Murchison Falls Park Big 5 – Chimpanzee Hiking Safari
Action – Adventure 5-day Murchison Falls Wildlife-Rhino-Chimpanzee Hiking Safari
This 5-day Murchison Falls Wildlife-Rhino-Chimpanzee Hiking Safari if for those who love to hike and hit the trails in and around Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda. Rhino and Chimpanzee Trekking, Wildlife and Birding in Budongo Forest including a visit to a Polish Church built by refugees during WWII. There were two refugee camps in Uganda, this one still has the intact Church and graveyard that attracts visitors from Poland to this day.
Hike to the top of the most powerful Waterfalls in the World. Wildlife Game Drives, a Boat Launch Safari up the River Nile and hike through Rabongo Forest. This safari can be modified into a Budget – Moderate or Upmarket Price Safari.
5-Days of Hiking – wildlife – Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda’s largest Park – Murchison Falls National Park. This Safari gives you Primates, the Big-5 and you get out of the vehicle onto the Trails in just 5 days.
Day 1 – Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Budongo Forest:
Depart your lodging in Kampala or Entebbe and head for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in northern Uganda, less than a 3-hour drive from Kampala.
At Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary trek the Rhinos on foot guided by a ranger. This is a very large Sanctuary and the hike takes about 2 hours. You come in close proximity of the Rhinos, about 10 meters distance from them and have the opportunity for great photos while you are on the trek.
The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary exists to breed Rhinos that will eventually be released into their natural habitat of Murchison Falls Park which is very similar to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
This is something that will take place in the next few years and is an exciting project of wildlife and Rhino restoration in Uganda.
Lunch
Afternoon Hike in Busingiro which is a part of Budongo Forest and Budongo Budongo Forest is a part of Murchison Falls Park. You will be accompanied by a guide who knows the birds, primates and small mammals here. At times you might even see chimpanzees, though official Chimpanzee Trekking is no longer done here.
This is a great Birding area especially for forest birds and you often spot the African Dwarf, b;ue-breasterd and chocolate Kingfishers, Cassin’s Hawk Eagle, Nahan’s Francolin, white-thighed hornbill, yellow-billed Barbet, lemon-billed Crombec, black-capped Apalis, Forest Fly-Catcher, yellow-footed Fly-Catcher and Jameson’s Wattle-Eye.
The best place for Birding is the Royal Mile and it is the focus of many visiting Birders. In a remote section of the forest here you will find the Polish Catholic Church and Cemetery – an area where Polish Refugees lived to escape the Nazi Army in Europe.
There were two settlement in Uganda, the other along Lake Victoria, this is the only evidence of the Polish Refugees that is left,
After the Hike we continue to Kanyiyo Pabidi Forest which is also part of Budongo and where you can trek chimpanzees. There we check into the Budongo Eco-Lodge where you have the moderately priced cottages and the budget dorms – the latter with shared bath.
Food is good here and service is quite good.
Dinner
Lodging: Budongo Ec0-Lodge moderate – budget
Meal Plan: Lunch Dinner
Day – 2 – Chimpanzee Trekking – Forest Hike – Budongo Forest:
Breakfast and we are off for the Chimpanzee Trek. It is good to have the right things and wear the right clothing for Chimpanzee Trekking.
You will need a Daypack, 2 liters of water, some snacks, hiking boots, long trousers, long-sleeved shirt, light rain-jacket, hat. These are things that you should have on all of your hikes on this safari. The long clothes are for your protection while you are trekking, there are nettles, thorns, brush, mosquitoes and other things that the long clothing will protect you from.
A chimpanzee Trek is about 3 1/2 hours in length – during the off-season, you can do a Chimpanzee Habituation at Budongo Forest that is all-day and we can change the safari to accommodate that.
When you take a normal chimpanzee trek you are with the chimpanzees for one hour, the rest of the time you are on the trail to where they are for the day.
Lunch
Afternoon Hike in Budongo Forest with UWA Ranger. This section of the Forest also has elephants, antelopes, buffaloes that come here from Murchison Falls and you can get to see them on your hike. This is a large Mahogany Forest and its trees are always under attack from illegal loggers.
The hike is about 3 hours in length, you will see similar birds as on the previous day’s hike, it is however more thickly forested and you have an opportunity to see the variety of plants, flowers, trees, mushrooms, butterflies and birds that are found here.
The trails that you are hiking are relatively easy to traverse since there are no mountainous areas in this portion of the park.
