4-day adventure
Murchison Falls Extension
Uganda
- Kandoo Safaris
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£958
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our UK team
Our local team
With over 18 years experience guiding in Uganda and it's nearby countries, our team has extensive knowledge of the areas we travel to and the practicalities involved in trekking here. Our experienced guiding team have been hand selected and trained up to ensure your safety and enjoyment are a priority. The team offer a range of trips for all different abilities from trekking with the gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to summitting...
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Kandoo's view
This 4-day trip takes us into the north western National Parks of Uganda; to discover the beauty and the beasts of this glorious region. We begin with a real highlight - embarking on a bush walk through the flourishing savannah at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. We then continue deep into Murchison Falls National Park; heading out on game drives and by boat to encounter the incredible wildlife that are fed from the majestic power of the falls. Animals we see often include: the big five, giraffe, hippos and crocodiles.
Trip highlights
- Search for white rhino on foot in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Take a game drive through the savannahs of Murchison Falls National Park
- Board a boat trip to the base of the falls where the Nile is forced through a tight gorge
- Stay in comfortable safari lodges nestled in the middle of the National Park
Experiences
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Kandoo Safaris
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Itinerary
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Day 1
Entebbe
If you are including this extension at the start of your trip, our guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Entebbe.
If you are including this extension at the end of your trip, you will spend tonight in Entebbe after your recently concluded group tour.- Transport: Private transfer
- Accomodation: Hotel
- Meals included: Dinner
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Day 2
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary - Murchison Falls
After an early breakfast we will drive to Ziwa Sanctuary for a White Rhino bush walk. This is the only place in Uganda where you can see the White Rhino. Afterwards, we will proceed to Murchison Falls National Park and if time allows, we will visit the top of the falls.
Murchison Falls is one of the most beautiful national parks of Uganda. One of the main attractions is the spectacular waterfalls, where the full force of the Nile is squeezed through a narrow gorge and plummets 60 meters to the raging river below. In the park, expect to see elephants, giraffes, lions, hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes and if you’re lucky, leopards too.- Transport: 4x4 Safari Vehicle (6 hours, 390 km)
- Accomodation: Safari Lodge
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 3
Murchison Falls National Park
This morning, we embark on an early morning game drive. We then return to the lodge before heading out this afternoon on a boat ride up the Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. The boat is the perfect platform to see and photograph many different bird species and animals coming for a drink or a plunge.
- Accomodation: Safari Lodge
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
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Day 4
Murchison Falls NP - Entebbe
After breakfast we head out for another game drive, this morning which gives us more chances of sightings in the Park.
Optional activity for an additional fee - Morning boat ride to the Delta where the Victoria Nile from Jinja joins Lake Albert and later flows to Sudan as the Albert Nile. This boat excursion also offers an opportunity to see the rare shoebill stork.
Later transfer to Entebbe for your departure flight.
Please note: Departure flights must be booked for after 6pm today. If you wish to add an additional night in Entebbe at the end of your trip, please speak to a member of our team.- Transport: 4x4 Safari Vehicle (6 hours, 390 km)
- Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch
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Details
Trip information
Difficulty
Although going on safari is not physically strenuous, it can be very tiring. You will be spending large amounts of time inside your safari vehicle, the weather will be hot and to have the best chance of seeing the big game you need to get up very early in the morning. You do not need a high level of fitness but you should be prepared for some long, hot days of travelling.
Food & drink
All safari lodges are booked on a full or half board basis - expect to sample local cuisine such as matoke, cassava, chicken and beef stews, fresh fish and millet bread. Western alternatives are also available in most lodges. Any additional drinks required are for your account, which must be settled when you check out of the lodge. If you are out driving during the day, your driver will take a packed lunch for you. Any dietary requirements noted upon booking will be passed to the safari team, but please let your safari guide know if you have any further requirements.
Your hotel in Entebbe is booked on a B&B basis. You can purchase meals at the hotel or head out in to the city to find a restaurant. You will find restaurants offering both Ugandan and western alternatives. Beer is probably the most widely available alcoholic drink across Uganda as well as the locally made fermented banana beer - Pombe.
Water
Whilst on safari you will be provided with bottled mineral water.
