Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda. It covers three thousand eight hundred and forty square kilometers stretching over the two districts of Masindi and Amuru.

It is the jewel of Ugandan safaris, famous for its diversity of wildlife viewing and the glamorous Murchison Falls, from which it gets its name. The park is home to a variety of African wildlife, including four of the “big five”, namely buffalo, lions, elephants and leopards. Rhinos existed in the park, but by 1983 they had been affected by the rampant poaching and guerrilla warfare that rocked the country in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Other animals in the park include, but are not limited to others, hippos, giraffes, crocodiles, antelopes, Ugandan kob, Hartebeest, Oribis. Primates such as chimpanzees and monkeys are common in the Rabongo Forest and Caniyo Pabidi Forest. The park is home to a variety of birds, including the rare shoebill, white-thighed hornbill, ducks, kingfishers, ospreys, herons, and yellow-footed flycatchers.

The two sections of Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is traversed by the mighty Nile River from east to west for a distance of seventy-one miles. The river divides the park into northern and southern sections. This division played a very important role in preserving the northern section from poachers. The river made it difficult for poachers who were efficiently coming from the south to access the other part of the park. Because of this, the northern section is endowed with more game compared to the south, which has faced a lot of poaching. However, since then, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has stepped up its efforts to protect the park from poachers and hunters.

Activities in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls is available for a number of adventure activities. They include among others.

game drives
Game drives in the part are mostly done in the north section of the park as it is endowed with more games than the south. A ferry crossing is available for safari vehicles to the other section of the park. A satisfying game drive takes about four to five hours to traverse the main trails in the game. An early morning safari starting between 6-7am is preferred as most of the animals are still sleepy and less shy. Hunters, such as lions and leopards, have not yet gone hunting and are occasionally found sleeping along hunting trails.

cruise ship
This is probably the highlight of a tour of Murchison Falls National Park. It is a relaxing cruise of about three hours. During this cruise you will see many hippos, Nile crocodiles, buffalo, antelope, many birds and many other typical African wildlife immersed in a spectacular savannah landscape. This boat ride goes up to the base of Murchison Falls. The preferred time for this walk is around 2:30 pm, when many animals come to the river to cool off from the heat, eat fresh grass and drink from the river.

Hike to the top of the falls
One can walk to the top of the cliff near the narrow gorge through which the mighty Nile squeezes to cause a violent storm below. It is really amazing to see.

Chimpanzee Tracking and Bird Watching at Kaniyo Pabidi
Kaniyo Pabidi is a virgin area of ​​natural forest within the Budongo Forest Reserve. The area is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including many chimpanzees and birds. It is a great alternative to traditional safaris and boat trips. You can track chimpanzees and watch many birds as you walk under mature mahogany and ironwood trees.

Sport fishing
Nile perch and tiger fish offer an exciting challenge for anglers. Sport fishing takes place in the river below and above Murchison Falls.

Lodging in Murchison Falls National Park
Both budget and luxury accommodation facilities are available to cater to different travellers. Some of the popular budget lodges include Budongo Eco Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Red Chilli Rest Camp, and Murchison Falls Lodge. Some of the luxury accommodations include Chobe Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge and Sambiya River Lodge.