5 Days Murchison Falls, Budongo & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Safari

Uganda’s wild rhino population was wiped out by the 1980s, and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, on the route to Murchison Falls, is now the only place in the country to see them. This 5-day itinerary builds that stop into a broader park circuit. This five-day route combines a Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary tracking fee, a Budongo chimp permit, and Murchison Falls park entry, three separate bookings worth confirming together given how much ground it covers.

5 Days Murchison Falls, Budongo & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Safari Itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Murchison Falls & Ziwa Rhino Tracking

En route north, you’ll stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for a guided walk to track southern white rhino on foot with an armed ranger, before continuing to the park for the evening. Because this rhino tracking stop comes early in a longer itinerary, it sets a strong first impression before the chimp trekking and game drives that follow over the next several days.

Day 2: Morning Game Drive & Boat Cruise

A morning game drive is followed by an afternoon boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to the base of the falls. Because rhino tracking on foot precedes this stretch of the itinerary, most guests find the change of pace to slower, boat-based wildlife viewing a welcome contrast.

Day 3: Budongo Forest Chimpanzee Trekking

A guided trek through Budongo Forest, on the park’s southern edge, brings you to its long-habituated chimpanzee community. Because Budongo sits on the way to Murchison Falls rather than being a standalone destination, this trek is generally scheduled as a half-day activity rather than taking up a full day.

Day 4: Top of the Falls Hike & Birding

A hike to the top of Murchison Falls is followed by a relaxed afternoon of birding around your lodge grounds. Because this rhino tracking stop is combined with a birding-focused itinerary later on, guides here often point out early bird sightings around the sanctuary’s own wetland edges too.

Day 5: Return Transfer & Departure

The final leg retraces the route past Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary one last time before rejoining the main highway back toward Kampala or Entebbe. Heading back from Kibale, the road passes through the same tea estates seen on the outbound journey, often busier in the late afternoon with workers finishing the day’s picking.

What’s Included

• Airport or hotel pickup and drop-off
• Private 4×4 safari vehicle with professional English-speaking driver-guide
• Murchison Falls National Park entrance fees
• Boat cruise fees as specified in the itinerary
• Accommodation as specified, on a bed & breakfast basis unless otherwise stated
• Bottled drinking water while on safari
• All applicable government taxes

What’s Excluded

• International flights
• Uganda visa fees
• Tips and gratuities for guides and lodge staff
• Personal travel and medical insurance
• Meals not specified as included in the itinerary
• Items of a personal nature (laundry, souvenirs, phone or internet charges)
• Optional activities not listed in the itinerary