From the detailed planning through to the wonderful service from our driver Fred this was one of the best trips we have ever taken… Edison was very responsive to our many questions ahead of booking and Fred was an excellent driver. Very happy to recommend them.
7-Day Sipi Falls, Kidepo Valley, and Murchison Falls Safari
In addition to visiting the Source of River Nile at Jinja and Kidepo Valley National Park in northeastern Uganda, the 7-day safari gives you a chance to visit other beautiful landmarks in Uganda including; Sipi Falls, Mount Elgon, Murchison Falls National Park, and chimpanzees at Budongo forest. The tour is designed to start in Entebbe/Kampala.
Tour Highlights
Click the Tabs to Find out More
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
Adult (15-80): $1,870
Please inquire for the mid-range accommodation price, this is our budget accommodation tour.
2 persons: $1,870 per person
3 persons: $1,659 per person
4 persons or more: $1,493 per person
Departure Time
8:00 am
Meeting Point
We offer pick-up from the following places for this experience:
- Entebbe town or airport
- Downtown Kampala
Availability
Monday to Sunday, year-round
Duration
7 days
Difficulty Level
Moderate – uphill trekking
Group size
Minimum 2; maximum 4
Included
- Meals (as per itinerary)
- All permits (chimps $90)
- Drinking water when in the safari vehicle
- Park entrance fees
Not Included
- Visas, tips, and costs of a personal nature
- Medical and travel insurance
- No gorilla trekking included in this tour
What to Bring
- Hiking boots
- Garden gloves
- Rain jacket or poncho
- Long-sleeved shirt/blouse
- Cameras and extra batteries
- Hat/cap and sunglasses
- Pair of binoculars
- Flashlight (torch)
- Mosquito repellent
- Other items to include: zoom lens for wildlife shots and energy bars/bites
Participation Requirements
- Age restriction: 15-80 years old
- A valid passport is required on the day of travel
- This tour is not wheelchair accessible
- We advise against people with heart problems or other serious medical conditions participating on this tour
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Good to Know
While it is possible to book the tour all year round, September to March is the best time to visit Kidepo Valley National Park
What You’ll Do
We start the day with a pick-up in Entebbe or downtown Kampala. You have a short stopover at the Source of River Nile at Jinja for sightseeing and taking photos. We then continue the drive eastwards to Sipi Falls/Mount Elgon. Enjoy the Sipi Falls river walk in the evening. Dinner and overnight at Sipi Falls.
In the early morning, we will drive from Sipi Falls to Kidepo Valley National Park. It’s a fascinating drive filled with views of Mt. Elgon landscape and coffee farms, Pian Upe game reserve, the Karamajong cattle corridor and manyatas, and Mount Moroto. The drive is estimated to take about 6-7hrs. Dinner and overnight at Kidepo Valley.
Spend the day enjoying game drives to spot several wild animals in Kidepo Valley National Park. The popular game viewing in Kidepo Valley open savannah includes elephants, buffalos, lions, zebras, and giraffe. If interested and time allows, visit the Ik people of northeastern Uganda to learn about their culture and way of life.
We will drive from Kidepo Valley National Park in the early morning and head westwards to Murchison Falls National Park. The drive to Murchison Falls will go through northern Uganda towns of Kotido and Kitgum. Arrival at upper Murchison Falls is scheduled in the early evening. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
Wake up to an exhilarating start to the day as we embark on a game drive in the park to spot elephants, lions, giraffe, and other wildlife. This Murchison Falls safari does not stop on the land because, in the afternoon, we will take a relaxing boat trip on the iconic River Nile where, if we’re lucky, we’ll have a chance to see crocodiles, hippos, and an array of rare birds. We will see for ourselves the point where the River Nile joins Lake Albert, which is one of the major highlights of this trip. Feel the immense power and force of the falls as the spray hits your face and you listen to the deafening roar of the water. At the end of the boat trip, we will hike the famous ‘Top of the Falls’ where we have spectacular views of the Murchison Falls along the Nile River, a perfect photo opportunity for the budding photographers. We will return to our lodge for dinner and a good night’s sleep.
You will head to the Budongo forest immediately after breakfast for the chimpanzee experience. If you are lucky on the trek, you might encounter other primates in the Budongo forest. These include the colobus monkey, olive baboon, and red-tailed monkey. Return to the lodge after trekking for relaxation and dinner.
In the morning after breakfast, drive to Entebbe through the Ziwa rhino sanctuary to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, home to the only wild rhinos in Uganda. Rhinos became extinct in Uganda in the early 1980s and the Ziwa site is being used as a breeding site for black and white rhinos. During our 2 hours at the sanctuary, we will see these creatures roaming around the 7,000 hectares of land and see their daily interactions.
As we leave the rhinos behind, we will proceed to Entebbe town, on the shore of Lake Victoria. Check in at the guest house for overnight or proceed to Entebbe airport departures and travel to your next destination.
Accommodation & Meals
- At Sipi Falls, Rafiki Lodge Sipi http://rafikilodgesipi.com/ or Sipi River Lodge https://www.sipiriverlodge.com/
- At Kidepo, the best-priced option is Kidepo Savannah Lodge https://naturelodgesuganda.com/kidepo-savannah-lodge/. Kidepo has two high-end lodges at an additional cost.
- At Murchison Falls, Fort Murchison https://naturelodgesuganda.com/fort-murchison/ or RedChilli Rest Camp http://redchillihideaway.com/tour/red-chilli-rest-camp-murchison/
- Meals: 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 6 dinners.
Optional Activities
There are no optional activities on this adventure at the moment. But we offer many activities in and around Uganda. Check out out Local Experiences and Safaris in Rwanda and Congo.
See What Our Previous Guests Have Said...
We were greeted in Kigali, by our outstanding guide and driver, Fred. We couldn’t speak more highly about his professionalism, love for sharing his country with his clients in his friendly and caring way. The whole trip was an absolute blast and especially loved gaining an insight into the cultures that makes up the colourful Ugandan community.
Brilliant trip! Edison made this trip very easy to plan and tailored it exactly to our budget! We had Joseph as our guide for our 6-day tour and Herbert as our driver and they were both great and really helpful. We did the gorilla trekking in Bwindi, golden monkeys in Mgahinga, chimp trekking and visited Queen Elizabeth national park for a night. Defiantly recommend!