Murchison Falls National Park is arguably the largest of all Uganda’s National parks, with almost 3,893km2. This park owns the beauty of the wild, with almost 453 species of birds recorded, 76 mammal species including four of the big 5s. With two wild life reserves Karuma and Bugungu this park is located in the Murchison Conservation Area.
Some of the mammal species found in Murchison includes: Lions,Elephants,Leopards,Hippos,Uganda Kob,Bushburcks,Jackson’s hertebeests,Girraffes and some primates like,Baboons,vervet monkeys etc.
Murchison Falls National Park formerly known as Kabalega is located in the northern end of the albertine rift valley. Its safari tours allow visitors to see a lot of wildlife including all the big 5s, four as mentioned up and Rhinos outside the park at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Murchison is bisected by river Nile which forms the iconic Murchison falls, plugging with 40km into an 8meters gorge, it is one of the world’s strongest and most impressive water falls in terms of volume and force, which gives its amazing views with a rainbow trademark.
A safari to Murchison Falls is an opportunity to explore a diversity of habitats including palm-dotted and wooded savannah, tropical forests, and Albertine Delta wetland. These habitats are home to all the wild animals inside the park. The River Nile is home to many hippos and the Nile Crocodiles.
The park offers classic African wildlife viewing safaris especially during the dry season from December to February and June to September is the best time to visit Murchison Falls National Park.
The park is divided into 2 sectors; the southern sector which implies Budongo forest and the northern sector across the Nile River which is the park’s main area for game drives. The ferry service is used to cross vehicles and they are a lot of accommodation options in both sectors.
The northern sector attracts a lot of wild animals, during game drives you will have a chance to see the big four mammals as well as giraffes and a variety of antelopes such as the Uganda Kob, Waterbucks etc.
There plenty of activities in the northern sector of Murchison Falls National Park including game drives, boat cruises to the bottom of the falls or to the wetlands, hot air balloon safari, bird watching, top of the falls safari hike etc. In addition to wild life viewing, visiting Budongo forest in the southern sector of the park provide opportunities for tracking African wild chimpanzees and spotting other primates including: the Black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys and patas monkeys among others.
A honeymoon loop trail has also been opened for honeymooners in the southern sector of the park.
All attractions in Murchison Falls National Park can be visited within a 3 days safari for the shortest holiday break or as part of the Western Uganda tourist circuit.
ACTIVITIES IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
TOP OF THE FALLS HIKE
World’s strongest water falls, Murchison Falls is the park’s spectacular attraction. It is created by the River Nile as it squeezes through an 8 meter gorge and plunges 40 meters over the rock cliff with a thunderous roar into the devil’s cauldron creating the dramatic falls.
Visitors can view the falls both on bottom and on top. The boat cruise from Paraa takes you along the Nile towards the bottom of the falls. Those who want to hike to the top; you get off and stand on the rock that is 10 meters away for up close views. While the boat cruises back to paraa. The climb high on the cliff to the top of the falls is easy taking about 15 minutes.
The view point on the top of the falls offers spectacular views of the falls from a above and the endless flow of the Nile towards Lake Albert. The boat cruise downstream the Nile takes visitors 10 meters closer to the bottom of the falls.
WILDLIFE VIEWING IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Wildlife is most concentrated I the northern sector of Murchison Falls due to presence of open savannah grasslands than in the south which has a lot of thickets and bushes
Wildlife highlights that Murchison Falls National Park is most famous for are large herds of African Elephants, Buffaloes, Rothschild’s Giraffe and the chance to spot them is guaranteed. However, there’s always of finding less or more animals near the tracks.
Various species of antelopes are actually abundant as you drive along the tracks you are likely to see the Uganda Kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, bush bucks Oribi and many more. Game drives in search of predators include: Lions, Leopard and spotted hyenas which normally go off track since these animals tend to rest under trees away from the main game drive track.
Generally game drives will cover some long distances as you rotate on tracks to maximize chances of spotting animals especially predators. Nevertheless off tracking is not allowed but where necessary.
