Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest protected area covering an area of 3,893 square kilometers. The area extends to include Karuma (675 sq.km) and Bugungu (501 sq.km) buffer reserves in the southern sector. The park is located in northwestern Uganda 270 kilometers ( 5-hours drive) away from Kampala or Entebbe. The protected area covers four districts; Masindi,  Kiryandongo, Nwoyo, and Buliisa. These districts host diverse tribes such as the Acholi, Banyoro, Alur, and Langis. The national park is separated by the Nile which comprises the the southern Budongo Forest Reserve and the northern sector which protects a portion of wild African savannah.

It is named for the magnificent Murchison Falls, where the world’s longest river burst out ferociously through a narrow gap in the Rift Valley escarpment to fall into a frothing pool 43m below. This park protects intense populations of lion, elephant, buffalo, and Uganda kob together with the localized Rothschild’s giraffe and patas monkey. Massive concentrations of hippos and birds can be observed from the launch trips along the Nile below the fabulous waterfalls for which the park is named.

How to access Murchison Falls National Park

By road   

From Kampala through Masindi (via Kichumbanyobo gate) to Murchison Falls National Park is 305 kilometers (4-6 hours drive). From this south gate you drive 85 kilometers to the park’s headquarters at Para. However, there are also the northern gates of Purongo or Takigate- Packwach and each route promises a unique exploration of the park’s wonders.

By Air

For those seeking convenience and speed, you can use air transport. You can board a chartered aircraft or take the daily scheduled flight from Kajjansi Airfield.  The flight takes just under one hour to Murchison Falls National Park. Pakuba airstrip can be used as a landing site due to  its proximity to the park headquarters and main accommodations.

Alternatively, tourists can also consider Chobe or Bugungu airstrips. Bugungu airfield is situated only a few kilometers from the park headquarters at Paraa on the Southern side of the River Nile to cater for the tourists staying at Nile Safari Camp, the Red Chili Rest Camp and Sambiya River Lodge.

What to do in Murchison Falls National Park

Game drive

Murchison Falls National Park offers an opportunity to visitors to explore the park and view all the wild animals. The game drives are done in a 4×4 safari vehicle and they are grouped into three; morning, afternoon and night game drives. The  morning game drives  begin early  between 6:00am  to 6:30am in order to view the beautiful sunrise. There is also a high chance of spotting predators like leopards, lions, spotted hyenas  when hunting herbivores like elephants,  giraffes, buffaloes, angelates like orbi, Uganda kob, jackson hartebeest, bushbucks, waterbucks. 

Night game drive starts between 7:30pm to 9:30 so as  to spot the nocturnal animals for example leopards, lions, side striped jackals, hyenas, serval cats and birds like owls. Tourists doing night game drives should be accompanied by game  rangers for safety.

Boat cruise in Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park unfolds two boat cruises, for instance the boat cruise upstream to the Bottom of the Falls and cruise downstream to the Victoria Nile delta stretching to the shores of Lake Albert. The boat cruise at the bottom of Falls has two sessions; the morning session which starts at 9:00 am and the afternoon session which starts at 2:00 pm. Both sessions take 2 to 3 hours ride. The Nile delta cruise also has two sessions and it takes 4 to 5 hours ride.

Both boat trips sail from Para Dock all offering views of herds hippos, crocodiles basking on the shores, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks. Water birds like goliath heron, kingfishers, saddle bellied stork, Shoebill stork, open billed stock, African fish eagle, Senegal thick knee, blue headed coucal and others. The Bottom of the Falls Cruise gives the tourists view of the water flowing from the falls into a 7-meter gorge. However the boat doesn’t reach the falls due to rocks. The boat cruise toward the shores of Lake Albert is popularly done in the evening where tourists are able to have views of the sunset. It also offers the best chance in Africa of sighting shoebills.

Hike the top of Falls

This is one of the activities that should not missed out when your in Murchison Falls National Park. Hike the top of Falls is always done after the boat cruise at the bottom of Falls. The activity takes 45 minutes  to an hour depending on physical fitness and speed of the visitors. This activity also guides tourists to the Devil’s Cauldron point which unveils the falls’ water squeezing through a narrow 7-meter gorge, causing the ground to tremble and water to splash dramatically. 

Chimpanzee tracking and habituation

Chimpanzee trekking in Murchison Falls National Park is done in Budongo forest, the biggest mahogany forest in East Africa. The activity starts with briefing from the head guide about the rules and regulations about chimpanzee trekking. Later the visitors are divided into a group of 6 people and each group is allocated the chimpanzee family to track. Trekking chimpanzee takes 30 minutes to 4 hours for habituation depending on where the chimps slept the last night. During trekking visitors get opportunity to see other primate species, birds, different plant species and birds.

Accommodation in Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park offers a wide range of accommodation ranging from budget, middle range and luxury lodges  inside and outside the park; these include; Pakuba safari lodge, Chobe safari lodge, Budongo eco lodge, Redchilli, Murchison river lodge.