11-Day Uganda Fly-In Safari | Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi

Route: Entebbe airport → 2 Friends Beach Hotel

Meet your driver and transfer to 2 Friends Beach Hotel. Settle in for the first night before your flight into Uganda’s safari country.

ACCOMMODATION: 2 Friends Beach Hotel (Breakfast)

Route: Entebbe → Murchison Falls by air

Fly to Murchison Falls and transfer with the lodge team to Paraa Safari Lodge. An afternoon game drive introduces the park; lodge-operated drives may be shared with other guests.

In the afternoon, you will take your first jeep safari through the park. This safari is operated by your lodge.

Murchison Falls National Park

The Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest wildlife park and is split in two by the mighty Nile River. The landscape varies from dense rainforest in the hilly southwestern part to flat savannahs in the northwest. Murchison Falls is one of the greenest parks in Africa due to its location on the Nile. Perhaps the most impressive thing that happens to the Nile on its long journey from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea are the Murchison Falls.

Jeep Safari Murchison Falls – Afternoon

The safaris in Murchison Falls focus on the area northwest of the Nile. The green, rolling landscape is dominated by the characteristic Borassus palms, whose fruits are a delicacy for the savannah elephant. In addition to elephants, you will look for Rothschild giraffes, hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, several species of antelopes, and many tropical bird species. In the afternoon, when the light softens and the sun slowly sets, you will go on safari. Wildlife also becomes active in the afternoon, so it’s going to be exciting to see what you’re going to find! In the evening you can enjoy a campfire with the sounds of the African wilderness in the background.

The jeep safari is operated by your accommodation and can be shared with other travelers staying overnight at the same lodge.

ACCOMMODATION: Paraa Safari Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Based at Murchison Falls

Explore by lodge vehicle in the morning, then take the listed private boat safari towards Murchison Falls. The boat experience is arranged for your party; game drives may be shared.

Jeep Safari Murchison Falls – Morning

After an early breakfast, drive towards the delta area for the safari. The sun is rising and it’s still chilly, the best time for a safari across the savannah plains. Along the way, you will make a stop at the Nile, where hundreds of hippos are bathed in the sun.

The jeep safari is operated by your accommodation and can be shared with other travelers staying overnight at the same lodge.

Private Boat Safari Murchison Waterfall – Afternoon

Under the watchful eye of crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes and monkeys, you will sail slowly down the Nile. Monkeys will tell you that you are coming and waterfowl are busy fishing. Elephants and other wildlife are regularly spotted, quenching their thirst along the banks of the mighty Nile. The tour will eventually take you to the foot of the 40 meter high and famous waterfall (Murchison Falls). The trip takes about three hours.
You have booked this activity in a private boat. This has a huge added value compared to the large general boat, because with a small boat you get much closer to the wildlife. You also set the pace yourself and it is nice to share this experience exclusively with your own company.

ACCOMMODATION: Paraa Safari Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Murchison Falls → Budongo Forest → Paraa

Visit the top of the falls and enjoy your included packed lunch before the Budongo chimpanzee trek. The lodge provides the transfers; confirm the order and departure times around the permit schedule.

The transfer required to undertake these activities will be provided by your lodge.

Budongo Forest

Budongo is a forest landscape known for mahogany trees, chimpanzees, other primates and birdlife. Ranger-led trekking focuses on finding chimpanzees through their calls and feeding signs. The Royal Mile is also a noted birding area, but an additional visit is not assumed included unless confirmed.

Murchison Waterfall Hike – Afternoon

At the top of the Murchison waterfall, you will take a walk to see this natural spectacle from different points. You will see the falls up close and feel the power of the Nile plunging into the depths with enormous force through a fissure barely seven meters wide. If time permits, you can walk down a bit to see the entire waterfall, a beautiful sight! Before driving to the lodge, you will first make a short photo stop at the top of the waterfall.

