14 Days Cultural Tour of Northern Uganda

Destinations visited: Sipi Falls, Mt. Elgon, Mount Oret, Kidepo valley and Murchison Falls National parks.

Sun Africa Expeditions strives to be an innovative leader in the industry and takes its responsibility by bringing you to places where no one else will go. One of these examples is Karamoja – an arid area in North Eastern Uganda inhabited by the Karamajong. These cattle-herding natives are related to the Maasai in Kenya in their dress, language, and ways of life.

In addition to the life-changing experience that you’ll have with a karamajong family, you will also be able to go on a Big 5safari, birding and hiking, and learn more about the nomadic life of the native karamajong people who have lived in this semi-arid region for centuries.

Perfect for the adventurous cultural excursionist, this journey delivers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to immerse fully into a cultural expedition of Northern Uganda whilst exploring Big 5 territory.

Day to Day Itinerary:

• Day 1: Welcome to Uganda.
• Days 2 – 4: Sipi Falls awaits
• Days 5 – 6: Explore Kalongo
• Days 7 – 8: Karamajong Culture immersion
• Days 8 – 10: Safari in Kidepo National Park
• Day 10: To Gulu town.
• Day 11: Hands on craft making experience
• Days 11 – 13: Big 5 safari
• Day 14: farewell Uganda Goodbye Uganda

Day 1: Welcome to Uganda

Upon arrival at Entebbe Airport, meet our representative, greet and transfer to your hotel/lodge. Depending on how you feel, you can optionally indulge in a brief city tour, or relax by the pool or your room terrace with a million dollar view of Kampala suburbs and Lake Victoria.

Days 2 – 4: Sipi Falls awaits

A drive through the eastern part of Uganda takes you to beautiful Sipi Falls, on a plateau 1800m above sea level. The Sipi River flows over the foothills of Mount Elgon, forming a spectacular series of waterfalls (some nearly 100m high), surrounded by village walking trails and lush green coffee-producing hills. You will stay in a wonderful lodge. From your lodge you have beautiful views over one of the waterfalls.

Sipi Falls is the home of Bugisu Washed Arabica Coffee – one of the finest coffee’s in the world. Our coffee tour gives you the chance to learn the process behind making this coffee. Talk to the farmers, see the plantations and then roast your own coffee to take home with you.

Prepare yourself for a beautiful day in paradise. Choose to go on a 3-hour or for the real adventurers 7-hour hike through the region. A local guide accompanies you on your hike to explain flora, fauna and culture.

Whichever option you choose, you can be certain that you pass many picturesque waterfalls, plantations and caves. Local villagers will be sure to greet you with ‘Jambo!’ and beaming smiles.

You can relax at the lodge or choose from any of our optional activities listed below;

• Coffee Tours.
• Paragliding
• Mountain Biking
• Climbing/Abseiling
• Mt Elgon Trekking and day hikes
• Bird Watching
• Fly Fishing
• Community tour

Days 5 – 6: Explore Kalongo

You’ll have a long and bumpy ride ahead of you. The duration of the drive depends on weather and road conditions and could take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. It will, however, never be boring as there are many beautiful landscapes and interesting villages that can be viewed and enjoyed during the journey. At the end of the day you will reach the pleasant town of Lira where you can relax from the road trip in a simple, but clean and comfortable accommodation. From Lira, you will head towards the mountain on the horizon to the town of Kalongo.

Climb Mt Oret or visit Shea Butter project

While here, you can choose between two activities: hike to the top of Mt Oret or have a guided visit of the Shea butter production project in nearby Pader. With a trained guide you can opt to climb Mount Oret from the top of which you will have a stunning view over the vast Acholi region. The hike will take 3 to 4 hours and a local lunch will be served at the summit. Make sure you bring good hiking shoes and sun protection. AVSI intends to use the proceedings coming from the travelers to support the secondary education and vocational training of the youth in Kalongo.

Shea butter is cream-colored oil extracted from the nut of the African Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) and is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer. Shea butter is also edible and is used in food preparation in many parts of the continent. You can visit this women’s group and assist them in their daily work and learn how products are made. The Acholi people are also known for their tasty food. Women will prepare a meal for you using the Shea butter as one of the main ingredients. Of course, you can also buy some of the products to take home.

You’re only half way….there is more to come!

Days 7 – 8: Karamajong Cultural immersion

Sun Africa Expeditions strives to be an innovative leader in the industry and takes its responsibility by bringing you to places where no one else will go. One of these examples is Karamoja – an arid area in North Eastern Uganda inhabited by the Karamajong. These cattle-herding natives are related to the Maasai in Kenya in their dress, language, and ways of life.

