Facts about Murchison Falls National Park: Situated in the Murchison Conservation Area, which also includes the Bugungu and Karuma Wildlife Reserve, Murchison Falls National Park is widely recognized as the oldest and largest game park in Uganda.
Additionally, the park is located in the northwest of Uganda, encircled by the districts of Bulisa, Masindi, Nwoya, and Kiryandongo. It takes about four to five hours to drive there, and it takes an hour to fly domestically with “Aero Link Uganda” from Entebbe International Airport to Pakuba or Chobe Airstrip. To learn more about Murchison Falls National Park, keep reading this page.
With over 76 mammal species, including the major four of the big five—elephants, buffaloes, lions, and leopards—the park is a sight to behold. Bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks, warthogs, giraffes, Jackson’s hartebeest, and hyenas are among the numerous animal species found in the park.
Numerous schools of hippos and crocodiles, among other local animals, can be seen along the Nile’s beaches and in the water. Numerous primates, such as chimpanzees in Budongo woodland, baboons, and monkey species, can be found in the park.
With approximately 450 bird species, including the rare shoebill stork, of which 23 are indigenous to the Albertine Rift, Murchison Falls National Park is also the most popular tourist attraction. With the help of knowledgeable guides, birdwatchers can see a variety of bird species when they visit Murchison Falls.
The park is an excellent place to see the “Murchison Falls,” the most powerful water fall in the world. It is located along the Nile, where the River Nile pushes its way through an 8-meter-wide valley.
The upstream launch trips are particularly impressive because they let you cruise close to the Devil Cauldron, where you can see a variety of wildlife along the Nile shores, such as buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks, and water birds, and take amazing pictures of the fall foliage.
These safari itineraries—3 Days Murchison Falls Safari, 4 Days Murchison Falls Safari, and 2 Days Murchison Falls Tour—are the greatest ways to experience safari in Murchison Falls National Park.
With a total size of 3,840 square kilometers, Murchison Falls National Park is located in northwest Uganda. