Course Of The Nile
A family fun packed safari, seeking out the ‘Big 5’ and exploring the course of the river Nile! Explore the savannah of Murchison Falls National Park with wildlife drives, navigate upstream to the thundering base of the waterfall and relax at your family friendly lodge. Seek out rhinos on foot, cruise to the Source of the Nile and enjoy a family float in the river’s calmer water. The perfect family trip, to make lasting family memories.
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Itinerary - Course of the Nile [TACP7-028]
Day One
80 Meter Trees
Drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Budongo Forest, Murchison Falls NP.
Estimated journey time: 6 hrs.
Join your knowledgeable and experienced ranger for a nature walk through Budongo Forest. This is one of the largest natural rainforests still surviving in Uganda, which covers 825 square km in total. This forest is still home to a vast range of species such as the 280 butterflies varieties, 9 species of mammals and 465 species of plants, including the Mahogany trees which can grow up to 80 meters in height. Your experienced guide will be on hand to guide you along the forest trails and be able to help you identify various species and give you further insight into the ecological makeup of the rainforest. The forest is also home to nine species of primate, so watch out for the grey-cheeked mangabeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys swinging through the trees and families of olive baboon foraging in the undergrowth.
Estimated excursion time: 3 hrs.
Drive from Budongo Forest, Murchison Falls NP to lodge.
Estimated journey time: 1 hr 30 mins.
Meals included: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge, thatched cottage.
Day Two
A Game Drive and a Water Safari
Explore the Buligi game tracks which crisscross the savannah between the branches of the Victoria and Albert Nile in the northern sector of the park. These game circuits offer the highest density of wildlife viewing anywhere in the park. The landscape in the park is stunning offering views over the savannah, as you wind your way through Acacia scrub and grasslands dotted with palm trees. Your driver guide will help you track down specific wildlife such as Rothschild giraffes, lions, hippos, elephants, herds of buffalo, Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, warthog, waterbuck and if you're lucky, you'll spot the elusive leopard. Towards the end of your game drive you’ll be able to stop off at the hippo pool on the Victoria Nile delta where you’ll see the hippos wallowing in the shallows and calling to each other across the water.
Estimated excursion time: 3 hrs.
Spend some time relaxing at your riverside lodge nestled on the banks of the river Nile. Refresh yourself by taking a dip in the lodge swimming pool, relax with a good book or while away some time with one of the lodge’s selection of board games. Of course you can also unwind with a cool drink from the bar and admire the giant sculptures dotted around the grounds. Or just take to a hammock and relax in the gardens to the sounds of hippo pods calling to each other across the river. However you spend your time at Murchison River Lodge you’re sure to enjoy it’s peace and tranquility!
Once the heat of the day recedes, unwind on a water safari to the thundering base of Murchison Falls waterfall. Complete with a selection of sundowner drinks and snacks, this is the perfect way to relax on the river Nile! Also known as Kabalega Falls, this waterfall is the most iconic feature in the park and the river cruise offers fantastic wildlife viewing. As you meander upstream you’ll search for buffalo, waterbuck, elephants and Uganda kob, which can also be viewed cooling off on the riverbanks. A multitude of birds can be spotted including the Red-throated and Northern-carmine Bee-eaters nesting on the Nyamusika cliffs, treating you to an aerobatic performance and colourful display. On reaching the base of the falls you’ll marvel at the spectacle of the White Nile surging through a 7 metre wide gap in the rock face, cutting through Fajao Gorge and falling 43 meters into the river below. Before cruising back downstream with the glow of the sunset lighting up the surrounding savannah landscape, with the sounds of hippo calls echoing across the river.
Estimated excursion time: 3 hrs
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge, thatched cottage.
Day Three
Pool Time and a Game Drive
Spend some time relaxing at your riverside lodge nestled on the banks of the river Nile. Refresh yourself by taking a dip in the lodge swimming pool, relax with a good book or while away some time with one of the lodge’s selection of board games. Of course you can also unwind with a cool drink from the bar and admire the giant sculptures dotted around the grounds. Or just take to a hammock and relax in the gardens to the sounds of hippo pods calling to each other across the river. However you spend your time at Murchison River Lodge you’re sure to enjoy it’s peace and tranquility!
Explore the Buligi game tracks which crisscross the savannah between the branches of the Victoria and Albert Nile in the northern sector of the park. These game circuits offer the highest density of wildlife viewing anywhere in the park. The landscape in the park is stunning offering views over the savannah, as you wind your way through Acacia scrub and grasslands dotted with palm trees. Your driver guide will help you track down specific wildlife such as Rothschild giraffes, lions, hippos, elephants, herds of buffalo, Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, warthog, waterbuck and if you're lucky, you'll spot the elusive leopard. Towards the end of your game drive you’ll be able to stop off at the hippo pool on the Victoria Nile delta where you’ll see the hippos wallowing in the shallows and calling to each other across the water.
