous sugar cane plantations, rice and vegetable gardens. As you drive, you will start to notice a very flat topography, with great undulating landscape, but as you reach Mbale, turn to find your way to Kapchorwa, there is a change, the hilly nature surface, and on backdrop, you start to watch the beautiful waterfalls, and endless plains.
A drive through the north-eastern part of Uganda, to the foothills of Mt Elgon you reach a plateau 1800m above sea level where the beautiful Sipi Falls are located. This green area has a spectacular series of waterfalls (some nearly 100m high), surrounded by village walking trails and lush green coffee-producing hills. There are three falls separated by steep hillsides. It is quite cool here compared to the other parts of Uganda with temperate weather conditions. You will relax and enjoy the fresh air and the calm environment away from city hustles and traffic. Abseiling, a coffee tour and community visits are some of the activities you can enjoy besides the hikes.
You will reach and relax at your lodge, have meals served and spend the evening at leisure. This is by far the most comfortable place to stay in the area. Within the picturesque setting you will experience the view on one of the Kapsurur Falls right from your veranda. This is where you will comfortably enjoy some garden-grown coffee (some of the best Arabica coffee in the world) and hopefully enjoy the magical sunsets this place is so famous for. The restaurant serves hearty home-style meals using local produce. The freshly baked bread and fresh fruits will trigger your taste buds at breakfast to get you ready for a wonderful day in the beautiful Sipi region!
Overnight stay at: Sipi Rafiki Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5: Sipi Falls Hike, and Coffee Tour Experience
Day Itinerary
Enjoy the perfect coffee, and prepare yourself for a beautiful day in paradise. The Sipi River flows over the foothills of Mount Elgon, forming a series of waterfalls – these culminate in a spectacular drop, which is surrounded by pretty walking trails and lush green hills. You can choose to go on a 3 or, for the real adventurers, 6 hour hike through the region. A local guide will accompany you on your Sipi falls hike, as he takes you around his area of life. You can go only for the nature and waterfall walk, but it is also possible to combine the tour with a coffee tour or cultural tour. Whichever you choose, you can be certain that you pass many waterfalls, plantations and caves. Local villagers will be sure to greet you with ‘Jambo!’ and beaming smiles.
After the hike, you will head for lunch, before heading for the coffee tour experience, where you will learn more about crop to cup coffee processing, from seedlings, until when fine coffee is made. Our local guide will take you through the entire process. Arabica coffee is the main coffee produced in this region. You can also purchase some coffee beans to take back home. You will later return in the afternoon, dine and get lost into sleep. We call it a perfect day, well spent exercising the body, mind and soul. Out of your usual eye sights, as your eyes feed with nature and with a great view of the beautiful waterfalls. An extraordinary feeling.
Overnight stay at: Sipi Rafiki Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. Journey Time +7 hrs.
Following your early morning breakfast at 7:00 am, you continue with your journey to Murchison Falls National Park, one of the oldest conservation areas in Uganda. This is a long but rewarding journey through various landscapes of Northern Uganda, as you explore the beautiful countryside setting, with a flat topography, as we drive past the rural area, enjoying the homestead settings, of the Luo tribes.
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s best-known and biggest nature reserve. With the impressive and powerful Murchison waterfall and its remarkable animal populations, this is a must visit in the Pearl of Africa. There are superb activities on offer such as a boat safari or Delta safari on the Nile. The river divides the park between a Northern and Southern section as it makes its way through multiple rapids and waterfalls to Lake Albert. Unfortunately, during the war years poachers and troops wiped out the majority of wildlife. Except for the park’s rhino population, fortunately all other wildlife has recovered fast since. A game drive in the park allows you to be eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom and you will be amazed by the amount of elephants. Also giraffes, lions, antelope, waterbucks, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles can all be spotted. Game drives take place on the tracks in the northern section which you reach by taking a ferry across the river. This park guarantees adventure!