Budongo Forest is part of Murchison Falls Park and the same entrance fees as in Murchison Falls Park apply here in Budongo Forest.
Day – 3 – Murchison Falls Park:
Lodging: Budongo Ec0-Lodge moderate – budget
Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch Dinner
Day – 3 – Murchison Falls Park:
Breakfast
Afterward, we drive to Fort Murchison which is on the Nile, other lodging choices can be found below. The key is to be on the wildlife side of the park which is on the north-side of the River Nile. After Crossing the Nile by Ferry we drive on the Savanna toward Fort Murchison and will see lots of wildlife along the way.
Fort Murchison is located overlooking the River Nile and you can see elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes come in the lodge area.
The drive time here is about 2 1/2 hours – you can choose from moderately priced rooms with bath or furnished tents with shared bath at a budget price.
The food and service is excellent here and consistent in quality.
Lunch
We go on an afternoon game drive when the sun is no longer at its highest and you can take better pictures of the wildlife that you encounter along the game track.
A UWA ranger will join us and the safari vehicle has a pop-up roof so that you can stand up and see wildlife better on your game drive. You will see large herds of elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, and antelopes, also lions, leopards, hyenas, warthogs, bush pigs and more.
Dinner
Lodging: Lodging Choices in Murchison Falls Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch Dinner
Day – 4 – Murchison Falls Park:
Breakfast
Morning Game Drive – each game drive is different in nature from the last one. You will see some of the same animals on the game track but in a different setting making it unique.
Lunch
It is the afternoon Boat Launch Safari up the River Nile to the most powerful waterfall in the world, Murchison Falls.
Along the River Bank, you will see herds of elephants coming to water, antelopes, buffaloes, late in the afternoon you might find a few predators. There will also be large pods of Hippos and many crocodiles basking in the sun. Nile Monitors can also be seen here. Besides there are a variety of Water Birds all around you.
At the bottom of the falls, disembark and take the guided hike along the falls to the top which is about an hour. There your driver guide will meet you and return to Fort Murchison.
Dinner
Lodging: Lodging Choices in Murchison Falls Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch Dinner
Day-5-Return to Kampala:
Breakfast
Our last hike on this 5 day Murchison Falls Wildlife-Rhino-Chimpanzee Hiking Safari in Rabongo Forest. This once again is a guided hike with a UWA Ranger.
Rabongo Forest has a variety of primates including Chimpanzees that are seen at times, wildlife and numerous birds that you can see during your three-hour forest hike in Rabongo.
After the hike, we return to Kampala – stopping in Masindi and taking lunch at the Masindi Hotel, which is the oldest hotel in Uganda. This is the oldest Hotel in Uganda and was built in 1923. Notables such as Ernest Hemingway, Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart along with the cast of “The African Queen. British Royalty and others stayed here.
We Reach Kampala or Entebbe in the late afternoon or the early evening hours. To reach Entebbe it takes 45 minutes longer than Kampala. This is where your 5-day Wildlife HIking Safari comes to an end.
Meal Plan: Breakfast – Lunch
Hiking Safaris and Nature Walks Advice:
Hiking and Climbing in Africa is different from the country that you live in. Uganda – is different from other East African Countries due to different terrain and weather found here.
It is best to read some of Hiking Safaris Tips and Advice for Uganda which include Volcano Climbing and the Rwenzori Mountain of the Moon Foothills Hikes.
You can hike in most any park in Uganda from one end of the country to the other but it is best to know some of the basic rules and that begins with plain common sense.
Preparation to a Tropical Hiking Safari is key and dressing for protection. It is always best to know before you go.
Best Hiking Safaris in Uganda:
Here are the best Hiking Safaris in Uganda – some include Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking while other simply get you out of your vehicle into the African Wild.
This includes hikes in the Savannah Parks, Hikes in Tropical Rainforests, exploring the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountain of the Moon including a three-day hike into the Rwenzoris called the Mahoma Trail.
Take a look at hiking Safaris that we offer in Uganda, they are gaining in popularity as more and more want to get out of the Vehicle in the African Bush.
Uganda is an ideal location for hiking Safaris due to its elevation and climate.
Safari includes all activities, is full-board, bottled water in the vehicle – does not include alcohol, sodas or tips.
5 day Murchison Falls Wildlife-Rhino-Chimpanzee Hiking Safari – if you are interested in this safari – please contact us.