Estimated excursion time: 3 hrs.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Murchison River Lodge, thatched cottage.
Day Four
Walking with Rhinos
Drive from Murchison Falls NP to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Estimated journey time: 3 hrs.
Visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to seek out the rhinos living in the safety of this semi wild reserve. You’ll trek over the grassland and through the African bush on foot with a ranger to visit Uganda’s most endangered creature, the Southern White Rhino. Your ranger is very experienced and knowledgeable about the rhinos and will be able to identify each individual and tell you about their characteristics, as well as give you more information on the effort to recover Uganda’s rhino population. This is the only place in Uganda where the rhinos survive and breed with the hopes of one day being introduced to a national park. All the proceeds from your visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary go towards funding the rhino’s future.
Estimated excursion time: 1 hr
Drive from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Jinja.
Estimated journey time: 5 hrs.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: The Kipling Lodge, royal cottage.
Day Five
Family Fun on The Nile
Family fun exploring the gentler waters of the river Nile, with a raft and experienced river guide! Your trip will start on the river banks just below Owen Falls dam from where you will navigate a 7km downstream. The waters along this stretch of the river are calm with deep waters and flat moving pools, it’s the perfect spot for the kids to play and swim. The scenery here is beautiful so there’s also time for the adults to relax and enjoy the views of the river dotted with many tropical islands. Kids and adults alike will also enjoy the chance to spot the abundance of birdlife, red tail & vervet monkeys on the river banks, monitor lizards and if you’re lucky otters! The trip finishes at the jetty of Explorers River Camp where you’ll disembark back onto dry land. This trip is open to any children over the age of 4 years old, with those under 16 years being accompanied but an adult. Estimated excursion time: 1 hr 30 mins
Spend some time relaxing at your riverside lodge. Kipling Lodge is the perfect place to unwind, perched high on the Nile riverbanks it offers stunning views over calm waters and rapids. Relax at the lodge terrace and spot a variety of birds and monkeys living in the lodge gardens or take to the water in a motorised boat to enjoy the river at a slow pace. Of course you can also refresh yourself from the heat of the day with a dip in the lodge swimming pool, and rest on the shaded sun loungers with a cool drink.
Embark on a boat trip from the docks at Jinja Sailing Club, to explore the lagoons of Lake Victoria and visit the source of the Nile. As you cruise along the shores of Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake, a variety of bird life including African Fish Eagles, Pied Kingfishers, Malachite Kingfishers and Green Backed Herons can be spotted swooping over the water. While on the lakeshore you’ll be passing several small fishing communities, who live off the lake catching fish such as Nile Perch and Tilapia. Your friendly local guide will happily explain to you about the local history, significance of the lake and answer any questions you have. You will then navigate your way to the source of the Nile, the world’s longest river! This is marked by a small island, where you may be able to hear the rustle of giant monitor lizards living there. As you circle around the island your guide will be more than happy to snap your picture, before you cruise back along the edge of Lake Victoria and disembark at the docks. Estimated excursion time: 1 hr
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: The Kipling Lodge, royal cottage.
Day Six
Ziplining in Mabira ForestDrive from Jinja to Mabira Forest.
Estimated journey time: 45 mins.
Explore Mabira Forest by climbing into the tree canopy and following a network of zip wires giving you excellent views and experiencing a rainforest like you never have before! Mabira Forest is the largest rainforest remaining in central Uganda and is valued for its high diversity of species. In the forest 310 species of trees have been recorded, 315 bird species and various monkeys such as grey-cheeked mangabeys and red tailed monkeys, which you will be able to spot swinging through the trees with you. You will be guided by your qualified zip-lining guide along a path through this ancient rainforest before being belated up the first tree into the rainforest canopy. You will then follow the network of zip-lines which are split into five sections, that stretch 250 metres in total, with the whole trip taking 3 - 4 hours to complete. The route passes over the Musamya river, Griffin Falls and stunning views through the rainforest where you can spot many birds and monkeys that live in treetops. All safety equipment for this trip is provided and is of strict international safety standards with imported climbing gear and high ropes. It’s sure to be a memorable and exciting trip into the rainforest!
Estimated excursion time: 4 hrs
Drive from Mabira Forest to Kampala or Entebbe.
Estimated journey time: 2 hrs.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Not included.
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