6 Days Murchison falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks safari
6 Days Murchison falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks safari : This 6 Days Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park features Uganda’s best savannah national parks for the big 5 game. These parks will not disappoint you if you are looking for the park’s main residents – Murchison falls national park as the largest national park and Queen Elizabeth national park as the second largest national park.
Murchison falls National Park is the best destination in Uganda with a connection with longest river in Africa – River Nile and also the largest national park in Uganda offering a variety of attractions. Murchison falls is bisected by River Nile home to hippos and Nile crocodiles. The park hosts 75 mammals and 451 species of birds. It offers classic African wildlife viewing safari all year round but the dry season from December to February and June to September is the best time to visit the park. The park is divided into 2 sectors; the southern sector which include Budongo forest and the northern sector which is the park’s tourism hub. The south is separated from the north by River Nile and the ferry is used to cross vehicles and luggage to and from both sectors. The most unique attraction in park is the great Murchison falls (the world’s most powerful waterfalls). The Nile River divides the park into north and south sections, the Murchison falls is characterized by eternal war between rocks and water. The waters violently compress through a narrow 7 meters gorge, spraying misty droplets along their wake over a 50 meters radius to a spot that is called the “Devil’s cauldron” This creates a permanent rainbow over the battlefield and causes a continuous roar.
Queen Elizabeth national park is the second largest wildlife national park located in the western part of Uganda in Rubirizi district near Kasese district. Queen Elizabeth national park has a massive biodiversity with landscape including bushland, savannah, wetland and lush vegetation. The park covers an area of 1,978 square kilometres and was first founded in 1952 as Kazinga national park however later after the visit of Queen Elizabeth 11; it was renamed Queen Elizabeth national park. The park inhabits about 95 mammal species including the big 4 game (Lions, Leopards, buffaloes, and Elephants), other animals including; hyenas, hippos, waterbucks, Oribi to mention a few and over 600 bird species. Queen Elizabeth national park is surrounded by 2 lakes including Lake Albert and Lake Edward which support water activities like boat cruises, and fishing activities. Queen Elizabeth national park is located in the western part of Uganda, covering a distance of about 335Kms from Kigali-Rwanda crossing via Katuna border.
Safari highlights
- Day 1: Transfer to Murchison falls national park – Visit the Murchison falls
- Day 2: Morning game drive and boat cruise
- Day 3: Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking
- Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
- Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise.
- Day 6: Return to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison falls national park – Visit the Murchison falls
Depending on your location in Kampala, you will be picked up by your safari guide and transfer to Murchison falls national park. It’s about 5-6 hours hours’ drive with en-route lunch in Masindi town. Proceed to Murchison falls national park. Enter the park via Kichwabanyobo gate to connect to top of the Murchison falls before you continue to your lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Pakuba Safari lodge for mid-range/Heritage Safari lodge for budget option
Day 2: Morning game drive and boat cruise
After breakfast, embark on a game drive at the delta area where you will find most of the animals. Murchison falls National Park is the only park where you will be able to see most of the animals in the park. This will take about 2-3 hours depending on availability of the animals including Elephants, Rothschild giraffes, Buffaloes, Lions, Hartebeest, Uganda Kobs, Oribis and waterbucks.
Thereafter return to the lodge for lunch and later at 2 pm, you will set off for the boat cruise on the along the Nile which will give you an exciting panoramic view at the bottom of the mighty Murchison falls. Along the cruise, you will encounter crocodiles, hippos, and birds on the river banks like kingfisher, cormorants and bee-eater, drive back to the lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay as above.
Day 3: Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking
After breakfast at your lodge, check-out and embark on your journey to Bugoma forest located along Hoima road as an en-route stop to Queen Elizabeth national park to shorten your journey. You will first stop at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking which takes about 2 hours. Connect to your accommodation for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Amuka Safari Lodge for mid-range/Ziwa Guesthouse for budget
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth national park
After breakfast, check-out and embark on your journey to Queen Elizabeth national park. It’s a 5-6 hours’ drive with en-route lunch in Fort portal town. Upon arrival, enjoy taking pictures at the Equator point as you proceed to your reserved lodge for relaxation, dinner and overnight stay at Elephant Hub Safari lodge/Parkview Safari lodge for mid-range/Pumba Safari Cottages for budget option
Day 5: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise.
You will wake up early, have breakfast and connect for a morning game drive for chances of finding animals like the lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, warthogs and white Colobus monkeys just to mention a few.
In the afternoon after lunch at the lodge, you will go for a launch cruise along Kazinga channel where you will get an opportunity to see a number of bird species, elephants and buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles at the lake shores. Also visit the Katwa salt mines then return and relax at as above
Day 6: Return to Kampala
After breakfast, check-out of the lodge and embark on your journey back to Kampala. It’s 6-7 hours’ with en-route lunch in Mbarara and stop at the Equator for the experience. The driver will drop you off to a location being advised or to Entebbe airport for your onward flight back home. End of 6 Days Uganda Safari
