9 Days Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth & Lake Bunyonyi Safari

This route pairs Uganda’s two big savanna parks and a chimpanzee trek with a genuine wind-down at the end: two nights on Lake Bunyonyi, the deep, island-dotted crater lake in the south-western highlands, where the only things to do are swim, canoe among the islands and do very little. It is the itinerary for travellers who want a full safari that finishes somewhere restful and beautiful rather than back in the city with an early flight. Bunyonyi is bilharzia-free and safe to swim in, and the terraced hills around it are some of the most photogenic country in Uganda.

Days 1-2 – Murchison Falls

The drive north with a Ziwa rhino stop and a first look at the falls, then a full day for the northern game drive and the launch cruise to the base of the falls. Two nights near Paraa.

Day 3 – Murchison to Kibale Forest

A morning game drive, then the transfer south to the Kibale forest edge.

Day 4 – chimpanzee tracking

A morning chimpanzee trek at Kanyanchu and an afternoon Bigodi wetland walk, then a transfer toward Queen Elizabeth.

Days 5-6 – Queen Elizabeth National Park

A Kasenyi plains game drive and the Kazinga Channel boat cruise on day five, then a drive south through the park to the Ishasha sector for the tree-climbing lions on day six, with an afternoon drive along the Ntungwe River.

Day 7 – Ishasha to Lake Bunyonyi

A scenic drive south into the highlands – terraced hillsides, tea and Irish-potato smallholdings – to Lake Bunyonyi, arriving in the afternoon. Overnight on the lake for two nights.

Day 8 – Lake Bunyonyi

A free day. A guided dugout-canoe trip among the twenty-nine islands, each with its own story; a swim; a walk up to a viewpoint over the lake; or simply the deck and a book.

Day 9 – Lake Bunyonyi to Kampala

The drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, roughly seven hours, with a lunch stop at the Igongo cultural centre near Mbarara and a stop at the Equator.

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 mid-range-level version of this itinerary works out at around US$2,450 to US$3,400 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. The prices shown here are indicative and for planning only – always ask us for a firm quote.

What’s included

• A chimpanzee tracking permit for the forest named in the itinerary, reserved in advance
• 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.