Murchison Falls National Park
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
It isn’t just the incredible wildlife diversity that give Uganda’s first National Park its allure but from the stunning Murchison falls formed by huge volumes of water pushing through a narrow gorge into a devil’s cauldron to the plethora of birds and jaw-dropping landscapes and sceneries. The vibrant flora as well as boundless backdrop terrains of this Protected Area make Murchison falls National Park one of the must-visit safari destinations in the country.
Expanse and location of Murchison falls National Park
Murchison falls National Park is a mind-blowing safari destination and its 384000 hectares are dotted with savannah grasslands and Borassus palms, Riverine woodland and Acacia tree species, Murchison and Uhuru waterfalls, tropical rainforests and Victoria Nile. This protected Area, together with Karuma Falls and Bugungu Wildlife Reserves form part of the vast Murchison falls Conservation Area (MFCA).
A journey through the districts of Luwero, Nakasongola and Masindi lead travellers to the north-western part of Uganda, where Murchison falls National Park is found. The natural wonder covers the districts of Nwoya, Buliisa, Kiryandongo and Masindi.
Establishment of the park
This enormous Wilderness Area was first explored by James Grant and John Speke in 1862 but was thoroughly visited by Samuel and Florence Baker between 1863 and 1876.
One of the bold steps to protecting the Area was relocation of natives from the area between 1907 and 1912 due to African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) spread by Tsetse flies. Bunyoro Game Reserve was subsequently gazetted in 1910 in the southern end of River Nile. Interestingly, this area blends to part of modern-day Murchison falls National Park extending within the districts of Masindi, Kiryandongo and Buliisa. Afterwards, the boundaries of this Wilderness Area were annexed northwards of the Nile River to present-day Nwoya district.
The Area gained its National Park status in 1952 under the “National Parks Act of Uganda”, then under the British Administration. Its name was derived from the mind-blowing Murchison falls, resulting from immense waters of the Nile River flowing through a narrow gorge of about 7 meters before falling 141 feet into a Devil’s Cauldron.
What to see while you are at Murchison falls National Park
Murchison falls National Park surely has no shortage of breathtaking things to see during safaris and therefore travellers to this place have to be prepared for unforgettable experiences.
One of the iconic spectacles of this Park is its wide range of wildlife species, marked by 76 mammal species. The graceful Rothschild giraffes, Olive baboons, Jackson’s hartebeests, bushbucks, Nile crocodiles, spotted hyenas, Uganda Kobs, Defassa waterbucks, lions, Hippos, bushbucks, African bush elephants, African leopards, Cape buffaloes, vervet monkeys, warthogs, giant forest dogs, duikers, to mention but a few. The adjacent Budongo is haven to chimpanzees (totaling to about 800 individuals), red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, L’Hoests monkeys, to mention but a few.
Over 451 species of birds that Albertine Rift endemics can be watched within Murchison falls National Park. Some of the species to look-out for are the cherished shoebill storks, Abyssinian ground hornbills, Black-headed gonolek, Great blue Turaco, African fish eagles, African jacana, Black-bellied Bustards, Black-billed barbets, Black-headed lapwing, Blue-headed Coucal, white-thighed hornbills, Ituri batis, Goliath herons, grey-crowned cranes, Swamp flycatcher, Dwarf and pied kingfishers, Senegal thick-knee, open-billed storks, secretary birds, to mention but a few.
One of the reasons you will love walking safaris in Murchison falls National Park will be the awe-inspiring sceneries comprising of the jaw-dropping Murchison falls, lush Budongo Forest the vast River Nile stretch, the spectacular Albertine escarpments as well as the mind-boggling Lake Albert flats among others.
What tourist adventures are undertaken in Murchison falls National Park?
Guided game Drives
Search for different wildlife species such as lions, Hippos, African bush elephants, bushbucks, Rothschild giraffes, Oribis, Cape buffaloes, leopards, Uganda Kobs, hartebeests, Oribis, serval cats, spotted hyenas, duikers, jackals, Cape buffaloes and warthogs on-board an open safari vehicle. This activity is made easy by the numerous game tracks through the Delta area where numerous prides of lions are spotted hunting for Uganda Kobs, Buligi Peninsula and the southern banks of the Victoria River.
