11-Day Uganda Safari with Kidepo, Murchison Falls and Ziwa Rhinos

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Day 01

Arrival in Entebbe and Hotel Transfer

• You will arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where our guide will meet and welcome you to the Pearl of Africa before transferring you to your hotel for relaxation, dinner, and an overnight stay.

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Day 02

Transfer to Jinja, White Water Rafting and Source of the Nile

• Pick up from the hotel for an 80 km, 2-3-hour drive to Jinja, a large historic town in Uganda famous for the Source of the Nile, where the world's longest river exits Africa's largest lake and begins its epic 6,650 km journey to the Mediterranean Sea. Drive through the Lugazi sugarcane plantation and Mabira Forest. On arrival, check in at the hotel and embark on white water rafting. Return for lunch and relaxation at the hotel. After lunch, embark on a thrilling 2-hour boat cruise to the Source of the Nile before returning to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

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Day 03

Transfer to Sipi Falls via Mbale

• After an early morning breakfast, embark on a 198 km journey to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa, with a rewarding drive through the fantastic landscapes of eastern Uganda, passing rice fields and sugarcane plantations. Stop in Mbale town for lunch and a short refreshment before continuing the journey. After a long drive, continue to Sipi, arriving in the late evening for lodge check-in, dinner, and an overnight stay.

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Day 04

Sipi Falls Hike and Transfer to Pian Upe

• Have breakfast and then proceed to explore Sipi Falls. The hike, which takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, allows you to explore the nearby Sipi Falls, a set of three beautiful waterfalls. The breathtaking views make this a great excursion in Sipi, after which you will have lunch.
• Later, connect with the driver and embark on a 255 km journey via the Mbale-Soroti road to Pian Upe, the second-largest conservation area in Uganda. It supports a healthy population of cheetahs and is the only home to the remaining population of roan antelopes, as well as buffaloes, zebras, and other rare antelope species such as lesser kudu, common eland, Gunther's dik-dik, Bohor reedbucks, oribis, and impala. It is also home to cats such as wild cats, spotted hyenas, civets, serval cats, leopards, and lions, which are seen periodically.

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Day 05

Explore Pian Upe and Transfer to Moroto

• Have breakfast early in the morning and link up with the driver to connect to the rolling savannah plains of Pian Upe for a 2-3-hour game drive, with high chances of sighting roan antelopes, cheetahs, zebras, kudu, dik-dik, eland, hartebeests, buffaloes, and black-backed and side-striped jackals, after which you will return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.
• Later, transfer to Moroto, the town on the slopes of the massive volcanic Mountain Moroto and the surrounding savannah plains, which offers a range of activities for everybody, including hiking, cultural experiences, bicycle tours, and archaeological tours.

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Day 06

Transfer to Kidepo Valley National Park

• After breakfast at 9:00 am, embark on a 3-4-hour journey to Kidepo Valley National Park while enjoying breathtaking scenery and beautiful landscapes that capture the beauty of the wilderness stretching beyond the valleys. On arrival, check in to the hotel, have lunch, and relax for the rest of the day as you prepare for tomorrow's activities.

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Day 07

Game Drives in Kidepo Valley National Park

• After an early morning breakfast, undertake rewarding game drives that you will cherish long after the journey ends as you discover one of Africa's most scenic national parks, containing one of the most exciting faunas of any Ugandan park. With over 80 animal species, several of which are only found in the Kidepo Valley, you may spot cheetahs, striped hyenas, caracals, lions, elephants, leopards, warthogs, ostriches, buffaloes, giraffes, and over 465 bird species such as the Abyssinian crimson wing, Abyssinian roller, African grey, African hill babbler, black-breasted barbet, brown warbler, and brown woodland warbler. Kidepo Valley is captivating for its sprawling savannah grasslands dotted with rocky crags, sausage trees, and acacia trees. The park is a photographer's paradise, displaying a kaleidoscope of colours that is truly spectacular to see.

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Day 08

Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park

• Enjoy a relaxed breakfast and embark on the journey to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda's largest national park, famous for its mighty waterfalls and the rolling savannah plains of Buligi, which offer sightings of lions, leopards, giraffes, hartebeests, buffaloes, and elephants. The concentration of hippos and Nile crocodiles along the Nile River will surely fascinate you. For birders, Murchison Falls boasts about 450 bird species, including the grey parrot, dwarf kingfisher, and Goliath heron. Arrive in time for lunch in Gulu town, after which you will continue the journey to the park for dinner and an overnight stay.

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Day 09

Buligi Game Drive and Nile Boat Cruise

• After an early morning breakfast at 6:30 am, embark on a scenic Buligi game drive lasting about 3-4 hours through the savannah plains in the northern sector of the park, where you may sight African bush elephants, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild giraffes, Jackson's hartebeests, Uganda kobs, as well as predators such as lions, leopards, hyenas, and many others. Afterwards, return to the lodge for relaxation and lunch.
• In the afternoon, link up with a guide and connect to Paraa jetty for a 2-3-hour evening boat cruise along the world's longest river, offering magnificent sightings of aquatic mammals such as hippos snorting everywhere. Giant crocodiles lurk menacingly from the sandbars as elephants play in the water in the company of buffaloes and antelopes such as waterbuck, impala, and kobs, together with water birds often seen here, including the shoebill, yellow-billed stork, African skimmer, squacco heron, Abyssinian ground hornbill, and African jacana. Retreat from the activity and return to the lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

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Day 10

Top of the Falls Visit and Transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

• Have breakfast, connect with the guide, check out of the lodge, and cross to the southern section of the park to sight the top of the falls. Watch and listen to the staggering power and thunderous roar with which the Nile bursts through the 7-meter-wide gap in the escarpment and gorge before dropping down 45 meters, creating a blue fume of spray marked by a thunderous roar and a trademark rainbow in what is described as the Devil's Cauldron, before continuing its 6,650 km journey to the Mediterranean Sea. Retreat from the activity, connect to Masindi for lunch at Kabalega's Diner.
• Later, link up with the guide for the transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for dinner and an overnight stay.

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Day 11

Rhino Tracking and Transfer to Kampala

• After an early morning breakfast, link up with a guide for a short rhino tracking briefing, after which you will connect to the tracking trail for a 1-2-hour rhino trek on foot with an experienced ranger guide.
• Retreat from the activity, check in at the lodge for lunch, and later transfer to Kampala.