Accommodation
Your full day by day itinerary shows what is included in terms of accommodation and meal basis. All of our pre- and post- trip accommodation is based in Entebbe. Where your hotel basis is B&B, you can usually purchase snacks or meals at the hotel, which can be paid in Ugandan Shillings, or often in US Dollars. When you arrive at the hotel, take a moment to familiarise yourself with the layout and the procedures in the event of a fire, especially your escape routes and fire exits. Please be aware that Uganda is still a developing country and cut offs in both water and electricity supply still happen regularly. The hotel will help as far as they can, but these outages are outside their control.
During your safari you will stay in comfortable safari lodges in spectacular locations. Rooms will be either double or twin with en-suite facilities.
Your guide
You will have a Kandoo guide meet you on Day 1 of your trip and give you your pre-trip briefing, they will then be with you until drop you off at the airport on your final day.
Transport
On this trip we use comfortable 4x4 safari vehicles for all our transfers. Each 4x4 vehicle has a "pop top" roof to provide excellent views of the incredible wildlife.
Murchison Falls and Entebbe may look close on a map, but there is a considerable amount of driving between them. Approximate driving times are listed below. While this gives you the opportunity to see more of the Ugandan countryside you will likely not see any game during these transit times.
- Entebbe to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary - 200km (3.5 hours)
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Murchison Falls National Park - 190km (3 hours)
- Murchison Falls to Entebbe - 390km (6.5 hours)
Luggage
Your luggage can be carried with you in your safari vehicle and stored at your accommodation. Please keep all money, passport and valuables on your person at all times.
How do I get there?
All of our tours begin and end in Entebbe, which is just south of Kampala, Uganda's capital. You will need to arrive into Entebbe International Airport (EBB). KLM and Brussels Airlines fly to EBB from all of the major UK airports. Flights tend to leave early in the morning, transferring at Lufthaven Schiphol, Amsterdam’s main airport or Brussels, then Kigali International airport, before arriving at EBB late that same evening. Emirates also offer flights via Dubai. From the US, Delta offer flights with a similar flight path to KLM, however arrive the next day. Emirates and Qatar also offer flights, transferring in Dubai and Doha respectively.
We will arrange transport from the airport to your hotel at any time, including the late evening or early morning. The transfer takes approximately 40 minutes. As flights into Entebbe tend to arrive around 10pm in the evening, we would recommend planning in an additional rest day after such a long flight to recover and prepare yourself, rather than heading out straight away the next morning.
Please
note: Departure flights must be booked for after 6pm if you are departing on Day 4 of this extension. If you wish to add
an additional night in Entebbe at the end of your trip, please speak to a
member of our team.
If you are changing airlines or re-checking your luggage at an airport on route, please ensure you leave a minimum of 3 hours between flights. This will account for any delays on arrival, travel time across airports (this can take longer than you think) and time taken to re-check baggage.
Travelling Responsibly
Here at Kandoo, we like to support our guests to make their travel more sustainable. As of 2025, we are offsetting the carbon on all of our trips from your arrival in destination to drop off at the airport. As we don't include flight travel in our trips these aren't included in our offsetting calculations, so we are providing you with the calculator below for you to do this yourselves.
On arrival
You will be met by our Kandoo team at Kilimanjaro Airport and transferred to your hotel. As you come through the arrivals doors, look out for your name board being held by one of our safari guides.
Budget & change
The Ugandan Shilling is a closed currency so you will not be able to buy these at home before you arrive. It is advisable to travel with US Dollars, as these are widely accepted and can be easily exchanged. It is very important that US bills be new (no more than 10 years old), crisp and untorn. If you need to take out more local currency whilst in Entebbe then we can take you to an ATM or bank. If you are relying on a credit or debit card for emergency funds, make sure you tell your card issuer that you will be using it abroad, or you may find that it won't work when you really need it. Please note that not all hotels can accept card payments so you may need to use an ATM to access funds.
Tips
Tipping customs vary all over the world and can be very confusing when travelling to a new country. In Uganda tipping is always appreciated - it is not obligatory and should be left to the discretion of each individual. Tips are not a substitute for good wages: our guides are all well paid and well looked after. If you are pleased with the service your guides have provided and feel you have been well looked after, we would recommend the following tips for your trip:
- US $5 per person day for the Kandoo guides and drivers
Formalities & health
Passport
Please double check that your passport is valid for 6 months beyond the date of arrival in Uganda. We recommend that you take a photocopy of your passport and keep it separate from the original, and this will be useful if the original is lost while you are travelling. You must carry your passport with you at all times.
