Two of Uganda’s greatest wildernesses in one journey: the thundering Nile at Murchison Falls, then the wide, wild plains of Kidepo Valley in the far north-east.
This journey links Uganda’s largest national park with its most remote. At Murchison Falls you see the Nile at its most powerful and search for lions and giraffes on the northern plains. Then the road leads north-east to Kidepo Valley, a vast, quiet savannah ringed by mountains on the borders of South Sudan and Kenya.
Kidepo is often visited by air, but driving there from Murchison shows you northern Uganda and turns two separate safaris into one journey. The overnight in Gulu breaks the long drive, and the flight back to Entebbe at the end saves two days on the road. Read Kidepo Valley wilderness.
Expect long drives on days one, three and four, on paved roads to Gulu and Kitgum and good murram roads into Kidepo. The reward is solitude: in Kidepo you may watch lions on a kopje with no other vehicle in sight. Evenings at the lodges are peaceful, often with buffalo or elephants at a nearby waterhole.
Kidepo is hot by day and cool at night. Bring sun protection, a warm layer for early drives, and binoculars for distant game on the plains.
Two nights near Paraa in Murchison, one in Gulu, then three in Kidepo at Apoka Safari Lodge, Kidepo Savannah Lodge or the simpler Apoka Rest Camp.
Drive north from Kampala to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and track white rhinos on foot with a ranger. Continue through Masindi into Murchison Falls National Park and stop at the top of the falls, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge and crashes 43 metres below.
Cross the Nile at dawn for a game drive on the northern plains, the best area for lions, giraffes, elephants and buffalo. After lunch, take the launch trip up the Victoria Nile to the foot of the falls, past hippos, crocodiles and huge numbers of birds.
Take the morning cruise downstream to the papyrus delta where the Nile enters Lake Albert, with a chance of the shoebill. Then leave the park by the northern gate and drive to Gulu, the main town of northern Uganda, for the night. Breaking the journey here keeps the next day’s drive comfortable.
Drive north-east through Kitgum into Karamoja, where the land opens into huge plains ringed by mountains. Enter Kidepo Valley National Park in the afternoon and look for buffalo, elephants and zebras in the Narus Valley on the way to your lodge.
Spend a full day exploring the Narus Valley, the heart of Kidepo’s wildlife. Lions often rest on the rocky kopjes, and cheetahs, ostriches, Jackson’s hartebeest and large herds of buffalo roam the grasslands. Kidepo is home to species found nowhere else in Uganda, including the cheetah and the ostrich.
In the morning, drive towards the Kidepo River and the Kanangorok hot springs near the South Sudan border, through dry, beautiful country with few other vehicles. In the afternoon, visit a Karamojong homestead to learn about the cattle-keeping culture of this region.
Take a scheduled flight from Kidepo’s Apoka airstrip back to Entebbe, arriving around midday. Alternatively, drive back over two days with a night in Gulu.
Lodges shown match the quoted price. Ask us about mid-range and luxury upgrades.
Yes, if you want true wilderness. Kidepo has cheetahs and ostriches found nowhere else in Uganda, and you may see no other vehicles all day.
About 8–9 hours by road via Gulu and Kitgum, which is why we break the journey with a night in Gulu.
Yes. Scheduled flights link Kidepo with Entebbe and save two days of driving.
The dry season from September to March, when animals gather in the Narus Valley. The roads are also easier.
Yes. Gulu and Kidepo are peaceful and welcoming. We follow current advice and travel with experienced driver-guides.
Short break 4 daysRhinos on foot, chimpanzees in a mahogany forest, the most powerful waterfall on the Nile and the big game of Uganda’s largest park, in four unhurried days from Kampala.
Honeymoon 12 daysAdventure and romance: fly in to trek gorillas in Bwindi, see tree-climbing lions and the Kazinga Channel, then fly to Zanzibar for Stone Town and six nights on the beach.
Signature 18 daysThe ultimate East African journey across four countries: chimps and gorillas in Uganda, golden monkeys in Rwanda, the Masai Mara in Kenya and the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania.
Change the dates, add a night, upgrade a lodge or combine it with Rwanda or Kenya. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll send a revised plan and price.
