5 Days Big 5 Kidepo Safari

Entebbe / Kampala → Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary → Gulu · Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Depart early from Entebbe or Kampala and drive north toward Kidepo. Stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Masindi for an on-foot rhino tracking experience — the only opportunity in Uganda to encounter wild southern white rhinos. After lunch at the sanctuary, continue north, crossing the mighty River Nile at Karuma Falls, and proceed to Gulu town for your overnight stay at Bomah Hotel. Meals: Lunch and Dinner included.

On-foot rhino tracking at Ziwa — Uganda's only wild rhino population

Gulu → Kidepo Valley National Park — First Game Drive · Kidepo Valley National Park

After breakfast, continue the drive northeast through the increasingly dramatic Karamoja landscape to Kidepo Valley National Park — one of Africa's most remote and least-visited wilderness areas. Arrive in time for lunch at Kidepo Savannah Lodge, a mid-range property bordering the park without fences, putting you directly in the heart of the bush. In the afternoon, head out for your first game drive across the Narus Valley plains, scanning for elephants, buffaloes, zebras, lions, and the park's remarkable diversity of birds. Dinner and overnight at Kidepo Savannah Lodge. Meals: All included.

First game drive in Uganda's most remote Big Five wilderness

Full Day Game Drives & Hot Springs Walk · Kidepo Valley National Park

Set out at dawn for a morning game drive to witness the early activities of Kidepo's wildlife. Look out for elephants, warthogs, duikers, Jackson's hartebeest, lions, leopards, zebras, Rothschild's giraffes, massive buffalo herds, cheetahs, and a wealth of bird species including the rare ostrich and Kori bustard. Return to the lodge for a restful afternoon lunch break. In the late afternoon, enjoy another game drive leading to the Kidepo hot springs, where you can walk around the fascinating geothermal streams bubbling up through the savannah floor. Dinner and overnight at Kidepo Savannah Lodge. Meals: All included.

Hot springs walk and Big Five game drives — cheetahs and ostriches in the wild

Narus Valley Game Drive & Karimojong Cultural Village · Kidepo Valley National Park

After breakfast, embark on a morning game drive through the Narus Valley — the park's prime zone for wildlife and birdwatching, particularly productive as animals converge on the permanent water sources during the dry season. In the evening, visit a nearby Karimojong village for one of Uganda's most immersive cultural encounters. Discover the unique beliefs, values, and traditions of this proud pastoralist community, handle traditional tools and admire intricate beadwork and jewellery, and join the villagers in their vigorous and joyful leaping dance. Dinner and overnight at Kidepo Savannah Lodge. Meals: All included.

Karimojong community village visit — leaping dances, beadwork, and traditional crafts

Final Morning → Return to Entebbe · Kidepo Valley National Park

Enjoy an early breakfast and take in the last of Kidepo's extraordinary landscapes before checking out and beginning the long drive south to Entebbe or Kampala. The scenic journey passes through Gulu, across the Nile, and down through central Uganda, with stops as needed along the way. Drop-off at Entebbe International Airport or your Kampala hotel, marking the end of your Kidepo Big 5 Safari.