You will have the rare chance to visit an authentic Karamajong village outside the small town of Kotido. All of this is in cooperation with the Ugandan Red Cross, which works in this region. All profits from this tour go to support the local efforts of the organization.

You will get to visit a manyatta, the traditional home of the Karamajong. A Red Cross Volunteer will guide you in this authentic experience that will start with a prayer from the elders. Karamajong people are not so used to interacting with tourists, so before beginning the visit we will ask you to sign the “code of conduct” with basic guidelines about how to avoid cultural interference. This will ensure a sustainable tourism model that does not corrupt local traditions and ways of life.

Tourist infrastructure does not exist in Kotido. Please be patient and do not expect the services from hotels and restaurants that you would expect in other parts of Uganda. You will spend the night at the Church of Uganda.

Cattle Market en-route to Kidepo National Park The Karamojong are the most distinctive group in northeast Uganda and known primarily for their love of cattle and cattle rustling and their resistance to modern civilization.

If you can plan your tour to arrive in Kotido on a Wednesday you’ll have the chance to experience an authentic Karamajong cattle market. Some herders walk for 5 hours to be able to buy or sell their goats, cows or chicken here. It’s a colorful and stunning sight and one of the few remaining authentic experiences. Don’t miss this!

After this thrilling experience it is time to enter into the most remote and pristine national park in the country, Kidepo Valley National Park. The park has some of the most amazing scenery in the country! For many people this is the most beautiful park of Uganda. Here you will find almost no tourists leaving you free to enjoy the park and its unique combination of wildlife without distraction. You will stay in a nice semi-luxury Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp which will be a welcome change from the past few nights.

Days 8 – 10: Safari in Kidepo

In Kidepo Valley National Park you will find zebras, giraffes, elephants, lions and leopards. This is also the only place in Uganda where you can find the cheetah and ostrich. Kidepo is famous for its lions relaxing on the rocks – a scene which may remind you of a certain Disney film. You might even be very lucky to spot a leopard or cheetah! Besides the 4×4 safaris you can also take a walking Safari in the park with an armed ranger.

Day 10: Travel to Gulu town

Today, you’ll face a long, bumpy and dusty drive to the sizeable town of Gulu, so get ready for the “African Massage!”

We don’t have any activities planned today as we expect you will want to rest after a tiresome morning. It is possible, however, to have a stroll around this “wild wild west” town of the north. You will stay in a comfortable hotel with air-conditioned rooms.

Day 11: Hands on Craft making experience

After an early breakfast you will visit the Wawoto Kacel Cooperative – a social arts & crafts centre created in 1997 with the help of the NGO Camboni Samaritans. In the morning, you can follow one of two hands-on workshops: either African jewelry or banana fiber postcard. The workshops will be guided by the women themselves and you can keep your own creations. After the workshop you are welcome to visit their gift shop, to see if there is anything interesting to bring back home.

After this wonderful experience, you will sit down for lunch and then continue your journey to Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area. You will be staying at a great mid-range lodge just outside the park where you can relax the rest of your day. The lodge is built in the style of the old forts and offers great service and a nice view over the River Nile.

Days 11 – 13: Big 5 Territory

Murchison Falls is Uganda’s best highlight with exceptional wildlife and landscape. The meandering Victoria Nile and the dramatic Murchison Falls neatly bisecting Uganda’s largest park, you’d expect a wide range of animals at Murchison Falls and you’d be right. It’s a stunning habitat for wildlife and it’s where to go in Uganda for classic big game species.

Explore Murchison Falls National Park: You rise at dawn to sip on a freshly brewed hot drink and watch trails of mist lift off the Savannah grassland. Enjoy a quick breakfast in the dining room before heading out into the park with your guide. This region is endowed with a wonderful diversity of habitats that in turn support a plethora of bird and animal species. Grassy plains are dotted with Giraffes, elephants that trumpet when you get too close, hyenas, leopards, warthogs, kob- an antelope species found only in central Africa that are an important prey species for the lions. The lions themselves are known for their black manes! Acacia woodlands and forested areas are a vital habitat for a number of bird species. The Budongo Forest sits in a huge area of the Rift Valley floor, and this moist semi-deciduous medium-altitude forest is home to a great number of species, including chimpanzees.

