Big five Kidepo
8 Days · Overland
From $2,595 per person
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RATED 5/5
Big Five Kidepo Wilderness. Overland
An unforgettable roadtrip to the remote Karamoja wilderness featuring the Big Five, three wild camps and an insight into Ugandan tribal culture. The Nile at Murchison Falls; the wilderness of Kidepo Valley; and the volcanic massifs of the Kenyan borderlands. Combination private overland camping and hand-picked lodges. A truly immersive experience in lands that time forgot.
- Rhino trek, games drives, boat safaris
- Private overland African safari adventure
- Custom overland vehicle with driver guide
- Ziwa, Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley, Mount Elgon
- The Nile, savanna, wilderness, volcanoes
- 5 amazing camp nights; 2 great lodges
Tour Itinerary
Highlights
- Arrive Entebbe
- Transfer to hotel
- Relax and Enjoy
Lodge at Via Via
Arrive Entebbe
Whatever time you arrive you will need somewhere to stay. We will meet you on arrival at Entebbe Airport and transfer you to a local hotel, most probably Via Via. We also include dinner and breakfast next morning. And if you have some time on your hands during the day, we are happy to suggest some things to do, maybe recommend some good local bars and restaurants, or perhaps meet up.
Lodge Night
Chill out at Via Via, Entebbe
Walking with Rhinos
Breakfast meet and greet at your hotel. Tour briefing and departure to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where you will take a trek to see the white rhinos – the first of the Big Five that we expect to see on this tour. Spend time watching and tracking these magnificent beasts as they graze, rest and socialise in the wilds of Ziwa and learn about this inspirational programme to reintroduce the white rhino back into the wilds of Uganda.
After a leisurely lunch at Ziwa, proceed to Murchison Falls National Park via Masindi and enjoy a short detour to the top of Murchison Falls. Stand in the spray and hear the roar of the world’s most powerful waterfall as the Nile squeezes through a 7-metre gap and plunges 45 metres into the Devil’s Cauldron below.
Camp Night
Camp at Red Chilli Restcamp. Chill out bar and restaurant overlooking the Nile basin.
350k/6hrs – Road & Trail
Highlights
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Walk with rhinos
- Murchison Falls
Camp at Red Chilli
Game drives only
Highlights
- Nile boat safari
- Paraa Lunch and Swim
- Game drive
- Night drive
Wild Camp at Nile Delta
Into the Wild
Early breakfast and a short transfer to the nearby boat dock for a boat safari on the Nile to the base of the Murchison Falls. Leisurely cruise on the Nile for a couple of hours. Hippos in the water, elephants and crocs on the banks, birds everywhere.
Collection from the boat dock and short transfer to the famous Paraa Lodge for lunch. Relax on the pool deck overlooking the Nile to while away the midday hours – perhaps a swim?
Depart mid-afternoon and collect ranger for a game drive through the park heading west to the Nile Delta at Lake Albert. This is a great time of day to view the abundant wildlife at Murchison, including Ugandan kob, water buck, hartebeest and oribi as well as elephant, giraffe and water buffalo. Heading through the hunting grounds, with a good chance to see lion and perhaps leopard, we will set up camp late afternoon near the hippos at the Nile Delta with Lake Albert – then head out for an evening game drive to see what we can see, collecting firewood as we go for the campfire and returning after dark to camp in the wild.
Camp Night
Wild camp in the wilderness with a park ranger. Starlight, campfire and noises off…
Into the Wilderness
Break camp before dawn and head out at daybreak, back into the hunting grounds for a dawn safari – the best time of day for game viewing and perhaps to finish where we left off last night. The object here is to maximise your chances of completing the Big Five. By now you will have seen rhino, buffalo and elephant but we may need some sightings, or perhaps better sightings, of lion and leopard? Continue on extended game drive to exit Murchison through the little used north-east gate – a great place to see buffalo, elephant and giraffe – and a short cut to Gulu for lunch.
Proceed after lunch for the journey by road and then track to the remote Kidepo Valley in the far north-east corner of Uganda. A wonderful chance to study people in places as we pass through village after village in an ever-changing landscape and finally reach the wilderness.
Lodge Night
Lodge at Kidepo Savannah Lodge. Enjoy a well-earned rest after a long day.
