A 7 DAY PRIVATE SAFARI
TO MURCHISON FALLS, SEMLIKI WILDLIFE RESERVE AND QUEEN ELIZABETH
NATIONAL PARK
Day 1
Leave Kampala at 0800hrs. Drive through the famous Luwero
triangle. Take a stop over at Masindi hotel for lunch. Continue
through the park stopping at the top of the falls which is
a fantastic sight. Here the Nile, the longest river in the
world, is forced through a narrow gap in the rock (only 7
meters wide), before ferociously plunging down 43 meters.
From here we will continue on, taking a ferry across the river
to Paraa Safari Lodge. Game viewing on the way is very good;
look out for hippos, elephants, buffalos and many other animals,
seen grazing on the banks of the river.
Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge/Sambiya River Lodge/Red Chilli
Camp (FB).
Day 2
After breakfast, you will be transferred to northern part
of the park for a game drive. View Elephants, Buffaloes, Bushbucks,
Lions, and a variety of bird species.
We will drive back to the lodge for lunch before taking an
afternoon boat trip to the foot of Murchison Falls. This boat
trip along the Nile is often cited as being the highlight
of a trip to Murchison since it allows you to get up-close
and personal with the animals. Along this stretch of the river,
there are reported to be around 4,000 hippos in addition to
some enormous Nile crocodiles. The bird life is stunning with
brightly colored kingfishers and bee-eaters darting along
the riverbanks. If lucky, you may see the rare and prehistoric
looking shoebill, which is a cross between the dodo and a
dinosaur. The boat takes you to the base of the falls which
only adds to their impressiveness.
Overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge/Sambiya River Lodge/Red Chilli
Camp (FB).
Day 3
After breakfast, you will depart by road for Semliki Wildlife
Reserve; this is a long and will take you down the eastern
side of Lake Albert. Semliki reserve is situated in the basin
of the Western Rift Valley. It is one of the most diverse
habitats in Africa with wonderful examples of Riparian forest,
gallery rain forest, borassus palm forest, and short and high
grass savannas. Chimps exist next to elephant, lion and buffalo
as well as the usual western Uganda species. Following dinner
we will go on a night drive. This is the only place in Uganda
where you can do a spot lit night drive. You never know what
you may see. Often the big cats are sighted as well as the
diminutive genet and serval cats.
Unusual nocturnal dwellers also show themselves, such as the
white tailed mongoose and slender mongoose, standard and pennant
winged nightjars depending on the time of year. There are
always surprises on the night drives.
Overnight at Semliki Safari Lodge (FB).
Day 4
After breakfast climb aboard the vehicle with a packed lunch
for a boat trip on Lake Albert to see the incredible and rare
Shoebill, visually a cross between a dodo and a dinosaur.
The lake is superb. There are sand cliffs where brightly colored
colonies of red-throated bee-eaters dart in and out of their
burrows, there are waterfalls several kilometers up the lake
which provide a great picnic spot, and several fishing villages
along the way, virtually untouched by the ‘western world’.
The drive back to the Lodge through the borassus palm forest
and the acacia savannah reveals different species of raptors
and passerines.
Overnight at Semliki safari Lodge (FB).
Day 5
An early morning game drive will give you a different perspective
on the park and animals in it. Return to the Lodge for a late,
but leisurely breakfast. On leaving Semliki Valley Wildlife
Reserve, you will drive through the attractive green countryside
eventually ascending the Western Rift Valley to Fort Portal.
From here we will continue on to Queen Elizabeth National
Park. We will pass through the beautiful scenery of the foothills
of the 'Mountains of the Moon'. Arrive at the lodge in time
for lunch.
After lunch you will go for an afternoon boat trip on the
Kazinga Channel. This will give you a chance to view and photograph
hippos, buffalos, elephants, bushbucks, warthogs and a variety
of bird life.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/Institute of Ecology
(FB).
Day 6
Rise early and drive to Kyambura gorge for a thrilling chimpanzee
Safari. The guided walk may last 3-5 hours depending on weather
conditions and the movement of these chimps. In addition to
seeing chimps, the walk may yield sightings of colobus, vervet,
red-tailed monkeys, baboons and other primates.
Return to the lodge for lunch and relax by the side of the
swimming pool before going for an evening game drive to the
Kasenyi area of the park. Here you may be able to see hippos,
elephants, lions, spotted hyenas, and leopards, bush bucks,
the stripped jackal and of course the several warthogs.
Dinner and overnight at Mweya Safari Lodge/Institute of Ecology
(FB).
Day 7
After a hearty breakfast, you will depart with a packed lunch
to Kampala arriving in the afternoon. This drive will take
you across the Equator where you will stop for an informative
talk as well as a photographic opportunity.
End of tour.
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