During a stay in Uganda, you and your fellow travelers embark on a weekend safari trip to Murchison Falls National Park. The focus of your stay is the medical experience gained from the hospital internship, but we also ensure that you and your fellow travelers can explore Uganda’s many opportunities in your free time. Therefore, the safari tour is an integral part of the program and is included in your stay. For those who have never been on safari, it’s a unique experience to see wild animals such as elephants, giraffes, hippos, antelopes, buffaloes, leopards, and lions in their natural habitats. Just being on the savanna at sunrise amidst the beautiful nature and picturesque surroundings is truly special.
Video from the September 2019 weekend safari trip with Try Medics team.
The journey takes travelers from the Try Medics house in Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park on a Friday morning. The drive to the park takes about 6 hours, passing through the main city of Kampala along the way. Upon arrival at the park entrance, lunch is served to keep energy levels high before starting to spot the animals in the national park.
The national park is vast, covering an area of approximately 3900 square kilometers. The entrance gate used to enter the park is in the southern part, characterized by rainforests. After just a few minutes’ drive, you’ll spot baboons hanging along the roadside. There’s also a good chance of seeing the red or black-and-white colobus monkey. As you drive from the southern to the northern part of the park, you’ll experience a landscape change from rainforest to savanna. The savanna resembles scenes from “The Lion King” and is where you can spot lions, elephants, giraffes, antelopes, buffaloes, leopards, various bird species, and more. If you’re lucky, you might be greeted by Pumbaa, as there are many warthogs in the park.
Murchison Falls Waterfall
The first stop in the park is at Murchison Falls, which is part of the Nile River. The waterfall is 43 meters high, and the water is pushed between two cliff walls that are only 7 meters apart. The Nile River runs through the national park, dividing it into its southern and northern parts. After seeing the waterfall, the Nile is crossed, and the drive across the savanna begins. You’ll feel at one with nature as the park’s lush scenery extends as far as the eye can see. Furthermore, there won’t be any man-made noise or sight of people. After a long day, you and your fellow travelers spend the night in the middle of the park at a hotel. A good night’s sleep will be needed as breakfast is served around 5:30-6:00 am on Saturday, so you can head out to the savanna again for sunrise.
Local Safari Guides
There will be local guides with you throughout the trip who know the park’s areas well and are adept at spotting animals. They’ll do their best to help you experience as many animals in the park as possible and will continuously explain about the different species you encounter. Did you know, for example, that an elephant’s gestation period is 22 months? The guides will provide many interesting facts about the animals you’ll see during the trip. Saturday morning will involve driving through the park. After lunch, there will be an afternoon boat safari where you can observe animals in the water and along its banks. Here, you can see hippos, crocodiles, various bird species, and more. The boat takes you right up to the base of the waterfall. After the boat tour, you and your fellow travelers will check into a hotel right across from the park. On Sunday morning after a good breakfast, you’ll visit a rhinoceros sanctuary. The sanctuary aims to increase the rhinoceros population in Uganda, as it is an endangered species. The ultimate goal is for the rhinos to return to the wild once the population reaches a certain size. When visiting the sanctuary, you’ll have the opportunity to go on a guided trekking tour and experience the rhinos up close. After lunch on Sunday at the sanctuary, the trip continues back to the Try Medics house in Entebbe so you can be well-rested for a new week of internship at the hospital.
Unique Experience
Safari is a truly unique experience, primarily found in African countries. It’s a must-do when in Africa and a unique experience you won’t regret having. Uganda is known as the pearl of Africa, and the country’s national parks are one of the reasons for it.”
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