7 Day Murchison Falls Safari
Track rhinos at Ziwa, search for shoebills, trek chimpanzees in Budongo and explore Murchison Falls through game drives, a Nile cruise and the top viewpoints.
Plan This Safari7 Days / 6 Nights / Ziwa, Budongo and Murchison / Private Safari
From Ziwa's wetlands to Budongo Forest and the Nile
Begin with an arrival night in Entebbe, continue through Ziwa and Budongo, then spend 3 nights in the Murchison Falls area.
Entebbe
Airport pickup and 1 hotel night before travelling north.
Ziwa
1 night, rhino tracking, a night nature walk and an early shoebill search.
Budongo
1 night near the forest, a guided walk and chimpanzee trekking.
Murchison Falls
3 nights, northern-sector game drives, a Nile cruise and the Top of the Falls.
Murchison Falls safari with rhinos, shoebills and chimpanzees
Explore the Murchison Falls region over 7 days, combining wetland birding, guided wildlife walks, forest trekking and savannah game viewing. An arrival night in Entebbe gives you time to rest before the journey north.
Stay overnight at Ziwa for rhino tracking and a guided night walk, then search the wetlands for shoebills the following morning. Continue to Budongo Forest for a nature walk and chimpanzee trekking , watching for feeding, grooming and movement through the canopy.
The final 3 nights focus on Murchison Falls National Park . Spend a full day exploring the northern savannah, cruise upstream on the Victoria Nile and visit the waterfall viewpoints. For a longer journey beyond this region, explore our Uganda safari collection .
Safari Highlights
Begin with an airport transfer and a restful arrival night in Entebbe.
Track southern white rhinos on foot with a ranger at Ziwa.
Explore Ziwa after dark on a guided night nature walk.
Search Ziwa's wetlands for shoebills during an early morning outing.
Follow a forest guide through Budongo, looking for birds and smaller forest wildlife.
Trek habituated chimpanzees through Budongo's tropical forest.
Spend a full day on game drives across northern Murchison Falls.
Take a morning Nile cruise towards the base of the falls.
Watch the Nile surge through the gorge from the Top of the Falls.
Murchison Falls safari day by day
1 night in Entebbe, 1 at Ziwa, 1 near Budongo and 3 in the Murchison Falls area, followed by the return to Entebbe or Kampala.
Arrival in Entebbe
Arrive at Entebbe International Airport, where your BLS Safaris guide will meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Check in and settle in after your flight.
The rest of the day is free. Rest at the hotel or, if you arrive early, explore Entebbe at your own pace. Your guide will discuss the journey ahead and confirm tomorrow's departure arrangements.
Entebbe to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Night Nature Walk
After breakfast, travel north to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Arrive for lunch before meeting your ranger for a southern white rhino tracking walk.
Leave the vehicle and follow the ranger through the sanctuary. Watch the rhinos grazing or resting, keeping the distance set by your guide. Learn how the sanctuary protects them and how rangers monitor their movements.
Afterwards, settle into your selected lodge and have dinner. Head out again with a guide for a night nature walk, listening for calls and watching for movement as nocturnal wildlife becomes active. Return to the lodge for the night.
Ziwa Shoebill Search and Transfer to Budongo Forest
Rise early for a guided shoebill search in Ziwa's wetlands. Scan the papyrus edges and open channels for this large wetland bird, watching for its broad bill and upright stance. Your guide will also help identify other birds encountered along the way.
Return for breakfast, check out and continue towards Budongo Forest. Lunch will be arranged around the transfer and your lodge arrival.
After settling in, take a guided forest walk. Follow the trails beneath the canopy, listening for birds and looking for monkeys, insects and signs of other forest wildlife. Your guide will introduce the trees and plants along the route.
Return to your lodge for dinner and prepare your walking shoes, rain jacket and daypack for tomorrow's chimpanzee trek.
