Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park which is located in the far northwest of Uganda and is the largest in Uganda, where the Victoria Nile River passes through a narrow gap over a massive drop. Murchison Falls National Park sits on an area of over 3,893 km² along the shores of Lake Albert about 6 hours drive from Kampala city.

Murchison Falls National Park has a lot to offer you with absolutely must see the beautiful falls top and the bottom are amazing and how enormous the falls are, the big five animals, and hippos, a boat cruise is also recommended where you get to see several birds. You would want to stay here forever.

The park boasts as one of the most popular national parks in the country as exemplified by the number of attractions it is endowed with. It is rich in the bio-diversity composition of animals and plants, its majestic falls and as well as unrivalled scenery sights of the northern section.

Wildlife

Murchison Falls National Park harbours 76 species of mammals in the park including the big five with huge herds of buffaloes, elephants, leopards, lions, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks and there are over chimpanzees living in Kaniyo Pabidi and Budongo forest.

Other primates include: Olive baboons, blue and red-tailed monkeys, and black-and-white colobus can be sighted in the forested sectors and with over 451 species recorded including the rare Shoebill Stock that can be spotted at the banks of Nile-Lake Albert Delta, the Goliath Heron and pairs of elegant Grey Crowned Cranes which is Uganda’s national bird.

The banks of the Nile also harbour the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, and Squacco Heron, the Lake Albert Delta is home to rare shoebill storks. There are game fish in the cascades of Karuma Falls.

Mammals

The park is seated on an area of 3,893 km² which is subjugated by woodland, wetland, Savannah as well as tropical forest, this has led to the presence of huge mammals 76 within the park.

Among the big mammals include hippo, Rothschild’s giraffe, warthog, cape buffalo, Uganda kob, hartebeest and elephants. While on the boat cruise, a spectacular view with lots of wildlife on the shores is still very successful, plus close encounters with hippos and gorgeous malachite kingfishers and lucky enough to see elephants along the water edge.

Bird Species

For bird watchers, the park hosts over 451 species plus 36 Migratory birds are present from November to April, being birders paradise the rare Shoebill Stock that can be spotted at the banks of Nile-Lake Albert Delta, the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet, Black-headed Gonolek, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Piapiac, silver bird, Weaver Birds, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eater and more.

Activities

Game Drive

The game drives/ game viewing encounters in Murchison Falls National Park are best done at 6:30 am and are also conducted in the evening starting at 4 pm, which takes 3 to 4 hours while searching animals.

The drive takes you through the Nyamsika cliffs where buffaloes and groups of lions meet to drink water continues to the open savanna along Sambiya – Karuma road provides possible sights of Kobs, Jackson Hartebeest, oribi, baboon, and waterbuck. The elephants and lions can also be seen in the area but rarely. The ideal game viewing is conducted in the area between Victoria Nile Delta and Paraa – Pakwach road.

Boat Cruise

It is a wonderful opportunity to observe this strange animal in its natural environment, imagine seeing the Nile with such cataracts even more birds, which are rare elsewhere can be spotted. The trip to the fall is beautiful with an amazing experience you can share with a leopard and crocodile.

There are two boat cruises on the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park. There is the boat upstream to the bottom of the falls (Murchison Falls) which is the most powerful waterfall in the world and the boat downstream to the Victoria Nile delta stretching to the shores of Lake Albert.

The counts of Hippos and Nile crocodiles thrive in the river waters while the wild game including elephants, waterbucks, buffaloes, kobs and rarely giraffes tend to gather on the banks in search of drinking water. The bird species such as rare and vulnerable shoebill stork, saddle billed stork, goliath heron, eagle, African Jacana and so on.

Top Of The Falls

The top of the falls is the best as you can hear the sound of water flowing through the escarpments. When you move a little closer it slashes on you as though dew is falling thus cooling your body, to be involved in such activity, one has to decide on two possible ways through which tourists on safari in Uganda can explore the beautiful falls.

One has to hike to the top of the falls by taking a boat cruise from Paraa jetty up to the bottom of the falls and from there one disembarks on the boat and embarks on the hike following the course of the Nile River as it forges its way through a hard rock crushing its head on and it offers you stunning view with a permanent rainbow view at the top of the Murchison Falls. On the other hand, one has to drive 15km starting through branching off from the Masindi – Paraa road close to Sambiya River Lodge which requires a careful drive since the road is slippery.

Bird Watching

Murchison Falls National Park gives you an experience of the richness of bird species, especially for bird lovers. The best ideal point to spot bird species include silver Bird, Blue-naped Mousebirds, Grey-crowned Crane, Bluff-bellied Warblers, Goliath Heron, Black-headed Batis, Black-headed Gonolek, Green-winged Ptyilia, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Long-toed Plover, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Saddle-billed Stork, Spotted Morning-Thrush, Spotted and Verreaux’s Owls, Long-tailed and Pennant-winged Nightjars, standard-winged Nightjar, White-backed Night Heron and Pel’s Fishing Owl and Kaniyo Pabidi offers opportunities of spotting a wide range of species including; Swallow-tailed and so on.

Culture Visit In Murchison Falls National Park

This makes Uganda a top tour and safari destination in the world especially for travellers who are interested in having an entirely new cultural experience in Murchison Falls. Therefore visiting the falls offers you diverse communities to the tribes of Uganda the Boomu Women’s community tours exploring the heritage of the Banyoro culture and their everyday life. The encounter is experientially ranging from participating in blacksmith to food preparation to cultivation, and craft making among others, Alur and Acholi are also worthwhile.

Nature Walk And Hiking

With its massive experience in hiking and nature walking in Murchison Fall National Park which is done after one chooses from a variety of areas to do so, Budongo Forest is one of the best areas to hike when it comes to Murchison Falls National Park and you can see a variety of wildlife, monkeys, and birds.

You can also go on guided walks in the Chobe area of the park. The new Baker Trail you through Lake Albert and follow the trail of the Discoverers Samuel and Florence Baker. Kaniyo Pabidi nature walk takes you through chimpanzee tracking and seeing the big ironwood and Mahogany trees, birds can be spotted such as the Hornbills and chocolate-backed kingfishers among others.

Sport Fishing In Murchison Falls National Park

Fishing in Murchison Falls is done all year around and normally takes place along the Nile River which involves catching fish by casting lures; this method is used for catching larger fish species like the Nile perch and some catfish, it’s an ideal opportunity to explore such an activity within Murchison Falls National Park.

Best Time

If you’re looking for recommendations about the best time to visit Murchison Falls National Park, the dry seasonal months of December to March and June to July are considered the perfect time for a safari holiday.

Getting There

It takes about a 5-hour drive from Kampala city to cover the distance of about 305 km. On the other hand, one can decide to use air means from the Kajjansi airstrip in Entebbe direct to Pakuba Airstrip in Murchison Fall National Park.

Accommodation

Murchison Fall National Park brings you international service in the park if you’re planning a safari in Murchison Falls where retiring at night is essential as mentioned here Paraa Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge and Kabalega Wilderness Lodge luxury/Upmarket safari lodges in Murchison Falls national park also rest chilli rest camp, Sambiya river lodge, Geo lodge shoebill campsite, Yebo safari camp available in Murchison falls.