Chimpanzee Trekking Budongo Forest

In the beautiful jungle Budongo Forest, you will go in search of the special chimpanzees. Using broken branches, droppings, food debris and sounds, you and a ranger will search for these noisy primates. The excitement rises the moment you get closer to the chimpanzees. Sometimes you will see the monkeys halfway up the trees and on other days you will be just a few meters away. It is the intense call of the chimpanzees that reverberates through the forest and makes these excursions the most impressive in Uganda. In contrast to the chimpanzee trekking in the popular Kibale Forest, the number of visitors is low and the amenity value is therefore high!

ACCOMMODATION: Paraa Safari Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Pakuba airstrip → Queen Elizabeth National Park

Transfer to Pakuba for the next domestic flight. Meet the lodge representative, settle into Mweya Safari Lodge and enjoy lunch before an afternoon game drive.

Queen Elizabeth National Park

The Queen Elizabeth National Park of almost 2000 km is located in the rift valley and borders the Rwenzori mountains to the north and Lake Edward to the west. At the heart of this nature reserve is the Kazinga Channel, which connects the Edward and George lakes. You can go on amazing boat safaris here. To the west of the Kazinga Channel there is a landscape with beautiful volcanic craters. The Kyambura Gorge is a huge crack in the savannah landscape, where there is a rainforest and where chimpanzees live. The Queen Elizabeth NP is home to elephants, buffaloes, topis, lions, leopards, hippos, crocodiles and much more. It is home to more than 600 species of birds.

Queen Elizabeth Jeep Safari – Afternoon

During the safari in Queen Elizabeth, you will look for large herds of buffalo, elephants, elegant Ugandan kobs, topis, lions, leopards and hyenas. The landscape varies from grassy plains with candelabra euphorbias, crater lakes and more densely forested areas. With the slowly setting sun, you will go in search of wildlife during the safari and enjoy the views over the volcanic craters and the Kazinga Channel. In the evening you can enjoy a nice dinner under the African starry sky.

The jeep safari is operated by your accommodation and can be shared with other travelers staying overnight at the same lodge.

ACCOMMODATION: Mweya Safari Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Based in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Join the listed predator-tracking programme with the research team in the morning, then take a private Kazinga Channel boat safari. Return to the lodge for lunch and rest between activities; access follows current park rules.

Predator Tracking Queen Elizabeth – Morning

In the morning you will make a special safari, where you will go on safari together with a biologist from the park. This biologist studies the behaviour and movements of various lion troops and a number of individual leopards. This allows you to look through the eyes of biologists and learn about the king of the savannah in a unique way! The lion troops (and leopards) are tracked by means of a radio collar, so lion sightings remain subject to the animals’ movements. Leopards are not guaranteed. Because you go with the biologist, any access beyond standard tracks follows current park permissions. The income from this activity is used to fund the research. This excursion takes place in the morning.

The lion predator tracking is carried out with a land cruiser and driver from your lodge

Queen Elizabeth Private Boat Safari – Afternoon

The Queen Elizabeth National Park is surrounded by Lake Edward and Lake George lakes. These lakes are connected by the natural Kazinga Channel and are packed with wildlife! A boat trip on this canal is therefore one of the absolute highlights of your visit to the park. Rarely will you see so many hippos in one day! In addition to the hippos, you may see crocodiles, bathing buffalo and a huge variety of birds. When you also see a group of elephants spraying each other with water, you know that your day has been a complete success!

Where confirmed in your quotation, a private boat provides an outing for your own party. Departure point, duration and approach distances remain subject to operator and park rules; a closer approach to wildlife is not promised.

Your transfer to the starting point of the boat safari (and back) will be provided by your lodge.

ACCOMMODATION: Mweya Safari Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Mweya / Queen Elizabeth → Ishasha

Travel to the Ishasha sector and explore by lodge-operated game drive, looking for the region’s tree-climbing lions and other wildlife. Overnight at Ishasha Wilderness Camp.

Your jeep safari will be operated by your lodge.

