6 Days Murchison falls and Kidepo park safari
Highlights; Murchison Falls National Park and Kidepo Valley National Park.
6 Days Murchison falls and Kidepo park safari : Visit both the northern savannah parks of Uganda in one trip! Kidepo Valley National Park and Murchison Falls National Park are the last original habitats of the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, also known as the Uganda giraffe. Kidepo hosts more than 50 species. From the very common yellow-billed kite, the pygmy falcon, fox kestrel and tawny eagle to the rare Verreaux’s eagle and the very rare Taita falcon. Several vulture species can be seen too.
On mammals, large herds of African buffalo and bush elephant can be seen easily in Kidepo. With a little luck you will see lions and maybe cheetah.
Day 1: Travel from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park
On your way, watch the endangered white rhino in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Then proceed through Masindi to the top of the Falls where the river Nile dramatically plunges through a narrow cleft in the rift valley escarpment.
Day 2: Morning Game Drive and Launch Cruise on the Nile
In the cool early morning on the Buligi, Albert and Queen’s tracks north of the river Nile before the sun climbs too high, you will see plenty of game including lions, giraffes, elephants, wart hogs, and many of Uganda’s types of antelope. At Nyamsika Cliffs you can picnic, enjoy the view, and watch elephants and other game on the grassy hillsides and the sand river below. Be well prepared for a four hour drive.
The launch trip from Paraa to the foot of Murchison Falls. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant, and you will see elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and birds like: Herons, Cormorants, Ducks, Bee-eaters, Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, and the rare Shoebill. The trip from Paraa to the Falls and back takes about three hours. A boat trip to the Delta where the Victoria Nile engorges into the Lake Albert leads through papyrus swamps. The trips takes about four to five hours and you will see a similar variety of animals and birds.
Day 3: Travel from Murchison Falls National Park to Kidepo Valley National Park
In the morning you, drive from one of the oldest national parks of Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park to Kidepo Valley which is Uganda’s most remote national park that lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Karamoja province on the far northern border with the Sudan. On your way, you go through the now peaceful Acholi land that was war battled by the LRA rebels in the 1990s. Enjoy the spectacular savannah woodland as you continue moving northwards of Uganda.
Day 4: Morning and afternoon Game Drives
Wake up to an early morning game drive expecting a bird list of over 475 species and a mammal list of over 80 species including 28 that are found in no other Ugandan National park. Amongst these are such charismatic African animals as Bat-eared Fox, Carcal, Cheetah and Klipspringer.
Later in the afternoon, you go for yet another game drive with in the Narus Valley of Karamoja.
Day 5: Travel from Kidepo to Moroto for a cultural tour
On the way from the park, you go through various parts of Karamoja like Kabong and Kotido seeing the way they dress and observing the vast savannah vegetation.
While in Moroto, there will be a cultural tour and walk through the valley of Mt Moroto, the highest mountain of Karamoja. The mountain is inhabited by one of Uganda’s smallest tribes, the Tepeth. They are the indigenous inhabitants of the Karamoja plains that escaped into the mountains when the Karimojong settled on their lands. Immerse yourself in Karamojong culture. The afternoon is spent participating traditional games, daily activities as preparing staple foods, harvesting, beading, learning, dance, how to shoot bow and arrow and traditional friendly wrestling.
In the night, experience typical Karimojong pastoral life by sleeping a night with the animals and shepherds in the Kraal. Help bringing the cows to the kraal, share stories around the campfire, play games with the warriors and learn how all about nomadic life.
On the other hand, Moroto is particularly good with Pygmy Falcon, Jackson’s Hornbill and White-headed Buffalo Weaver common at the roadside although a fair selection of dry country “specials” may be found a mere 25km north of the Kapchorwa turnoff.
Day 6: Travel from Moroto to Kampala
After visiting a Karamojong village you will drive to Kampala through various tribes of Uganda like Itesots, Bagisu, Basoga and Baganda, indeed having a diversification of the cultures since a day before you had an experience of the Karamojongs.
