3-Day Murchison Falls & Ziwa Rhino Safari

Your 3-Day Murchison Falls and Ziwa Rhino Safari begins with an early morning pick-up from Entebbe, Kampala or another agreed location.

After meeting your professional Enjobe Safaris driver-guide, you will receive a short safari briefing before beginning the journey towards northern Uganda. The drive takes you through Kampala and several roadside towns before arriving at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Upon arrival, you will meet an experienced sanctuary ranger and receive a safety briefing before beginning your guided rhino-tracking experience. You will walk through the sanctuary as your ranger searches for the resident southern white rhinos. Once the rhinos are located, you will observe them from a safe distance while learning about their behaviour, feeding habits, social structure and conservation history.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary plays an important role in Uganda’s efforts to restore rhinos after they disappeared from the country’s national parks. The guided walk offers a rare opportunity to encounter these impressive animals on foot. Comfortable closed walking shoes, long trousers, sunscreen and a hat are recommended for the activity. After rhino tracking, you will stop for lunch before continuing to Murchison Falls National Park.

Upon arrival at the park, you will complete the entrance formalities and continue towards your lodge. If time and park conditions permit, you will enjoy a short evening game drive while transferring to the lodge. Possible sightings include elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests, oribis, warthogs and several bird species.

If you arrive later in the evening, you will proceed directly to the lodge for check-in and relaxation. Dinner and overnight will be at your selected lodge.

After an early breakfast, you will begin a morning game drive through the wildlife-rich savannahs of Murchison Falls National Park.

Wildlife is generally more active during the cooler morning hours, providing excellent opportunities to observe animals before the midday temperatures rise. Your driver-guide will explore productive wildlife-viewing areas while searching for lions, African elephants, Cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests, oribis, waterbucks, warthogs and spotted hyenas. With patience and good fortune, you may also encounter a leopard resting in the vegetation or moving through the savannah. The park’s open landscapes provide excellent opportunities for wildlife photography. Your driver-guide will help identify animals, interpret their behaviour and position the vehicle responsibly for the best possible views. After the game drive, you will return to the lodge for lunch and a short period of relaxation.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to the River Nile for a scenic boat cruise towards the base of Murchison Falls. The Nile supports a remarkable concentration of wildlife. During the cruise, you may see large groups of hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and other animals drinking or resting along the riverbanks. The cruise is also rewarding for birdwatching. Possible sightings include African fish eagles, pied kingfishers, red-throated bee-eaters, African jacanas, cormorants, herons, egrets and saddle-billed storks. As the boat approaches the waterfall, you will see the Nile narrowing and flowing between rocky cliffs before disappearing into the powerful mist created by Murchison Falls. After enjoying views and photographs from the boat, you will return downstream.

Depending on the selected programme, water level, road conditions and available time, you may visit the top of Murchison Falls after the cruise. Alternatively, the top-of-the-falls experience may be completed the following morning before leaving the park. At the top of the falls, you will witness the River Nile being forced through a narrow rocky gorge before crashing into the river below. The roaring water, mist, rock formations and panoramic views create one of Uganda’s most dramatic natural experiences. You will later return to your lodge for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, you will check out of your lodge and begin the journey back to Kampala or Entebbe.

If the top of Murchison Falls was not visited on Day 2, you will first transfer to the top of the falls. From this viewpoint, you will watch the River Nile squeeze through a narrow rocky gorge before plunging into the river below with tremendous power. You will have time to walk around the designated viewing area, take photographs and appreciate the dramatic scenery. Your driver-guide will explain the formation of the falls and the importance of the River Nile to the park’s wildlife and surrounding communities.

After the visit, you will leave Murchison Falls National Park and begin the return journey south. You will stop for lunch and comfort breaks along the route before continuing to Kampala or Entebbe. Arrival is expected in the late afternoon or evening, depending on traffic, road conditions and your final drop-off location.

Your driver-guide will drop you at your hotel, residence or Entebbe International Airport, marking the end of your 3-Day Murchison Falls and Ziwa Rhino Safari.

Guests departing Uganda on the same day are advised to book a late-evening flight. Alternatively, an additional night in Entebbe can be arranged for a more relaxed conclusion to the journey.