9 Days in Murchison Falls Kidepo Pian Upe Safari Itinerary
9 Days in Murchison Falls Kidepo Pian Upe Safari Itinerary – Murchison Falls National Park, Pian Upe Game Reserve, Sipi Falls, and Kidepo Valley National Park are all within easy driving distance of each other in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda, which is situated between the borders of Kenya and Sudan. Exciting activities await you on this safari, such as a cultural tour where you can meet the local Karamojong people, game drives where you can see amazing wildlife such as lions, leopards, buffaloes, elephants, elands, oribi, Uganda kobs, Jackson’s hartebeest, cheetah, mountain reedbuck, caracal, giraffes, greater and lesser kudu, dik-dik.
Amazing Wildlife Safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Highlights: Murchison falls, Kidepo and Pian Upe Safari
- Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park
- Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
- Day 3: Transfer to Kidepo valley national park
- Day 4: Morning game drive and Karamajong cultural tour
- Day 5: Full day game drive in Kidepo valley national park
- Day 6: Morning game drive and transfer to Pian upe game reserve
- Day 7: Morning game drive and transfer to Sipi falls
- Day 8: Hiking Sipi waterfalls and coffee tour
- Day 9: Departure to Kampala
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Pick up and transfer to Murchison falls national park
Our driver guide will meet you wherever you are on the first day of your Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian upe safari and give you a briefing before driving you to Murchison falls national park. Travel time is approximately 5–6 hours, and there are numerous photo ops along the way, including Karuma Falls and Masindi Town, where you can stop for lunch. When you get at the park after lunch, you’ll go on an evening game drive to see giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, and more. You’ll be returning to the lodge for dinner and the night after your game drive.
Day 2: Morning game drive and afternoon boat cruise
Morning game drive
The second day of your Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian upe safari will begin with an early breakfast at the lodge before you are picked up by your driver guide and driven to a prime viewing location to see animals at their most active. Animals like elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, Uganda kobs, giraffes, warthogs, lions, leopards, and hyenas will all be in view during your game drive. Following the safari, you’ll head back to the lodge for lunch.
Afternoon boat cruise
The lodge’s driving guide will pick you up for a boat ride to the base of the falls after lunch. The game drive will last between two and three hours, and during that time you can see hippos and Nile crocodiles in the water, as well as a variety of aquatic bird species like hornbills, cormorants, kingfishers, fish eagles, bee-eaters, and more. When the boat ride is complete, it’s back to the lodge for dinner and bed.
Day 3: Transfer to Kidepo valley national park
After a hearty breakfast on day three of your nine-day Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian upe wildlife safari, your driving guide will pick you up and take you to the park. Enjoy scenic stops and a picnic lunch before making your way to the park for an evening and night at the lodge.
Day 4: Morning game drive and Karamajong cultural tour
Explore Kidepo Valley National Park
Morning game drive,
After a hearty breakfast on day four of your Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian upe safari, you’ll meet your driving guide in Narus valley, also known as a water provision point, for a morning game drive. Animals such as buffaloes, elephants, and Uganda kobs, among others, gather in the Narus valley to drink from the watering holes there. There are several types of birds to see, including ostriches, Karamoja apalis, scarlet-chested sunbirds, Abyssinian ground hornbills, secretary birds, and more. You will have lunch back at the lodge after your game drive.
Karamajong cultural tour
After lunch, you’ll get the opportunity to visit the nearby villages of the Karamajong people and learn about their culture firsthand. Visit the Karamojong Manyattas and listen to and dance to traditional music and dance while learning about the culture, traditions, and way of life of the Karamojong people. You’ll be driven back to the lodge for dinner and the night after your cultural tour.
Day 5: Full day game drive in Kidepo valley national park
Morning game drive
After breakfast on the fifth day of the Murchison falls, Kidepo valley and Pian upe wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge for go for a game drive in Kidepo valley where you will be rewarded with great views of wildlife species including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elands, reedbucks, oribi, giraffes, Uganda kobs, kudus, elephants, bushbucks and different bird species including ostriches. You will have lunch back at the lodge after your game drive.
Afternoon game drive to Kanangorok hot springs
After lunch, you’ll continue on a game drive to Kanangorok hot springs, one of the greatest places in Kidepo valley national park to relax and take in the stunning scenery, meet the locals, and spot a variety of birds and flora. You’ll head to the lodge for dinner and the night after your Kanangorok hot springs tour.
Day 6: Morning game drive and transfer to Pian upe game reserve
Morning game drive
After breakfast on the sixth day of the 9 days Murchison falls, Kidepo valley and Pian upe wildlife safari, your driver guide will pick you up from the lodge for go for a game drive in Kidepo valley where you will be rewarded with great views of wildlife species including lions, leopards, cheetahs, elands, reedbucks, oribi, giraffes, Uganda kobs, kudus, elephants, bushbucks and different bird species including ostriches. You will check out of the accommodation and begin your travel to the Pian upe wildlife reserve after lunch following your game drive. You will have dinner and spend the night at the lodge after you arrive.
Day 7: Morning game drive and transfer to Sipi falls
The seventh day of your nine-day Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian Upe wildlife safari will begin with an early breakfast before you meet your driving guide for a morning game drive in the reserve, when the animals are at their most active. Wildlife such as oribi, zebras, mountain reedbucks, Uganda kobs, buffalos, waterbucks, roan antelopes, and hyenas out for a morning hunt can all be seen during a game drive, as can a variety of birds like ostriches, secretary birds, and the yellow-billed shrike.
Upon returning from the safari, you’ll have lunch at the resort before checking out and meeting your driver guide for the ride to Sipi falls. You’ll be treated to breathtaking vistas of the surrounding countryside and old farmsteads as you make your way to the lodge for the night.
Day 8: Hike Sipi waterfalls and coffee tour
Sipi falls. Ugandan hidden gem
During your 9-day Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian Upe wildlife safari, on day eight, after breakfast, your driving guide will pick you up from the lodge to embark on a thrilling 4-hour, or shorter, climb to Sipi falls. Views of Mt. Elgon, the Karamoja region, and the farmlands can all be seen from this climb, and the three waterfalls range in height from 100 to 75 to 85 meters. You’ll be taken back to the resort for lunch after your waterfall climb.
Coffee tour
After lunch, you’ll embark on a coffee tour that will take you to the homes of some local coffee farmers, out into the coffee fields, and inside a processing factory, where you’ll see the beans being cleaned, roasted, and ground into coffee before finally sitting down to a cup for yourself. You’ll head back to the resort after your coffee tour for some downtime, dinner, and the night.
Day 9: Departure to Kampala
On the final day of your 9-day Murchison falls, Kidepo valley, and Pian upe wildlife safari, after a leisurely breakfast, you’ll check out of the lodge and be transferred back to Kampala by your driver guide. Your driver guide will pick you up from your hotel in the morning and take you to Entebbe International Airport for your departure flight or drop you off at any destination you advise before returning to Kampala for the night.
End of the 9 Days Murchison Falls Kidepo Pian Upe Safari
Inclusions
- Park entrance fees/ game drives
- Boat cruise fees
- Karamajong cultural tour
- Hiking Sipi waterfalls
- An English speaking driver guide
- Full board accommodation
- Pick up and drop off
- 4 WD pop up safari vehicle and fuel
- Bottled drinking water
Exclusions
- International air flight tickets
- Visas
- Optional activities not included on the itinerary
- Personal expenses like buying souvenirs, crafts, drinks, laundry services, hiring a porter, tips among others.
