Murchison falls national park.
Murchison falls also known as kabalega falls, is located in the north western Uganda occupying Bulisa, Nyowe, Kiryandongo and Nasindi districts. Sir Samuel baker and lady Florence baker were the first Europeans to see Murchison falls. The park is best known for the most powerful water fall in the world. The park was first gazetted as a game reserve in 1926 and later elevated into a national park in 1952 and the largest national park covering an area of 3840 square kilometers and most visited park in Uganda.
Activities in Murchison falls National Park.
Game drives.
The game drives in Murchison falls national park give visitors a chance to explore the park and enjoy the great views of wild life species. The game drives are done in a 4WD safari vehicles and they are categorized into groups which include;
the Morning game drives which are done early in the morning after breakfast and they are the most rewarding because visitors get a chance to view animals like the elephants , buffalos, warthogs , oribi among others when they are most active.
The afternoon game drives which are conducted after lunch though it’s not much rewarding as the morning game drive because the big cats shall be hiding from the sun making it difficult to spot them.
And lastly, the night game drives which start after dinner are accompanied by park rangers. During the night game drives, the visitors will be able to see the nocturnal animals like the lions, hyenas, bush babies, leopards and many others.
Bird watching
Murchison falls national is a home of more than 450 recorded bird species which include the migratory birds, Albertine rift birds, savannah birds and water birds. Visitors should look out for different bird species during bird watching like the giant king fisher, shoebill stork, black headed lapwing, yellow billed stork, silver bird among others.
Nature walks
Nature walks in the park is an interesting activity where visitors get an opportunity to explore the park on foot with an experienced park guide and armed game ranger. The nature walks in the park are best done in the morning following the different trails in kaniyo padibi and rabongo forest where visitors get up close with wildlife species including mammals , primates like chimpanzee, black and white colobus monkeys, among others. Nature lovers and birders will enjoy the nature walks in the park as they walk through low hills, gullies and riverine forests.
Boat cruise.
The park offers two boat cruise activities that is boat cruise upstream to the bottom of the falls and boat cruise downstream to the Victoria Nile delta stretching to the shore of Lake Albert. The cruise in the park can be done in the morning and evening. During the boat cruise, visitors will be able to view large concentrations of hippos, and Nile crocodiles in then water, view animals like buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, and view aquatic bird species like bee-eaters, hornbills, cormorants, fish eagles among others.
Attractions in Murchison falls national park.
The Murchison falls.
Murchison falls is the most powerful water full in the world and it’s the most spectacular thing to happen to the world’s longest river and route from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea. It’s not only the most outstanding attraction in the park but the most visited spot in Uganda and Africa. The water runs so fast from the river Nile and reaching this point, it tries to squeeze through the small gorge of just 7 meters with hard rocks boarding the sides of the gorge. Visitors can enjoy the top of the falls where you can take a number of beautiful photography of the falls.
Karuma falls
The Karuma falls are located in the northeastern sector of Murchison falls national in chobe and offers one of the country’s most breath taking natural sights. Karuma falls have a name derived from the Luo local language meaning ‘great spirit’. The local people believe it is the spirit that positioned the rocks on which the water hits to form the white waters of Karuma. It’s known for its powerful rapids and scenic beauty and the fall is an essential stop for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers visiting Uganda.
Budongo forest
Budongo forest lies south of the Murchison falls conservation area. The forest is under the watch care of the national forestry association (NFA). Budongo is the biggest mahogany forest found in the whole of east Africa. Budongo forest is truly naturally endowed with unique wildlife like vegetation and the animal species which are inhabitants of the forest. The forest is astonishingly biodiverse with 24 mammal species, over 360 bird species, 289 species of butterflies and 465 plant types. Chimpanzee tacking is the main visitor activity in Bundibugyo forest. The forest is a home of chimpanzees and other primate species like the red tailed monkeys, the black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons and night primates like the pottos and galago species.
Kazinga channel.
The kazinga channel is a wide, 32 kilometer long freshwater channel that links Lake Edward to its smaller neighbor lake George. The channel is is a home to a wide range of animals and birds including one of the largest concentration of hippos and countless Nile crocodiles. You can also expect to see elephants , buffalos , and over 100 species of water bird, including the African skimmer.
Getting to Murchison falls national park.
Murchison national park is very accessible despite which direction you drive from. Visitors can either go to the park by road or air from Entebbe national airport.
By road.
From Kampala it takes approximately 4 – 6hours (305 km) to Murchison falls national park headquarters at paara. The most direct route to the park from Kampala is through the southern gates (kichumbanyombo and Masindi south gate)
By air.
You can also reach Murchison falls national Park by air transport thru pukubu, bugungu and chobe air fields. You can book the chattered aircrafts that operate domestic trips to the national park in Uganda including eagle airlines, aero link among others.
Air transport is quick, convenient and eases time compared to road transport.
Best time to visit Murchison falls national park.
The park is enjoyable throughout the year but December through to February is considered the best time to visit the park. The dry seasons attract animals to water sources which becomes easier to spot them while out on game drives, mosquitos are fewer making the park less risk of malaria.
Accommodation in Murchison falls national park.
The accommodation options in the park are split into between three locations, the Albert Nile, paraa and the Victoria Nile. The lodges cater for a range of budgets from modest, through the midrange, to luxury. The accommodation right for you will depend on many factors including you budget , group size and duration of stay.
Bakers lodge.
The lodge offers luxury yet traditional African accommodation and has direct rivers across. The lodge has rooms that generously proportioned and tasteful, combining the canvas and the thatch. Visitors are expected to see a broad range of animals and bird life along the edge of the Nile.
Twiga safari lodge
The lodge is a midrange providing a contemporary take on a trend camp, combining canvas with solid construction. Monkeys, birds, and grazing hippos are frequently seen around the grounds of the lodge. The park offers facilities like free high speed Wi-Fi, own restaurant and bar, and parking.
Budget accommodation.
These are lower priced lodgings that are often near or within the native communities. For the eco conscious traveler, the accommodations are often a great choice as thy use local materials and often community run and locally supplied. They include; red chili rest camps, Murchison’s river lodge among others.