350k/7hrs – Road and Trail
Highlights
- Dawn game drive
- Wankwar Gate
- Lunch at Gulu
- The trail to Kidepo
Kidepo Savannah Lodge
400k/8hrs – Road & Trail
Highlights
- Narus River game drive
- Lion Rocks
- Kakine Lookout
Wild Camp at Kakine Lookout
Kidepo Valley
Leisurely breakfast at the lodge and depart into Kidepo Valley – rated by CNN as the second-best park in the whole of Africa. Meandering morning game drive around the Narus River valley, home to zebra, hartebeest, giraffe, Ugandan kob, oribi and huge herds of elephant and cape buffalo. We will drive around the woodland and rocky outcrops, great places to see lion, leopard and, if really lucky, cheetah.
Later, we will head for Kakine Lookout, an elevated kopje with 360 views over the park. Here we will have lunch and relax in the afternoon with the binoculars to see what we can see. If the mood takes, we can go for a late afternoon game drive, focussing on the lion rocks around this area before returning to Kakine Lookout to camp.
Camp Night
Wild camp at Kakine Lookout with a ranger. Fabulous sunset, campfire and moonlit views
The Karamojong
Break camp at dawn for our final game drive around the lion rocks before departing Kidepo Valley. Head south through the Karamoja region and amongst the Manyatta (houses) and boma (compounds) of the charismatic Karimojong tribe. This is a great trail with wondrous rock formations and majestic volcanoes rising out of the plains and everywhere the people and villages of the Karamojong.
Lunch at the Karatunga Community Resthouse at Moroto. Afternoon community visit to Karamoja Nomadic Cattle Kraal. Meet the Karamojong and experience the life of a nomadic cattle herder.
Camp Night
Camp with the Karamojong Warrior Nomads at the Kraal, supported by the usual support truck facilities. Unique and unforgettable experience.
Game drives only
Highlights
- Dawn game drive
- Karamoja settlements
- Karatunga lunch, Moroto
- Karamoja Cattle Kraal
Camp with the Karamojong
Highlights
- Mount Elgon
- Lunch at Lacan Lodge
- Sipi Falls
Camp on the Edge at Sipi
Sipi Falls
Farewell to the Karamoja. Continue south by road and trail to ascend Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano with the largest caldera in the world and one of the highest mountains in Africa.
Arrive at Sipi and take lunch at Lacan Lodge with spectacular views over the plains and the Lower Sipi Falls. Afternoon visit to the Upper Sipi Falls and trek down the mountainside to the Middle Sipi Falls. Stop for a while at a community coffee processing facility. Roast your own beans and learn all about coffee production and its role in the local economy. Fascinating.
Camp Night
Camp on the edge with a campfire and spectacular views over the twinkling lights on the plains below.
Welaba!
Enjoy a leisurely camp breakfast, taking in the view. Break camp, depart Sipi and descend Mount Elgon heading for Jinja. Arriving at Jinja, we will head into town amongst the colonial era architecture and stop for lunch overlooking the source of the Nile. After lunch we can perhaps visit some craft shops for any last-minute souvenirs before heading over the elegant Nile Bridge for the return leg to Entebbe.
On the way we will pass through the Mabira Forest and enjoy a sample of Kampala traffic before reaching the ring road, aiming to arrive in Entebbe late afternoon to drop you off at your hotel.
We don’t include final night accommodation because there are normally too many variables, such as dropping off in Kampala, Jinja or even Entebbe Airport for a late flight home. Either way, we are happy to make recommendations and to drop you off at your chosen end point.
Tour Ends
200k/4hrs – Road
Highlights
- Source of the Nile
- Craft Shops
- Nile bridge
- Kampala traffic!
Tour Ends
Inquire
Kindly provide a few details and we will get back to you.
Included
- Experienced driver/guide
- Custom overland vehicle, fuel
- Accommodation. Shared, own bed.
- All camp equipment and bedding provided
- Full board: breakfast, lunch, dinner
- All park fees, guides and excursions
- Airport transfer (arrival)
Excluded
- Flights, visas and vaccinations
- Personal insurances
- Upgrades: lodges, own tent, own room
- Personal snacks, alcohol and soft drinks
Lodge accommodation as specified or equivalent, subject to availability.