Ishasha

The southern part of the Queen Elizabeth National Park is Ishasha. The remote location on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo ensures a small number of visitors, which benefits the wilderness content. The savannahs are punctuated by numerous wild fig trees used by the tree-climbing lions. The Ntungwe River flows through Ishasha where hippos live and the vegetation is lush and dense.

Jeep Safari Ishasha – Afternoon

During the safari you will look for the tree-climbing lions, which search for the upper branches of old fig trees. Ishasha is also home to buffaloes, large groups of Ugandan kobs and lyre antelopes. In the Ntungwe River you can look for hippos. You will make the safari in the afternoon when it is still warm and the lions still inhabit the trees. When the sun goes down, return to your accommodation for a nice drink. In the evening you can enjoy a campfire with the sounds of the African wilderness in the background.

The jeep safari is operated by your accommodation and can be shared with other travelers staying overnight at the same lodge.

ACCOMMODATION: Ishasha Wilderness Camp (Full Board)

Route: Ishasha → Buhoma, Bwindi

Enjoy a final morning game drive before the road transfer to Buhoma. Settle into Buhoma Lodge beside the forest, with the afternoon to enjoy your surroundings.

Your jeep safari and your transfer to Buhoma will be carried out by your lodge.

Jeep Safari Ishasha – Morning

You need to get up early for the morning safari in Ishasha. While it’s still cool, the predators may still be active. When it gets warmer in the course of the morning, the lions look for the trees, which can result in beautiful photos.

The jeep safari is operated by your accommodation and can be shared with other travelers staying overnight at the same lodge.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park

Bwindi’s mountain rainforest is an important stronghold for mountain gorillas, alongside a wide variety of birds, plants and other wildlife. Trekking routes and duration vary with the allocated sector, conditions and the gorillas’ movements.

ACCOMMODATION: Buhoma Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Based at Buhoma; transfer or walk to confirmed briefing point

If you choose the optional gorilla trek, join the park briefing and ranger team for the forest walk. Your permit and trekking sector must be confirmed before assuming the start is within walking distance of the lodge.

Gorilla Trekking Bwindi Forest – (Optional)

During the gorilla trekking you will walk and bend through the dense forest of Bwindi. Under the guidance of the most experienced rangers of the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (UWA), you will search for traces of a family of mountain gorillas. Feces, nests, gnawed bamboo stalks and broken twigs betray that we are getting close. Then, when the time comes for you to come face to face with a silverback protecting his family, observing you seemingly carelessly, you know that this is going to be an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime.

ACCOMMODATION: Buhoma Lodge (Full Board)

Route: Buhoma → Kihihi → Entebbe → onward flight

Transfer to Kihihi for your flight to Entebbe. A day room at 2 Friends Beach Hotel provides a comfortable pause before the evening airport transfer; meals in Entebbe are at your own expense.

You will be dropped off at the airstrip of Kihihi (1 hour drive) by a driver from your lodge in Bwindi. From here you will fly back to Entebbe, on Lake Victoria.

In Entebbe you will be met by a driver from your guesthouse. He will take you to the guesthouse where the journey started for you. Here we have booked a day room for you, so you can spend the rest of the day and evening in comfort. In the evening you will be dropped off at Entebbe airport for your flight back home.

* The meals at your guesthouse / restaurant in Entebbe are at your own expense

This is the end of your trip through Uganda. We hope you had a blast!

ACCOMMODATION: 2 Friends Beach Hotel (Day Room)

Route: Onward flight → home

Arrive home according to your flight schedule, concluding the 11-day programme.

• Overnight stays at the named accommodation, subject to confirmation
• Three domestic flights
• All transfers as mentioned
• Park fees for non-residents, as quoted; individual trekking permits must be confirmed
• Scheduled activities specified as included; optional experiences require separate confirmation
• Accommodation as specified in the daily programme
• A professional driver/guide
• Taxes/VAT as quoted
• Listed arrival and departure airport transfers
• Meals (as specified in the daily itinerary)
• Drinks (as specified in the daily itinerary)