7 Days Murchison and Bwindi Safari | Four Parks, Two Great Apes, and the Nile’s Most Dramatic Stretch
This 7 Days Murchison and Bwindi Safari is built for travelers who want Uganda’s full range in one trip: the raw power of Murchison Falls, chimpanzee tracking in East Africa’s largest mahogany forest, classic savanna game viewing in Queen Elizabeth, and mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi, all connected by some of the country’s most scenic driving. It’s a genuinely comprehensive week, moving from the Nile’s northern reaches down through the western rift valley to the primate strongholds of the southwest.
Along the way, the Ishasha sector offers a real, if unguaranteed, chance at Uganda’s tree-climbing lions, and the whole trip closes with the two encounters most travelers come to Uganda for in the first place, chimpanzee and gorilla trekking, within days of each other.
Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls National Park, Top of the Falls
After breakfast, your guide collects you from your hotel in Kampala for the drive to Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest, home to the Big Four: elephant, buffalo, lion, and leopard. Stop for lunch in Masindi town before entering the park and heading straight to the top of the falls for a first, genuinely striking view of the Nile forced through its narrow gorge. Continue on to your lodge for dinner and an overnight stay. Accommodation runs from Heritage Safari Lodge for budget travelers through Pakuba Safari Lodge for mid-range to Paraa Safari Lodge for luxury.
Day 2: Game Drive and Launch Cruise to the Base of the Falls
After an early breakfast, head out on a morning game drive along the Nile’s northern bank, roughly three to five hours, with strong chances of elephant, Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo, lion, hartebeest, Uganda kob, oribi, and waterbuck. Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the afternoon, board a launch cruise along the Nile for a dramatic, close-up view of Murchison Falls from the water below. Along the way, expect crocodile, hippo, and strong birdlife lining the riverbanks, kingfisher, cormorant, and bee-eater among them. After time spent at the base of the falls, meet your driver for the return to the lodge, dinner, and an overnight stay at Budongo Eco-Lodge.
Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking in Budongo Forest
After an early breakfast, head to the Kaniyo Pabidi ecotourism site within Budongo Forest, the largest mahogany forest in East Africa and home to roughly 80 habituated chimpanzees. Setting out early, you’ll walk through the forest in search of the chimps, a search that typically takes two to four hours depending on their movement that morning, with strong birdlife and forest sounds along the way. Once found, you’ll spend a genuine hour in their company, watching them feed, rest, and play. Dinner and a second overnight stay at Budongo Eco-Lodge.
Day 4: Transfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park
After breakfast, begin the roughly eight-to-nine-hour drive south to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Arriving in the evening, check in to your lodge, Pumba Safari Cottages for budget travelers, Parkview Safari Lodge for mid-range, or Elephant Plains Lodge for luxury, for dinner and an overnight stay.
Day 5: Transfer to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park via Ishasha
After breakfast, enjoy an en-route game drive through Queen Elizabeth before continuing on toward Bwindi via the park’s Ishasha sector, genuinely one of the only places in Africa where lions climb trees. Sightings aren’t guaranteed, but the chance alone makes the drive worthwhile. Stop for lunch along the way before arriving at your lodge in Bwindi, with your specific accommodation depending on which trekking sector you’ve been assigned. Dinner and an overnight stay at Buhoma Community Rest Camp for budget travelers, Buhoma Haven Lodge for mid-range, or Buhoma Lodge for luxury.
Day 6: Gorilla Trekking Experience
After an early breakfast, head to the park headquarters for a briefing from your ranger guides before entering the forest. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi can take anywhere from two to eight hours depending on where the gorillas happen to be that day. Once you find them, you’ll spend a genuine hour in their presence before returning to meet your driver-guide for the trip back to your lodge, dinner, and a second overnight stay.
Day 7: Transfer Back to Kampala/Entebbe, Departure
After an early breakfast, begin the journey back to Kampala with a stop in Mbarara for lunch and a further stop at the Equator, arriving in the evening after roughly eight to nine hours on the road. You’ll be dropped at a location of your choosing or taken directly to the airport for your onward flight, bringing your seven-day safari to a close.
Safari Includes
- Airport pick-up and drop-off in Entebbe
- Gorilla permit
- Chimpanzee trekking permit
- Park entry fees and boat cruise fees
- 4×4 safari vehicle and fuel, private transport
- Full-time English-speaking guide/driver
- All accommodation and meals as indicated in the itinerary, on full board
- Bottled drinking water while on safari
Safari Excludes
- Tipping for guide, ranger, and hotel staff
- Air tickets and visa fees
- Personal expenses such as telephone calls, email, laundry, and beverages or meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Porterage and wait-staff gratuity
