Big Five and Into the Wilderness
9 Days
From $2,695 per person
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RATED 5/5
Big Five and Into the 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, cultural experiences
- Custom overland vehicle with driver/guide
- 3 Parks: Ziwa, Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley
- Overland style, immersive African safari adventure
- The Nile, savanna, wilderness, mountains and volcanoes
- 6 amazing camp nights; 2 great lodges
Tour Itinerary
Highlights
- Arrive Entebbe
- Transfer to hotel
- Optional activities
Lodge at Via Via, Entebbe
Arrive Entebbe
Whatever time you arrive you will need somewhere to stay. Arriving early morning after a night flight you will need somewhere to rest and recover. Arriving late, the last thing you want on your mind is: Where am I going to stay? In either case, 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
The Rhinos
Breakfast meet and greet at Via Via with tour briefing. Load up and depart to Nakiwogo fishing village for a short ferry crossing. Transfer to Mabamba Swamp for a guided boat trip – an introduction to Uganda’s fabulous bird life and a chance to see the legendary shoebill stork.
Proceed to Ziwa with a rest stop en route for lunch. Arrive at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for an afternoon rhino trek. Walk with the white rhinos and learn about this inspirational programme to reintroduce these amazing creatures back into the wilds of Uganda.
Camp Night
Camp at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. An introduction to our fabulous camp set up and perhaps a rhino parade.
250k/5hrs – Road & Trail
Highlights
- Ferry crossing
- Mabamba Swamp
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Walk with rhinos
Camp at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
200k/4hrs – Road
Highlights
- Lunch at Sambiya Lodge
- Murchison Falls
- Game drive
Camp at Red Chilli Restcamp
Murchison Falls
Break camp at Ziwa and transfer to Murchison Falls National Park. We will journey through the densely forested southern section of the park, stopping for a relaxing lunch at the classic Sambiya Lodge. Take a while to enjoy their canopy walk and nature trail.
After lunch we will take a short detour to visit the top of Murchison Falls – the most powerful on earth. Stand amongst the spray. Feel the power of the Nile, squeezed through a 7-metre-wide gap – while we prepare an afternoon coffee in the car park by the Nile rapids.
Head down to cross over the Nile at Paraa and take a casual first game drive to see what we can see. Probably a few antelope such as Jackson hartebeest, Ugandan kob and oribi. Perhaps giraffe, elephant and buffalo. A small sample of things to come.
Camp Night
Camp at Red Chilli Restcamp. Chill out bar and restaurant. Lodge fire and views over the Nile Basin.
Into the Wild
Early breakfast and short transfer for a boat safari on the Nile to the base of the Murchison Falls. Relaxing cruise up the Nile to the falls with hippos in the water, elephants and crocs on the banks, and birds everywhere.
Return to the boat dock and transfer to the famous Paraa Lodge for lunch. Relax on the pool deck overlooking the Nile to wile away the midday hours – perhaps a swim in the pool?
Depart mid-afternoon with a ranger for afternoon and evening game drives. This is a great time of day to view the abundant wildlife on the vast savanna plains at Murchison, including kob, water buck, hartebeest and oribi as well as elephant, giraffe and cape 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.
Camp Night
Wild camp in the wilderness, guarded by park ranger. Dinner, drinks and campfire. Stars and moonlit views of the lake. Noises off!
100k/2hrs – Trail
Highlights
- Gorilla trek
- Ishasha game drive
- Tree Climbing Lions?
Wild Camp, Ishasha River
400k/8hrs – Road & Trail
Highlights
- Game drive
- Kazinga Boat safari
- Elephants
- Crater Lakes
Lodge at Bush Lodge
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.
Kidepo Valley National Park
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 with ranger at Kakine Lookout. Spectacular sunset, campfire, dinner, drinks, stars. Visitors?
Game drives only
Highlights
- Ferry crossing
- Mabamba Swamp
- Lunch at the Equator
- Lake Mburo game drive
Camp at Lake Mburo
Highlights
- Arrive Entebbe
- Transfer to hotel
- Optional activities
Lodge at Via Via, Entebbe
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.
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.
200k/4hrs – Road
Highlights
- Ferry crossing
- Mabamba Swamp
- Lunch at the Equator
- Lake Mburo game drive
Camp at Lake Mburo
400k/8hrs – Road
Highlights
- Dawn game drive at Kasenyi
- Mountains of the Moon
- Lunch at Fort Portal
- Return Kampala/Entebbe
Tour Ends
Source of the Nile
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 Kampala, Entebbe, 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
Like What You See?
Why not take an extra day in the wild at Murchison Falls; or to rest up at Kidepo Savannah Lodge; or spend time in Jinja, the adventure capital of Uganda – perhaps to go white water rafting on the Nile?
Want to upgrade to include more lodges? – or to have your own room? Let us know.
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.