Buffalo roam the grasslands and plains, and these huge bovids are particularly fond of wallowing in mud found in marshy areas. This can give them a comical appearance as they emerge caked in a thick layer of mud, but as your guide will tell you, they are far from comical when faced with danger! On the second afternoon, a 3hour Boat Cruise along the Victoria Nile will lead you to the base of the Murchison Falls. Along the way, you will be able to view a wide variety of birds and wildlife; numerous hippos, elephants and crocodiles, as well as breathtaking scenery.

Before checking out of the park, you’ll cross the Nile with a small ferry and proceed to drive to the top of the powerful Murchison Falls (Baker’s summit) to marvel at the spectacular Nile dropping in a wave of rapids into a 7metre wide Rock gorge on its way to the Albert.

Rhino trekking at Zziwa: Depart Murchison falls heading to Kampala. En-route, trek rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary- this Rhino reserve is a true success story of the revival of rhinoceros after the extreme poaching that killed the last rhino in Uganda in 1982. Doing this guided trek gets you “up close and personal” to these special animals that are among “Africa’s Big five.”

Day 14: Farewell Uganda

After a comfortable night at the Cassia Lodge, savor a leisurely breakfast before heading to Entebbe International Airport for your flight home.

This marks the end of what we hope will be an adventurous trip- Thank you very much!!

Luggage

PLEASE be reminded that the luggage allowance on our inbound schedule flights is strictly 15KGS PER PERSON and that SOFT BAGS are highly recommended, if not essential. In light aircraft the baggage area and weight allowance is limited. Hard Samsonite type suitcases do not fit into the cargo compartment easily, if at all. Due to limited space available for storage in safari vehicles, we strongly recommend use soft duffle bags rather than hard suitcases.

Your contract

A binding contract will come into existence once Sun Africa Expeditions and yourself agree on the itinerary and quote provided for the same. The booking will then be considered confirmed when an invoice is issued. Your contract for the services chosen will be direct with the relevant supplier(s). Your supplier contact will be governed by the laws of the country in which the supplier is located and will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of that country.

Reservations, Payment and Deposits

When Sun Africa Expeditions has accepted your booking, the date of the confirmation invoice activates the terms and conditions of the contract. Confirmation of services is subject to payment of a non-refundable deposit of 15% of the total invoiced amount. The balance is to be paid not later than 30 days prior to commencement of the services. When bookings are made within 30 days prior to the departure date, full payment is required immediately on written confirmation.

All bookings are subject to availability at the time of booking and cannot be guaranteed except for scheduled departures.

Prices

Prices are quoted in US dollars. All prices are subject to change without prior notice. Should prices or costs from suppliers increase due to inflation, currency depreciation and fuel surcharges, then Sun Africa Expeditions will not have any other option than to pass on the same to you. All suppliers reserve the right to increase prices at any time of the year when costs increase outside the control of the supplier. Please note that when the clients’ itinerary overlaps two seasons, the price will be prorated over the two seasons.

Rates include but are not limited to the following services specified in the itinerary. Accommodation with meals, tours, transport, driver/guide, park entrance fees, hotel taxes and service charges.

Rates exclude (Unless otherwise specified), Medical Air Rescue services, Porter-age, domestic Air Charters, Visa fees, beverages, laundry, telephone calls, scheduled flights, gratuities and all expenses of personal nature.

NB: Flying doctor services are Optional at USD 25 per pax (Subject to change and vendor terms & conditions).

Child rate: – is only applicable to one or two children under 12 years sharing a room with 2 adults. In the case of 02 children sharing a room with parents, the two children will share a bed, as most hotels/lodges cannot accommodate a fourth bed. 01 child sharing a room with 01 adult will be charged full adult rate.

Single Room Policy

Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but the suppliers do not guarantee singles. Single rooms are scarce and cannot be guaranteed even if paid for at twin sole use rate. Where this occurs an appropriate refund will be made by the supplier to the client. Suppliers will only allow a maximum of 3 single rooms per group at a single room rate except for high end luxury camps where single rooms are limited to only 02 singles.

Cancellation Policy

Should you wish to cancel your confirmed booking, you must advise the company in writing.

Reservations that are cancelled, reduced in length of stay or reduced in numbers (hereinafter collectively called a CANCELLATION) are subject to Cancellation and No Show fees if cancelled within 30 days of the arrival date:

55 days to 41 days prior to arrival: 25%
40 days to 22 days prior to arrival: 35%
21 days to 15 days prior to arrival: 50%
14 days to 07 days prior to arrival: 65%
06 days to 03 days prior to arrival: 80%

Within 48 hours and after commencement of holiday: 100%. Once the holiday has commenced no refund will be made. The figures expressed are percentage of the total tour price.

