Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s most visited tourist destination. It hosts arguably the world’s most powerful waterfalls along the world’s longest river, “the Nile River.” Murchison Falls National Park is the largest protected area in Uganda, featuring various reserves of Bugungu Forest, Karuma Reserve, and Budongo Reserve, for an area of 3,893 km2. Located in northern Uganda, it covers the districts of Masindi, Pakwach, Kiryandongo, Nwoya, and Bulisa.
The Victoria Nile and Lake Albert combine to form the majestic Albert Nile (Delta) over the length of the Albert Rift’s mouth. At the top of the granite cliffs is the dramatic section where massive rapids crash into a little canyon 7 meters wide with a roaring pour at 45 meters high. A climb to the top of Murchison Falls is one of the park’s most memorable experiences.
The Victoria Nile continues to flow westward, creating the north and south sections of the park. The southern section is primarily made up of tropical woods, bushes, and smatterings of savannah. And the rush savannah and acacia woods are more attractive, with a tentative number of wildlife species.
Murchison Falls National Park records 76 mammal species, some of which are members of the Big Five (elephants, lions, leopards, and buffalos). A trip to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Murchison Falls National Park rewards you with a view of the big five in the wild. Jackson’s hartebeest, chimpanzees, and giraffes are just a few of the numerous mammals present, along with one of the greatest populations of hippos and Nile crocodiles. The park is home to over 450 different bird species, including shoebill storks, herons, and many others.
Things to do at Murchison Falls National Park
Wild Game Drives
The open savannah palm woods are perfect for seeing the highest concentration of wildlife in any park in Uganda. On this safari adventure, expect to see the big five in addition to the Ziwa rhino sanctuary. Larger creatures like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, lions, leopards, giraffes, and other antelope species, among many others, may be found through the rapid opening of the golden grassland that is sprinkled with acacia trees. The best time to go on a game drive is in the morning, when animals are making their way to their feeding areas, and late at night, when they are heading back to their sleeping areas.
Boat Launch
A boat launch along the Victoria Nile is one of the amazing wild cruises on the safari to the Pearl of Africa. A boat cruise at Murchison starts from Para and proceeds to the bottom of the falls. This boat cruise adventure can last for about 3 hours, covering a distance of about 17km. Along the way, there are better sights along the banks of the Nile, including herds of hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, and giraffes, as well as a variety of birds, including herons, cormorants, ducks, bee-eaters, fish eagles, kingfishers, and, in rare instances, shoebills.
Sport Fishing
Sports fishing is a special arrangement done right from the Victoria Nile to the Delta. Sport fishing at MFNP is catch and release, where the main catches are the Nile perch and tiger fish. At the slow-flowing section of the falls extending to the delta are the points that are more convenient for fishing.
Chimpanzee tracking
Many chimpanzees are found at Budongo Forest Reserve’s southern stretch. The tracking begins at Budongo Eco Lodge, which is open at eight in the morning. Depending on where the tracked family is located, the tracking may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours. When confronted, trackers have an hour of experience being among chimpanzees. Because they travel great distances in search of food during the dry season, it can be challenging to see and follow chimpanzees. It’s not always possible to locate and follow the chimpanzees at Budongo.
Climbing to the top of the falls
Watching the top of the falls is done by driving; when the top is reached, there is an opportunity to take a hike. It’s one of the most amazing encounters to undertake.