Visa
For visitors traveling to Uganda, it is mandatory to apply for a visa online. We advise you to apply at least one month before departure.
Visas can be acquired via the following website - https://visas.immigration.go.ug/
For each visa you need to upload the following documents:
Copy of your passport (photo page with bio-data). Validity of at least 6 months after returning from Uganda
Recent Passport size photograph
Copy of Vaccination Certificate Yellow Fever (copy or photo of page with Yellow Fever vaccination)
Return Ticket
All documents must be in pdf, jpeg, png or bmp format, small file size (minimum file size 5 KB, maximum file size 250 KB).
When filling in the form:
Visit: Uganda only
Visa or permit type: Visa
Category: Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa
Subcategory: Single entry
Single Entry visas cost US $50. This can be paid online or on arrival.
When you send the form, you will immediately receive a tracking code. This code helps you to keep track of how far your application has progressed. You can check its status using the immigration link above.
The Ugandan authorities will send you a letter via email after they have approved your application (please make sure to check your SPAM folder)
Print this letter and bring it with you when you arrive at Entebbe International Airport - you need it to collect or pay for your visa
Some nationalities do not require a visa, please check this in advance.
Visas can be acquired via the following website - https://visas.immigration.go.ug/
For each visa you need to upload the following documents:
Copy of your passport (photo page with bio-data). Validity of at least 6 months after returning from Uganda
Recent Passport size photograph
Copy of Vaccination Certificate Yellow Fever (copy or photo of page with Yellow Fever vaccination)
Return Ticket
All documents must be in pdf, jpeg, png or bmp format, small file size (minimum file size 5 KB, maximum file size 250 KB).
When filling in the form:
Visit: Uganda only
Visa or permit type: Visa
Category: Uganda Ordinary/Tourist Visa
Subcategory: Single entry
Single Entry visas cost US $50. This can be paid online or on arrival.
When you send the form, you will immediately receive a tracking code. This code helps you to keep track of how far your application has progressed. You can check its status using the immigration link above.
The Ugandan authorities will send you a letter via email after they have approved your application (please make sure to check your SPAM folder)
Print this letter and bring it with you when you arrive at Entebbe International Airport - you need it to collect or pay for your visa
Some nationalities do not require a visa, please check this in advance.
Vaccinations
The standard vaccinations required are Diphtheria; Hepatitis A; Polio; Tetanus and Yellow Fever, but you should always consult your doctor or travel clinic for the most up to date advice.
Please be aware that a Yellow Fever certificate will be necessary for your Ugandan visa application.
Please be aware that a Yellow Fever certificate will be necessary for your Ugandan visa application.
Insurance
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses. If you are climbing Mount Stanley, we recommend cover up to 5200m of altitude. If you are climbing Mount Elgon you will need cover for trekking up to 4400m of altitude.
Please take a copy of your insurance policy to the pre-trek briefing, as the guide will need to collect your insurance details. We also ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.
Please take a copy of your insurance policy to the pre-trek briefing, as the guide will need to collect your insurance details. We also ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your day sack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.
Health
Malaria
There is a high risk of malaria in Uganda so you will need to plan anti-malarial medication for your trip. In addition to taking medication, we would recommend you take every precaution to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved trousers and shirts, particularly at dusk and dawn when the mosquitos are active, and using a DEET based mosquito repellent.
Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness, also called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), hypobaropathy and soroche, is an illness caused by exposure to low air pressure, especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many trekkers experience at high altitudes. AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatised. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 metres. Our routes have been designed to aid your acclimatisation wherever possible, but the following will also help your body adjust:
Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. There is no pressure on you to keep up with other members of your group.
Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatisation dramatically. You need to drink at least three litres each day.
Diamox
There has been a lot of research on Diamox that shows is that it has been reasonably well proven to be helpful in avoiding AMS by speeding up the acclimatisation process. In the UK it is a prescription drug which must be prescribed by a doctor, but some doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The concern is that by taking Diamox, people believe that they are immune from AMS and can ignore the symptoms. In reality, although Diamox can help prevent the symptoms, should symptoms still develop it means that you are not acclimatising and you have to take notice. Diamox is taken before you start trekking to prevent altitude sickness, not once you are on the trek and symptoms have developed.
