Murchison falls is located on the northern edge of the Albertine Rift Valley of northern Uganda, Murchison falls is Uganda’s largest national park that was named because of its dizzying waterfall situated in its heart, Murchison falls national park spans inland from Lake Albert’s shores.
Murchison falls national park is Africa’s most iconic animal safari destination that can be seen on magical guided game drives, nature walks, river cruises, and a top birders’ destination with a wider chance to see the elusive shoebill stork along the shores of the river Nile banks.
Murchison falls national park covers nearly 1,500 square miles that include the savannah, riverine woodland, and grassland in the northern sector of Murchison, the swampy such as the delta which is along the shores within Lake Albert, the dense forests in the south. Murchison falls is neighbored by the Karuma Wildlife Reserve and the Bugungu Wildlife Reserve.
Things to Do at Murchison falls national park
A visit to Murchison falls national park’s waterfall should not a must-do on your checklist itinerary. The park’s main feature being the Victoria Nile river also commonly known as the Blue Nile elsewhere that forces its waters through that narrow gorge before it plunges into the Devil’s Cauldron Lake Alberts.
This alone makes Murchison falls national park more spectacular, the magnificent river becomes a placid source of water for all Murchison falls national park’s wildlife species before scattering out into a delta that later feeds the waters into Lake Albert.
Murchison falls national park offers a wide range of safaris throughout the year where a traveler may choose to explore by boat or with their own feet.
Those travelers who would not wish to join an organized tour can take a self-drive within Murchison Falls National Park, which can be independently or accompanied by a well-experienced guide from the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Murchison falls offers hiking to the bottom and to the top of the falls, but hiking on your own is not recommended. They only recommend you to hike with an experienced guide.
Murchison falls national park also offers sport fishing activity with a Keen angler to catch trophy Nile perch, ferocious tiger fish, and catfish, being featured on “River Monsters.” Enjoy your fishing safari on the base of the Nile Delta at the falls.
This is another adventure of a kind to travelers, consider flying within Murchison falls national park in a hot air balloon offering all the panoramic aerial views of animals within Uganda’s largest national park. The hot air balloon safaris are accompanied by the bush breakfast or the sunset.
Walking Safaris at Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park has several options to be explored on foot. Travelers can hike to Murchison’s top of the Falls while making a stopover at the viewpoints geared with spectacular photography opportunities. Murchison falls guided nature walks through the Nile delta swamps are prime ideal for those interested in spotting the park’s aquatic birdlife, and birds. Trek through the trails of the Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo Forests for primate sightings such as chimpanzee troops, monkeys among others.
River Cruises
Murchison Falls National Park dwells around the Blue Nile, and a river cruise is one of the best ways to discover its natural resources. Murchison falls launch cruise departs from the Paraa area and heads upstream to Murchison Falls, offering spectacular up-close views of both the base and the bottom of the waterfalls and a variety of wildlife-viewing en route as you head towards Lake Albert for an opportunity to spot the rare shoebill storks, a myriad of other bird species and animal species.
Game Drives
Murchison falls national park has several well-designed game drive trails within the triangle of grassland situated between the Victoria and Albert Niles which is famous as the Buligi Peninsula that is more often said to be the best destination for game-viewing offering an excellent spot for elephants, giraffes, buffalo, and other herbivores. The Nile delta trail is the best spot for seeing lions enjoying prey, and the impressing herds of Uganda kob.
Wildlife
Murchison Falls National Park is among the famous destinations with plenty and diverse wildlife species that include the 76-mammal species. Among which are the four of the big five animals, big herds of elephants, and cape buffaloes moving together, a good concentration of lion families, and the enigmatic leopard, Rothschild’s giraffes are Murchison falls national park’ specialty.
This African endangered subspecies is only being offered in Kenya and Uganda strictly, and Murchison Falls National Park is among the lucky two places in Uganda where giraffes in big herds can be spotted. Murchison falls also protects the Common antelope species that includes Jackson’s hartebeest, waterbucks, bushbucks oribis, and Uganda kob.
Murchison falls national park also protects the Primates species situated in distinct habitats. Search for the olive baboons along the roadside, blue & red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys in the tropical rain-forested areas, and Uganda’s local rare patas monkey along with the savannah vegetation.
Travelers can track more than 600 chimpanzees along the park’s Kaniyo Pabidi Forest trail. Victoria Nile harbors many hippos and the hugest’ number of Nile crocodiles.
Murchison falls national park offers approximately 451 bird species that include water birds, migratory birds, forest dwellers, and the Albertine Rift Valley endemics. Murchison falls is another Uganda’s birder’s haven, sighting birds here are undoubtedly such as the shoebill stork, Abyssinian ground hornbill, the great blue turaco, the white-thighed hornbill, and the red-throated bee-eater among others.
Where to Stay at Murchison Falls National park
Murchison Falls national park offers a wide range of accommodation facilities that all budgets. Murchison falls national park activities being offered by the lodges range between river cruises, endless game drives, guided nature walks, and chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest.
Murchison river lodge. Murchison river lodge stands on the southern bank of the Victoria Nile, it offers excellent, and comfortable grass-thatched cottages and safari tents with running showers.
Chobe Safari Lodge: Chobe Safari Lodge offers a Luxurious stay located inside Murchison falls national park within the eastern boundary and Karuma Falls, Chobe is a five-star lodge that comes with a tiered river plunge view, infinity shaped swimming pool, and a restaurant serving both Ugandan and international dishes.
Budongo Eco Lodge: Budongo eco-lodge is situated in the southern bank offering a great choice that suits budget travelers, mid-range in eco-cabins, and spacious dorm rooms that are always available for travelers.
How to Get to Murchison falls
Most international travelers to Uganda arrive through Entebbe international Airport situated nearly an hour’s drive southwest of Kampala Uganda’s capital. Start your journey northwards to Murchison Falls National Park. Murchison falls national park’s main route that enters the park via Kichumbanyobo Gate and leads to Paraa which stretches up to 85 kilometers. Murchison falls has four gates with scenic route travels which takes roughly 135 kilometers via Bugungu Gate.
Best time to visit Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park can be explored throughout the year, although its best discovered during the dry seasons that is also known as the peak season that happens in two sessions, the first session starts in the months of June, July, August, September,& October, and the second session start in December, January, February & early march yearly because in dry seasons the roads to the national park are dry due to low rainfalls being received which makes the roads accessible.