It is no doubt Murchison falls offers good wildlife viewing safaris, the wooded grasslands also attract one of the largest concentrations of patas monkeys known in East Africa.
BOAT CRUISE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FALLS OR TO THE DELTA WETLAND
The Nile is the world’s longest River and the best way to explore its aquatic life including hippos, Nile Crocodiles ad water birds is by boat cruise. The Nile waters provide water for large mammals like Elephants and Buffaloes which come to drink along the banks.
There two kinds of boats: the leisure double decked boats to the bottom of the falls and an exclusive boat ride to the delta wetland. The motorized speed boat is mainly for exploring the Nile Albert swamp when searching for shoe bill stork, their chances to see hippos or even lions as they tend to rest just close to the banks.
There several boats which includes; Wild Frontiers Boat, Uganda wildlife Boat, and Paraa Safari Lodge Boat. All are double decked and can accommodate 30 to 40 people on board. They leave Paraa the starting point and cruise along the bank of River Nile where you can spot Elephants, hippos, Nile Crocodiles, and water birds. Finally the boat stops some 30 meters away to the bottom of the falls and those who want to hike to the top will get off and get a rock that’s10 meters close to the hills.
SPORT FISHING ON THE NILE
Sport fishing is carried on the calm section of the Nile waters which provide home to the Nile perch. This recreational activity is meant to give anglers a challenge of catching a huge sized fish for fun.
BIRD WATCHING IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
With more than 451 species of birds, Murchison Falls National Park is a great bird watching destination attracting birding safaris. The shoe bill stork is the major bird of interest, a special motorized boat cruise is the best way to search for this rare bird found deep into the Nile Albertine wetland. Other notable species of birds in Murchison includes the African Fish Eagle, African skimmer, Marachite and Giant king fishers, Saddle billed stork etc.
CHIMPANZEES IN BUDONGO ECO FOREST
Budongo forest in the southern sector of Murchison Falls National Park is a large habitat for chimpanzees which are the main attractions. Sharing 98.7 DNA, chimpanzees are man’s closest relative and looking into the eye is an unforgettable experience. The primary activity n this forest is Chimpanzee tracking which is done in the morning and afternoon. There also several species of primates including the Black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys and baboons and more than 200 bird species also found in this eco forest.
ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE PARK
RHINO TRACKING ON FOOT AT ZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY
Another great highlight of any safari to Murchison falls National Park is Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
It is a natural habitat to 24 Rhinos currently with a newly born baby, as well as over 200 bird species recorded. It offers tourists the opportunity to track rhinos on foot with rangers.
Ziwa is located in Nakasongora district, just few kilometers of the main road via Masindi thus makes a great stopover and en route to the park. It was established in 2005 by the rhino fund Uganda in partnership with Uganda wildlife authority to assist in re-introducing rhinos back to Uganda.
The Rhino sanctuary provides economic benefits in the community through tourism and conservation.
GETTING TO MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
It is about 384 km from Kampala to Murchison Falls National Park, and this can take to about 4-5 hours’ drive. There two gates accessing both sectors of the park. The southern entry gate can be accessed from Kampala via Masindi and Ruweero triangle with a stopover at the Ziwa rhino sanctuary en route to the park.
The northern Tangi gate can be reached by visitors using the Kampala-Guru highway or those coming from Kidepo valley National Park.
By air, scheduled charter flights from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airstrip in Kampala fly and landing at pakuba airfield which is located inside the park in the northern sector.
WHERE TO STAY IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
LUXURY LODGESINCLUDES:
PARAA SAFARI LODGE
CHOBE SAFARI LODGE
BAKER’S LODGE
MID-RANGE LODGES INCLUDES:
PAKUBA SAFARI LODGE
KABALEGA WILDERNESS LODGE
BUDGET LODGES INCLUDES:
FORT MURCHISON SAFARI LODGE
MURCHISON RIVER LODGE