Cancellation: Although it rarely happens, and Sun Africa Expeditions will do their utmost to avoid doing so. Sun Africa Expeditions must reserve the right to cancel tours and other arrangements. Where your holiday is cancelled (other than due to your default in payment) due to unavoidable circumstances beyond our control e.g. Natural disaster or over booking, Sun Africa Expeditions will offer you the choice of purchasing an alternative holiday.

Force Majeure

The expression “force majeure” means any event which the supplier(s) in question could not have foreseen or avoided even with all due care. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions, government action and all similar circumstances outside the suppliers’ control. In these circumstances the suppliers shall not be liable to pay any compensation or otherwise be responsible for any expenses or losses you incur where supplier is forced as a result to cancel, delay, curtail or change your holiday arrangements in any way or where the performance or prompt performance of the supplier’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected. Complaints

In the unlikely event that a tour member has a dispute whilst on safari this must immediately be brought to the attention (and put on record) of the local representative, Hotel, Lodge or Camp management. It is likely that the tour member’s complaint will be satisfactorily resolved there and then. If, however, this is not the case and the tour member wishes to pursue the matter on their return from safari, it is essential the complaint be communicated in writing to Sun Africa Expeditions within 21 days of the end of tour quoting tour reference, destination and departure date.

Responsibility of Sun Africa Expeditions

Sun Africa Expeditions acts only as the Agent for the suppliers and shall not in any event be liable for any negligence, breach of contract or acts of omission on the part of suppliers, their employees or any other Agent, it shall be the responsibility of all customers including (without limitations) Tour members, Tour Operators and Travel Agents, to read and familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of suppliers. Sun Africa Expeditions liability for its own negligence or breach of contract shall be limited to the Tour price.

Transportation

Safari Minibuses, Cars, Land Cruisers and coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. Sun Africa Expeditions reserves the right to employ services of sub-contractors. Multi-lingual driver guides are provided on request. For flying packages, clients will share vehicles with other guests booked at the hotel. For exclusive use, please check with Sun Africa Expeditions for supplements, which will be subject to availability.

Insurance

The hazards of travelling in Africa may inevitably rise to some risks and dangers. It is therefore a condition of booking that all tour members must have sufficient and appropriate travel insurance for the duration of their tour. Such insurance (which is not supplied by Sun Africa Expeditions) should fully cover all personal requirements including death, personal injury, medical expenses, and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, cancellation or curtailment of the tour members’ personal property.

Special Requests

Any special requests (e.g. for single rooms or particular diet) must be notified in writing when the booking is made. Whilst the supplier will endeavour to meet such requests they cannot be guaranteed and any failure to comply will not be a breach of contract.

Sun Africa Expeditions services include flight re-confirmation and airport assistance within Africa if clients are provided all services by Sun Africa Expeditions. In cases whereby Sun Africa Expeditions is providing part of the services and the clients have other arrangements of their own, then Sun Africa Expeditions will only reconfirm where forwarding address or contacts are provided.

Itineraries

Demand for safaris can be high and may lead to shortage of lodge/hotel accommodation. All bookings will be confirmed, but no occasions changes may be necessary. Hotels/Lodges/camps, here specifically named are given as an indication of the category and rooms may be reserved at similar lodges/ hotels/camps. We undertake to advise you of any changes known to us prior to departure, but the possibility of change without notice, must be acceptable when booking. Where ever possible we book rooms with private baths showers throughout on the basis of two persons sharing a double room. Single rooms are available at supplementary cost but neither single rooms nor rooms with private bath/shower can be guaranteed.

Safari minibuses cars, four wheel drive vehicles or coaches will be provided according to the route and number of participants. The right is reserved to employ the services of subcontractors. Multi-lingual chauffer/guides are provided. Occasional mechanical problems, changes of lodge or adverse road conditions may in turn lead to a change of routing or game viewing without prior notice being given. We reserve the right to offer substitutes of equal value or to cancel the operation of any tour. In practice, very few itineraries are affected but a little flexibility on your part will ensure the tour is unique and rewarding.

Website and Brochure Description

Descriptions of accommodation facilities and services in our brochures are shown in good faith, it is however possible that certain facilities or services may be unavailable or limited due to maintenance , adverse weather, local conditions, seasonal restrictions etc.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this website/e-brochure at the time of printing, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore check all details of your holiday booking with your travel agent or supplier at the time of presentation.

The company cannot therefore accept responsibility for any information not contained in this brochure, being confirmed verbally by its staff or representatives unless subsequently reconfirmed in writing by the company.