11 Days Murchison Falls, Uganda & Congo Nyiragongo Safari

An adventurous itinerary for experienced, physically fit travellers: Uganda’s western circuit and its mountain gorillas, then a border crossing into the eastern DR Congo for Virunga National Park – lowland gorilla trekking and the overnight climb of Nyiragongo, whose summit crater holds the world’s largest permanent lava lake, glowing orange all night. This is a serious trip. Access to Virunga and Nyiragongo depends entirely on the security situation at the time of travel; we monitor the official government advisories closely, and if conditions are not right we will move the gorilla trek to the Rwanda side (Volcanoes National Park) and drop the volcano rather than take any risk.

Days 1-3 – Murchison Falls

The drive north from Entebbe with a Ziwa rhino stop. Two full days for the game drives, the launch cruise and the falls. Three nights near Paraa.

Days 4-5 – Kibale Forest

Transfer south for a chimpanzee trek at Kanyanchu and the Bigodi wetland walk.

Days 6-7 – Queen Elizabeth National Park

A Kasenyi plains game drive, the Kazinga Channel boat cruise and the Ishasha tree-climbing lions.

Day 8 – Bwindi gorilla trekking

A transfer to the edge of Bwindi and a trek to a habituated mountain gorilla family, one hour with them once found. An afternoon to rest.

Day 9 – into DR Congo, Virunga National Park

Cross the border into Virunga and transfer to Bukima. A lowland gorilla trek in the afternoon, or rest to prepare for the volcano. Overnight at the Kibumba or Bukima camp.

Day 10 – climb Nyiragongo

A guided ascent of Nyiragongo, roughly five to six hours with porters over four stages, to a cluster of simple summit shelters on the crater rim. After dark the lava lake below you glows and roars – one of the most extraordinary sights in Africa. Overnight at the summit.

Day 11 – descend and return to Entebbe

The descent in the morning, roughly three hours, then a transfer to Goma and a flight back to Entebbe via Kigali.

Getting there and travel times

Murchison Falls is a five to six hour drive north of Kampala or Entebbe on good roads, and almost every trip breaks the journey with rhino tracking at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, roughly halfway. If you would rather not drive, scheduled and charter light aircraft reach the Pakuba and Bugungu airstrips inside the park in about an hour from Entebbe, and a fly-in works well for a short trip or as one leg of a longer route. We confirm all transfers, ferry timings and internal flights before you travel.

Where you stay

This itinerary runs at budget, mid-range or luxury lodge level and the price changes with your choice, not the wildlife. Budget trips use simple government rooms or value tented camps; mid-range uses comfortable lodges with pools, en-suite rooms and river or plains views; luxury uses the small lodges built out over the Nile, with better guiding ratios and the option to fly. Staying inside the northern sector puts you on the game tracks within minutes; the quieter south bank suits trips built around the top-of-the-falls hike and Budongo Forest. See our Murchison Falls accommodation guide for the properties we book most often, and tell us which matters more to you – the view, the food, the price – and we will match the lodge to it.

What it costs, as a guide

Because every trip is private and tailored there is no fixed price, but as a rough guide a luxury-level version of this itinerary works out at around US$5,700 to US$9,350 per person, based on two people sharing and covering your private 4×4, fuel, driver-guide, all park entry fees, full-board accommodation and the activities in the plan. Solo travellers and very small groups pay more per head; four or more sharing pay less. Rates move with the season, so the figure in your quote is the real one, confirmed for your exact dates. Gorilla and chimpanzee permits, and the fees for parks outside Uganda, are additional and are the largest single item on a trip like this – a Uganda gorilla permit alone is a fixed US$800 per person, and the Rwanda permit is US$1,500. The prices shown here are indicative and for planning only – always ask us for a firm quote.

What’s included

• A Uganda mountain gorilla trekking permit for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (fixed price set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, quoted separately and reserved months in advance)
• A chimpanzee tracking permit for the forest named in the itinerary, reserved in advance
• A Virunga National Park lowland gorilla permit and a Nyiragongo climbing permit, subject to the park being open at the time of travel
• A private 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof for photography, all fuel, and an experienced English-speaking Ugandan driver-guide who stays with you for the whole trip
• All national park and reserve entry fees for the days shown in the itinerary
• Every activity named in the day-by-day plan above – game drives, boat cruises, guided walks and any tracking permits listed
• Accommodation on a full-board basis: breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, plus a packed breakfast or lunch box whenever an early start means you miss a meal at the lodge
• Bottled drinking water in the vehicle throughout, all current government taxes, and our full planning, booking and 24-hour support service

What’s not included

• International flights to and from Entebbe, and the Uganda entry visa (easy to obtain online in advance)
• Comprehensive travel and medical insurance, which is a condition of booking
• Drinks with meals, and tips for your guide and the lodge staff
• Laundry, phone calls, curios and other items of a personal nature
• Optional extras not named in the itinerary, such as a hot air balloon flight, a nature walk, sport fishing, or additional trekking permits
• Anything arising from circumstances beyond our control, such as flight schedule changes, road closures or weather

Good to know before you travel

The park is rewarding all year. June to September and December to February are driest, with the firmest tracks and the most predictable game viewing; March to May and October to November are greener and quieter, with the best birding and lower lodge rates, in exchange for short heavy afternoon showers. Pack neutral-coloured layers for cool mornings and hot afternoons, a wide-brimmed hat and high-factor sunscreen, binoculars, a good insect repellent, a light rain jacket and a dry bag for boat trips. A yellow-fever certificate is required to enter Uganda, and malaria prophylaxis is strongly recommended for the whole country. The top-of-the-falls hike takes about 45 minutes on a steep path and needs closed shoes and reasonable fitness – it can always be skipped. Game drives and boat cruises have no minimum age. Uganda is a stable, welcoming country to travel in, and your guide carries a first-aid kit and stays in radio and phone contact throughout.

Request a quote for this safari

Every trip is private and built around your dates, your group and how you like to travel, so there is no fixed price and no set departure to fit around. Send us your rough dates and the lodge level you have in mind and a planner who has driven these tracks will reply within 24 hours with a tailored day-by-day itinerary and a clear, itemised quote – no deposit and no obligation to enquire. Read our full guide to Murchison Falls National Park for background on the wildlife and the falls, browse the rest of our Murchison Falls safaris, or get in touch now.