Overnight stay at: Fort Murchison Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7: Safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Day Itinerary
After an early breakfast, it is time to explore the park. On your game drives you of course need a fair share of luck and very good eyes to try and spot as many animals as possible. While driving through the park you can come eye-to-eye with the African animal kingdom. Hopefully you see them all; elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, different species of antelope and many tropical birds. They are all there! Lost in nature, stretching your neck, to spot the best out of the drive. The park is especially known for its massive elephant population, huge array of bird species and big herds of buffalo. You will discover some of the park’s ecosystems and different scenery with dense woodland, extensive savannahs and rolling grasslands. As this is a private game drive you can ask your guide to tailor your trip towards specific birdlife and/or wildlife if you like. You will later have your picnic lunch served, take some relaxation, as you have a break.
The afternoon boat safari towards the Murchison Falls is a very special activity, it takes approximately 3 hours and goes along the Victoria Nile to the base of the fall. You can imagine; this boat safari will show you breathtaking scenery. Cold drinks are for sale on board for when you get thirsty for a local beer or a soda. Carefully watched by crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, buffaloes, water birds, monkeys and all the other (also thirsty) wildlife that the Nile attracts you go to the bottom of the powerful Murchison Falls. If you like hiking, the boat can drop you near the waterfalls and you can hike up to the top (this takes around 1 or 1,3 hours). The views are amazing! You will later return back to your lodge, with a slow en route game drive, and spend the afternoon at leisure swimming or dinning.
Overnight stay at: Fort Murchison Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8: Boat Safari to the Nile Delta
Day Itinerary
The Nile Delta is the area where the Victoria Nile flows into Lake Albert. The banks of the delta are home to hundreds of bird species including the rare and prehistoric-looking shoebill stork and papyrus endemic species. A boat safari through the delta is a “must do” for every birdwatcher. During this (approximately) 5 hour boat tour you enjoy a breakfast while enjoying the peaceful scenery and while approaching Lake Albers you may see more fishermen in canoes catching tilapia fish and local people fetching water from the Nile and if lucky wild game along the banks. You may also see many hippo, crocodiles and if lucky you can witness elephants bathing in the river. Also keep an eye on the treetops as you can often spot monkeys such as eastern fringed monkeys and baboons. The boat trip starts early in the morning during the soft light, golden hours for photographers. On a good lucky day, shoebills can be spotted. These lights last till about 10 am when the light becomes brighter. Relax, sit back & enjoy!
In the afternoon you can go for another game drive searching for more exciting wildlife scenes in the park or you can decide to relax and go for a dip in the swimming pool. You can as well opt to go fishing on the Nile, in case you’re a fan of fishing.
Overnight stay at: Fort Murchison Lodge.
Meal Plan: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 9: Transfer back to Entebbe. Journey Time +5 hrs.
Day Itinerary
Have a relaxed breakfast at the lodge, as today, will mark our final day of our adventure as time has come to head back to Entebbe (Airport).
You will have a wonderful ride and on the way back, we can stop by at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, as an option, for on foot Rhino tracking, this takes roughly 3 hour’s. We shall later proceed to Kampala and make a stopover at the best place for your souvenir shopping.
You will later proceed to Entebbe Airport to catch up with your evening flight back home, with great wildlife experience. End of service!
Meal Plan: Breakfast and lunch.
This safari package includes.
- Transportation in a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop up roof for game viewing
- Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
- Safari game drives as mentioned
- Boat cruises as mentioned
- Boat cruise at the source of the Nile
- En-route lunches
- Boat cruise to the Nile delta
- Hike to the top of falls
- Park entrance fees
- Sipi falls hike
- Coffee tour experience
- Services of English speaking driver/guide
- Bottles of mineral water per day during safari
- Rhino trekking at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary
- Unlimited bottles of mineral water
The package excludes expenses of personal nature like:
- Visa Fees & flights
- Optional activities
- Tips & gratuities
- Laundry
- Alcoholic drinks
- International vaccinations
- Health test requirements
- Personal travel Insurance
- Personal shopping bills
- Phone call bills
- Extras while at the hotel
- Items of personal nature
Please contact us for a free detailed quote on the option of your choice. We can tailor a request that suits your interests, and budget, as well as we can change or upgrade the lodge options. In case you would wish to add in gorilla trekking, or chimpanzee trekking, that can as well be arranged. Write to us with more details about your safari