A Tour to Murchison Falls National Park

A tour to Murchison Falls Park is a perfect Uganda safari park popularly visited by many visitors each year because it’s very accessible from the country’s capital – Kampala. The park is crossed by the Nile River that forms the mighty Murchison Falls. The falls and the wildlife in the park, make it such an interesting place to tour.

The park is home to the African big four which include Buffaloes, Leopards, Lions, and Elephants. The Rhino that completes the big five can be seen in the nearby Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on your way to tour Murchison Falls National Park.

The park is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation area which is also home to the popular Murchison Falls from which it borrows its name. There are 76 mammal species, including giraffes, elephants, lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, kobs, bushbucks, waterbucks, oribi, jackals, and many more that can be seen in the park. The list of birds counts 450 species making it a good Uganda birding safari spot.

Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls also referred to as Kabalega falls is formed as the Nile River water forces its way through a seven-meter gorge and tumbles 43 meters below to what is referred to as the devil’s cauldron.

This is the world’s most powerful waterfalls referred to as so because the outlet of Lake Victoria sends around 300 cubic meters per second (11,000 ft³/s) of water over the falls squeezed into a gorge only almost 7 meters wide.

The strength from the falls creates a thunderous roar with a spray of mist that creates a beautiful view of the rainbow above.

Murchison Falls was named so by Sir Samuel Baker who named them after Roderick Murchison the then president of the Royal Geographical Society. During the reign of Idi Amin, the waterfall was referred to as Kabalega falls named so after the Omukama (king) of Bunyoro; Kabalega.

However, the name Kabalega Falls was never promulgated and after the downfall of Idi Amin, the falls to date are referred to as Murchison. The mighty Murchison Falls is one of the top attractions for tourists who take Uganda safaris along with the wildlife in the national park.

Activities in Murchison Falls National Park – tour Murchison Falls Park

The park wouldn’t ever be popular if it didn’t have what to see and do there. Some of the activities in Murchison Falls National Park include a Launch trip from Paraa along the river Nile up to the Murchison Falls (17 km); a hike to “top of the falls”, to see closer from the top the spectacular Murchison Falls;

Game drives

Game drives North of river Nile and at Lake Albert Delta (Buligi, Albert and Queen’s tracks); Sportfishing (Nile Perch and tiger fish), on the river Nile above and below the Fall; bird watching and chimpanzee tracking in the adjacent Budongo forest.

Launch trip or boat cruise

Launch trip or boat cruise is such a perfect way to experience the Nile River. The boat cruise takes off from Paraa jetty to the bottom of the mighty falls. The trip takes about 2 hours and during this time you can see several wildlife species quenching their thirst at the shores of the river.

You can also see several bird species and hear the sound of the roaring falls. For birders, the Delta cruise is such a perfect way to spot several bird species. A boat cruise can be undertaken as a group or book a private boat for your excursion.

Game drives are the best way of seeing wildlife. A game drive is perfect on an open roof safari vehicle that offers an all-round view of the park. During the game drive, you can see several wildlife species up close and take as many photos as you can. Depending on your schedule, you can take a morning or evening game drive through the trucks of the park.

Hike to the top of Murchison Falls – tour Murchison Falls Park

Hike to the top of Murchison Falls is the best activity to experience the flow of the Nile River through the 7-meter gorge. The hike starts from below the falls after the boat cruise and lasts about 1 hour. The walk takes you high up where the river squeezes through the 7 meter gorge with perfect photography options.

Adjacent to the park is the Budongo forest where you can have a chimpanzee trekking experience. This place is also good for bird watching. On a tour to Murchison Falls National Park, you can add in a visit to Budongo forest for a chimp tracking experience.