Budongo Chimpanzee Trekking and Transfer to Murchison Falls
Have an early breakfast before heading to the briefing point for your Budongo chimpanzee trek . Meet the forest guides, receive your briefing and enter the forest to search for a habituated chimpanzee community.
Listen for calls and watch for movement through the canopy as your guides follow signs of the chimpanzees. The trails pass through shaded forest, with uneven or muddy ground in places. Keep an eye out for other primates and forest birds along the route.
When the chimpanzees are found, watch them feeding, grooming, calling or moving between trees. Follow your guide's instructions throughout the encounter before walking back to the starting point.
Return for lunch, then continue to your selected lodge in the Murchison Falls area . The transfer route depends on your accommodation. Settle in for dinner and a quiet evening before tomorrow's game drives.
Full-Day Game Drives in Northern Murchison Falls
After an early breakfast, set out with a packed lunch for a full day of game drives in northern Murchison Falls. Explore the open plains and woodland around the Buligi area, with your guide selecting tracks according to animal movements.
Watch giraffes browsing among the trees, elephants crossing the grassland and buffaloes gathering in herds. Look for Uganda kob and other antelopes, while your guide checks promising areas for lions and leopards.
Pause for your packed lunch at a suitable designated stop. Continue game viewing through the afternoon, allowing time to stay with interesting sightings. Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and relaxation.
Morning Nile Boat Cruise and Top of Murchison Falls
After breakfast, transfer to the landing point for your morning Nile boat cruise . Travel upstream along the Victoria Nile towards the base of Murchison Falls.
Watch hippos in the shallows and Nile crocodiles along the banks. Scan the shoreline for elephants and buffaloes coming to drink, and look for fish eagles, kingfishers and other waterbirds beside the river.
As the boat approaches the falls, the river narrows between the cliffs. Enjoy the downstream view before returning to the landing point and your lodge for lunch and a rest.
Later in the afternoon, travel by vehicle to the Top of the Falls. Walk to the viewpoints to watch the Nile force its way through the rocky gorge. Hear the rush of the water and feel the spray before returning to your lodge for your final safari night.
Murchison Falls to Entebbe or Kampala
After breakfast, check out and begin the return drive to Entebbe or Kampala. Leave the park behind and travel south through the changing countryside, stopping for lunch along the route.
Your guide will drop you at your agreed hotel in Entebbe or Kampala, or at Entebbe International Airport when your flight timing allows. The safari ends on arrival.
Safari Inclusions and Exclusions
What's Included
- Private 4x4 safari vehicle for the scheduled journey.
- Professional English-speaking safari driver guide.
- Entebbe airport arrival transfer and scheduled final drop-off.
- 6 nights of accommodation in the selected properties.
- Meals as indicated in the daily itinerary.
- Murchison Falls National Park entry fees for the scheduled activities.
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary entry and guided rhino tracking.
- Guided night nature walk at Ziwa.
- Guided morning shoebill search at Ziwa.
- Budongo Forest chimpanzee trekking permit.
- Guided Budongo forest walk.
- Full-day game drives in northern Murchison Falls.
- Morning Nile boat cruise towards the base of the falls.
- Visit to the Top of Murchison Falls.
- Bottled drinking water during the safari.
- Applicable government taxes and service charges.
What's Not Included
- International flights.
- Uganda visa fees.
- Travel and medical insurance.
- Personal drinks, laundry, telephone calls and souvenirs.
- Alcoholic and premium beverages, except where included in the confirmed lodge package.
- Tips and gratuities for guides, rangers and lodge staff.
- Additional accommodation before or after the safari.
- Optional activities outside the scheduled itinerary.
- Services and expenses not specifically listed in the confirmed quotation.
Track rhinos. Explore Budongo. Follow the Nile.
Share your travel dates, number of travellers and accommodation preferences with BLS Safaris. We will plan your 7 day journey through Ziwa, Budongo and Murchison Falls, including your guided activities, transfers and lodge stays.