Boat cruises
Another favorite way to discover the beauty of Murchison falls National Park is by cruising by boat from the Paraa jetty to the bottom of the Murchison falls. Animals such as African bush elephants, Nile crocodiles, Uganda Kobs, Hippos, buffaloes and birds such as African fish eagles, kingfishers and African jacana are seen before the activity culminates into a photography session at the falls.
Chimpanzee tracking
The 1-3 hours’ round Chimpanzee tracking tour in Murchison falls National Park is mainly done in the Kaniyo-Pabidi area of Budongo Forest Reserve. Start early-8:00am for the morning session and 2:00pm for the afternoon session.
Hot Air balloon safari
Two places in Uganda make it possible to explore the landscape and animals onboard a hot air balloon, Murchison falls National Park being one of them. Start in the morning to relish sunrise views, animals as they come out of their hideouts then a bush breakfast or the sunset hot air balloon tour accompanied by a bottle of champagne as well as sunset views.
Sport Fishing
While most visitors go for game drives and boat cruises, sport fishing is one of the unexplored portions of Murchison falls National Park where the enormous Nile Perch, Tiger fish, Tilapia and Catfish are caught. So far, the largest ever-caught fish was a Nile Perch weighing 113 kilograms, within the water gauge that is adjacent to the Crocodile Pool. Also try out the Nyamusika Cliff.
Village tours
After exploring the wilderness, get the chance to visit some of the local communities to learn about unique cultures and traditions, local cuisine and traditional dance performances. The Boomu Women’s Group for instance brings to light the rural Ugandan life experience by providing village tours and homestays while Campfire performances are relished within Mubako Cultural Group.
Guided nature walks
Guided nature walks are also provided in in the park and commonly undertaken within Rabongo forest, the Nile-Delta area and Kaniyo-Pabidi with hopes of seeing elephants, olive baboons, Cape buffaloes, giraffes, vervet monkeys, lions, black and white colobus monkeys, to mention but a few.
Birding tours
Whether you undertake game drives, the boat ride, guided nature walks or simply relax around the Lodge, you will be sure of seeing lots of bird species that include black-bellied Bustards, African fish eagles, Abyssinian ground hornbills, shoebill storks, African Jacana, Giant and pied kingfishers, open-billed storks, Ituri batis, Hammerkop, secretary birds, geese, to mention but a few. The top birding spots in this Park are the Nyamusika cliffs, the Riverbanks, woodlands and thickets to mention but a few.
Where to stay during Murchison falls National Park tours
The park has a number of budget, midrange and luxury places of stay with outstanding rooms and World class facilities/amenities. The swanky places of stay are Bakers Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge and Nile Safari Lodge among others.
The midrange places of stay in the park are Murchison River Lodge, Twiga Safari Lodge, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge, Fort Murchison River Lodge and Pakuba Safari Lodge among others.
The budget options in this Park are Budongo Eco Lodge, Boomu Women’s Group Campsite, Red Chilli Rest Camp, Parkside Safari Lodge, Kalalo Cottage Inn, Shoebill Campsite and Uganda Wildlife Campsite and Yebo Safari Camp, to mention but a few.
When is the best time of the year to visit Murchison falls National Park?
Before anything else, the park is a safari destination that is possible to be explored all-year round. However, June to September and December to February are the best for game viewing because most watering points have dried and the few remaining ones offer amazing game viewing opportunities. These months are also characterized by shorter grasses thus making it easier to spot the animals, especially lions and leopards hunting for different prey.
How to get there of the safari
There are two options for getting to the stunning Murchison falls National Park, given the fact that it is a popular tourist destination. Scheduled and chartered flights to any of the Airstrips-Bugungu, Pakuba and Chobe begin from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip.
Road transport is the main option and using public means is very unreliable and undependable. Rental cars are the best, taking 6-7 hours from Kampala via Luwero, Nakasongola and Masindi or Karuma to Murchison falls National Park via any of the four entrance gates.