Dehydration
You can easily become dehydrated at high altitudes. The lower air pressure forces you to breathe more quickly and deeply, and you lose a lot of water through your lungs. You will also be exerting yourself, and sweating, and may even suffer from diarrhoea. As a result, you will have to drink much more water than you normally would so you should drink at least 3 litres of fluids every day while trekking. Even when you do not feel thirsty you have to drink this amount as a minimum, preferably more. Stay on the look-out for signs of dehydration in yourself and your fellow trekkers. The most common symptoms include thirst, dry lips, nose or mouth, headache and feeling fatigued or lethargic.
There is a high risk of malaria in Uganda so you will need to plan anti-malarial medication for your trip. In addition to taking medication, we would recommend you take every precaution to prevent mosquito bites by wearing long-sleeved trousers and shirts, particularly at dusk and dawn when the mosquitos are active, and using a DEET based mosquito repellent.
Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness, also called Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), hypobaropathy and soroche, is an illness caused by exposure to low air pressure, especially low partial pressure of oxygen, which many trekkers experience at high altitudes. AMS is caused by exerting yourself at high altitudes, especially if you have not been properly acclimatised. It is most common at altitudes above 2400 metres. Our routes have been designed to aid your acclimatisation wherever possible, but the following will also help your body adjust:
Slow and steady. You need to keep your respiration rate low enough to maintain a normal conversation. If you are panting or breathing hard, you must slow down. There is no pressure on you to keep up with other members of your group.
Drink much more water than you think you need. Proper hydration helps acclimatisation dramatically. You need to drink at least three litres each day.
Diamox
There has been a lot of research on Diamox that shows is that it has been reasonably well proven to be helpful in avoiding AMS by speeding up the acclimatisation process. In the UK it is a prescription drug which must be prescribed by a doctor, but some doctors are reluctant to prescribe it. The concern is that by taking Diamox, people believe that they are immune from AMS and can ignore the symptoms. In reality, although Diamox can help prevent the symptoms, should symptoms still develop it means that you are not acclimatising and you have to take notice. Diamox is taken before you start trekking to prevent altitude sickness, not once you are on the trek and symptoms have developed.
Dehydration
You can easily become dehydrated at high altitudes. The lower air pressure forces you to breathe more quickly and deeply, and you lose a lot of water through your lungs. You will also be exerting yourself, and sweating, and may even suffer from diarrhoea. As a result, you will have to drink much more water than you normally would so you should drink at least 3 litres of fluids every day while trekking. Even when you do not feel thirsty you have to drink this amount as a minimum, preferably more. Stay on the look-out for signs of dehydration in yourself and your fellow trekkers. The most common symptoms include thirst, dry lips, nose or mouth, headache and feeling fatigued or lethargic.
Equipment & clothing
Clothing to bring
Wear something cool and comfortable, as you will be in the vehicle for several hours each day and it will be very warm in the parks, and on the drive between the parks. The vehicles are not air conditioned, although the pop-top will be open when you are in the parks. Avoid wearing dark blue or black, as these colours attract flies. Include some warm clothing too as it will be slightly cooler at your lodge in the evenings and early mornings. Long sleeved shirts and trousers are advisable for evenings when mosquitoes are most active.
Equipment to bring
These are some items you may find useful:
- Binoculars
- Camera (with spare battery and memory card)
- Reference books for wildlife identification
- Small first aid kit
- Insect repellent
Price
Pricing from £958 / $1196pp.
Want to ask us a question or book a private trip? Don't hesitate to contact us!
Contact usPrice includes
- Airport transfers or pick up/drop off at
hotel
- Accommodation in comfortable medium range
hotels/lodges
- English speaking local guide/driver
- All meals as stated
- Filtered bottled drinking water
- Private 4x4 safari land cruiser
- Entry fees to national parks
- Entry to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Price does not include
- Flights
- Visa
- Insurance
- Meals not mentioned in itinerary
- Tips and personal expenses
Options
Optional activity on Day 4 for an
additional fee - Morning boat ride to the Delta where the Victoria Nile from
Jinja joins Lake Albert.
For pricing, or if you wish to include this on your trip, please speak to a member of the team.