Murchison Falls National Park Travel Guide: Part of the Greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area, Murchison Falls National Park is home to 76 mammal species thus offering excellent wildlife viewing. The park is a perfect destination to visit for a Big 5 Uganda Safari, Murchison Falls National Park itself is home to four of the Big Five, lions, leopards, cape buffaloes and elephants. To complete your Big 5 Safari, visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary which is situated along the same route.
The Park is divided into two that is Northern and Southern part by the Victoria Nile, the Nile is channeled through a narrow cliff into the Rift Valley Escarpment extending inland up to the Lake Albert.
Boat trips are the highlight to the spectacular Murchison Falls, the most powerful waterfall in the world where you will have an opportunity to sight a lot of water animals like hippos, crocodiles and buffaloes swimming in the waters during the hot sun and a lot more animals around the river’s shores drinking water.
The most magnificent attraction of the Murchison Falls is the hike to the top of the falls where the immense power of the Falls is witnessed.
This blog gives you an insight and basic information in order to help you in planning your memorable safari to Uganda on your safari visit to Murchison Falls National Park.
Best time to visit
Murchison Falls National Park can be visited all year round and the best time are from December to February as it is dry and makes it easy to spot animals around the park since they move in search for water from any available source in the park.
Also, the high seasons best known to be the pick seasons of the year in Uganda from June to September is also much better to visit Uganda.
How to get there
There are several routes to use to get to The Park, you can decided either to fly to use road transport. There are several gates where by you can access the park either from the north or the southern direction.
The first route is from Kampala to Masindi travelling northwards and accessing the park through the southern gate close to Parra lead and the drive time is about 305 km and takes about 4 hours drive from Kampala. During your travel, you may have en route stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking as you proceed to Murchison Falls National Park.
Northern gates through the Budongo Forest route one of the largest forest reserve in Uganda, the forest is located at Murchison Falls National Park and covers an area of approximately 825 km along the rift valley which provides clear and direct view of Lake Albert from the position of the Rift Valley Escarpment.
By Air
This is the fastest alternative to get to Murchison Falls National Park, there are domestic chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport landing at various airstrips that is Pakuba Airstrip, Chobe Airstrip and Bugungu Airstrip. Then transfer to the Park for your Uganda Safari.
Weather and Climate
Murchison Falls National Park climate is generally hot but being a forested area, there is minimal temperature variation due to the park’s geographical location. It does however get hotter during the dry season of December to February and from March to November there is little rainfall seen during the wet seasons.
Temperatures in the Park keep varying so it’s unpredictable.
Attractions of Murchison falls national park
The Budongo Forest
Budongo Forest is home to a number of primate species including chimpanzees and white and black colobus monkeys offering thrilling chimpanzee trekking experience. The forest is also a great birding destination with a variety of bird species including African eagle, Black headed gonolek, Giant kingfisher, Goliath heron, Black headed lapwing and many more.
Rabongo and Kaniyo Pabidi Forests
The forest offer great chimpanzee trekking experience as it harbors several primate species including a huge bird population including yellow-footed, hornbills among others.
Flora and Fauna
The Park protects a variety of flora and fauna ranging from wetland, woodland, tropical rainforest and savannah grassland. The park is home to over 76 mammal species and over 450 recorded bird species, wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park includes four of the Big Five – lions, Elephants, Buffalo and Leopard. Other animals include giraffes, antelopes, warthogs, Uganda Kob, hartebeests, hippos and several bird species including shoe bill stork.
Murchison Falls National Park is home to over 360 species of chimpanzees which is the highlight of activities in the forest.
Buligi Area Game Reserve
The Buligi Game Reserve is dominated by a lot of savannah grassland which is a habitat for a variety of wildlife in the parks such as hippos, elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards and many more. However, abundance of the Bulisi Reserve is due to wide range of the eco-system like woodland, tropical forest with different tree species, vegetation and ither with the Budongo Forest, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest all forming the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.
Activities at Murchison Falls National Park
Launch trips in Murchison Falls
The launch trips upstream from Paraa offer great view of the wildlife and the might Murchison Falls and the boat downstream up to the Nile Delta is highly recommended for bird sighting which is best for birders.
Game drives
Murchison Falls National Park is one of the best places to do game viewing in Uganda, in the park a lot of animals can be viewed around the Nile Delta where you will have an opportunity to sight the lion waiting for prey on the animals that come around to drink water.
Other animals to lookout for during game viewing in Murchison Falls National Park include elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, hyenas and many more.
Hiking and Nature walks
Murchison Falls Park has a lot of attractions, beautiful sceneries and the landscape which can be explored on foot, here you sight a variety of animals at close range while in the park. Also, nature walks around the forests of Kaniyo Pabidi Forest, Budongo and Rubogo Forest offers great views of many primates like chimpanzees and black and white colobus monkeys and birds can be sighted during the swamps along the trails you can sight the famous shoe bill stork, king fisher and many other bird species.
Birding in Murchison Falls
The Park is home to over 450 bird species which offers a lot of birding activities, birding is best done during the game drives and launch cruise both offer you a grand opportunity to sight many bird species around the savannah grassland is also a home to many birds, water birds can be sighted during the launch cruise on the Nile up to the Albertine Rift Valley offers the main birding attractions such as the Black-headed lapwing, kingfisher and around the Nile Delta, you will sight the shoe bull stork at the shores.
Sports Fishing
Murchison Falls National Park is one of the best fishing spots in Uganda, some of the fish to expect during sport fishing excursion include Nile Perch and Tiger Fish. All clients interested in this activity are advised to make an earlier booking so you can do the activity.
Where to stay in Murchison Falls National Park
There are several accommodation facilities both inside and outside the park, these range from budget, midrange and luxury and these include
- Paraa safari lodge
- Pakuba safari lodge
- Murchison Falls River lodge
- Amuka lodge
- Heritage safari lodge
- Red Chilli Rest Camp