A 5-day Big Five safari gives you the perfect window to spot lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, and buffaloes. Starting right from your location in Gulu, your most efficient route is to combine Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (for rhinos) with Murchison Falls National Park (for the other four).
A typical Northern Circuit itinerary departing from Gulu looks like this:

Day 1: Gulu to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary & Murchison Falls
Morning Drive: Travel roughly 100 km (1.5 to 2 hours) from Gulu to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Take a guided, on-foot trek to track the endangered white rhinos.
Afternoon Transfer: Continue to Murchison Falls (approx. 2.5 hours). Enter the park to catch the sunset and check into your chosen lodge (like Paraa Safari Lodge or Red Chilli Rest Camp).

Day 2: The Murchison Delta & Falls
Morning Game Drive: Head out early to search for lions, leopards, elephants, and Cape buffaloes across the rolling savannah plains.
Afternoon Boat Cruise: Take an afternoon boat safari up the Nile River to the base of the roaring Murchison Falls, where you'll spot hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.

Day 3: Top of the Falls & Chimpanzee Tracking
Morning Hike: Drive up to the "Top of the Falls" to experience the sheer force of the Nile squeezing through a narrow 7-meter gorge.
Afternoon Activity: Head to Budongo Forest to track habituated chimpanzees.

Day 4: Full Day Game Drives (Buligi Track)
All-Day Exploration: Spend your full day doing game drives along the Buligi, Albert, and Queen tracks to maximize your chances of crossing all Big Five off your list.

Day 5: Departure
Enjoy a final sunrise game drive before departing Murchison Falls National Park and heading back to Gulu or down to Entebbe/Kampala.