Murchison Falls National Park
When it comes to wildlife viewing, a Uganda safari that combines Murchison Falls with the nearby Ziwa Rhino sanctuary and Budongo Forest Reserve offers you a decent chance of seeing all the Big 5 animals as well as chimpanzees and shoebills in the course of one short, affordable trip.
Murchison Falls National Park is best known for the magnificent Murchison Falls, the world’s strongest waterfalls on the River Nile. The falls were named by Sir Samuel Baker during his exploration of Uganda in the 19th Century. Baker named the falls Murchison after the famous British geologist Sir Roderick Murchison, who incidentally believed Africa to be a geologically boring continent.
Notable visitors to Murchison Falls National Park include Ernest Hemingway, President Theodore Roosevelt, and several British royals. Sir Winston Churchill also visited Murchison Falls, which may have been what led him to declare Uganda the ‘Pearl of Africa’. The 1951 film The African Queen starring Humphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile River in Murchison Falls National Park.
Seize And Landscape
Murchison Falls National Park covers about 3,840 km2 of wilderness on both sides of the River Nile west of Karuma Falls and east of Lake Albert. It’s part of the greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area. The park’s landscape is dominated by a Savannah-woodland habitat dotted with beautiful Borassus palm trees. It also encompasses vast tracts of tropical forests, swathes of grassland, and wetland habitats. The park is located in northwestern Uganda, about 300km by road from Kampala. The park straddles the Ugandan districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo, and Masindi.
The driving distance from Masindi, the nearest large town, to the national park is about 72 km. Murchison Falls National Park is a great place for a short weekend getaway, like on a 3-day Murchison Falls safari
Best Time To Visit Murchison Falls
Murchison Falls is a year-round safari destination, and there is no truly bad time to visit.
In terms of wildlife viewing, the best time for a Uganda safari is the main Dry season, which runs from December to February. These months are also good for bird watching tours, as Palearctic migrants are present in Uganda from November to April.
However, January and February can be very hot, with midday temperatures routinely soaring over 33°C/91°F. The Wet season, which typically begins in March and runs to November, tends to be more comfortable climatically, and the scenery is lusher/greener from June onwards.
How To Get To Murchison Falls National Park
Your Uganda safari to Murchison Falls can start from Entebbe. From there, you can get to Murchison Falls by road. Your drive will take around 6 hours.
However, along the way, you’ll enjoy some incredible scenery, and you can visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a protected area that is home to Uganda’s only wild rhinos.
The fastest way to get to Murchison Falls is by taking a small plane from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip in Kampala to a small airstrip located directly inside the park. The flight takes about 1½ hours.
Major Attractions In Murchison Falls
- The Nile River And Murchison Falls
Murchison Falls National Park is divided by the historic Nile River. The River Nile, which has its source at Lake Victoria in Jinja the longest river on Earth and one of the Natural Wonders of Africa. The Murchison Falls mark the Nile’s entry to the Great African Rift Valley. These dramatic falls are a jaw-dropping sight to behold. Here, the Nile, which is over 50 meters wide, is forced through a narrow gorge just about 8 meters wide.
It then plunges 45 meters to what has been termed the devil’s cauldron below, forming a plume of spray marked by a thunderous roar and a permanent rainbow. The Murchison Falls is the world’s most powerful waterfall! Every second, the equivalent of 200 bathtubs full of water is forced through the tiny gorge. The falls are also lined by verdant plant life, and can be viewed on foot from the top or at a more leisurely pace in a boat from below.
2. Animals In Murchison Falls
You can expect to see a good variety of African wildlife on a Murchison Falls safari. The national park is home to over 76 mammal species, including 4 of the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo). You are almost certain to see elephants and buffalo, along with plentiful hippos, crocodiles, and waterbirds, on the popular boat trip to the base of Murchison Falls. Lions are often seen on game drives north of the Nile River, and leopards are present but more elusive. Other common wildlife includes: Rothschild’s giraffe, Defassa waterbuck, Uganda kob, Oribi, patas monkey, and Olive baboon
Further afield, the main road to Murchison Falls bisects Budongo Forest, one of the most reliable chimpanzee trekking sites in Uganda. A worthwhile short diversion en route to Murchison Falls is Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where rhino (the only member of the Big Five not present in the national park) can be tracked on foot.
3. Birds In Murchison Falls National Park
Over 450 bird species can be found in the Murchison Falls National Park! Because of this incredible diversity, the park is one of the best places for bird watching. For birders and non-birders, the prehistoric Shoebill is high on the list of must-sees, and the swampy Lake Albert Delta is one of the best places to spot one. Other fantastic bird species you can see in Murchison National Park include;
African skimmer, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Secretary birds, African fish eagle, Blue-throated roller, Beaudouin’s snake-eagle, Blue swallows, Cassin’s spine tail, Chocolate-backed kingfisher, Northern carmine bee-eater, Great blue Turaco, Rock pratincole, Goliath heron, Red-throated Bee-eater, Grey-crowned crane, Saddle-billed stork, Nahan’s francolin, Senegal Coucal, Pel’s Fishing Owl, White-thighed hornbill, Red-winged Grey Warbler, Black-headed lapwing, African Darter, African Dwarf Kingfisher, Brown twin spot.
Activities In Murchison Falls
From game drives, boat safaris, hiking, sport fishing, chimp trekking, bird watching, sightseeing, bush breakfast, camping, to sunset drinks, Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park offers unforgettable experiences. Here is a brief description of the top activities in Murchison Falls National Park. You can contact us for the prices of each activity and for more details.
Boat Cruise to the Bottom of the Murchison Falls
- Nile Delta Lake Albert Boat Cruise
- Day Game Drives
- Night Game Drive
- Top of Murchison Falls Visit
- Bird watching tours in search of shoebills and other special birds
- Nile River Fishing
- Local community village tours
- Nature walks
- Photography
- Rhino tracking on foot in the nearby
Accommodation in Murchison Falls National Park
Paraa Safari Lodge – Luxury
Bakers Lodge – Luxury
Nile Safari Lodge – Luxury
Murchison River Lodge – Midrange
Pakuba Safari Lodge – Midrange
Fort Murchison Safari Lodge – Midrange/Budget
Red Chill Rest Camp – Budget
Hornbill Safari Lodge – Budget
Heritage Safari Lodge – Budget
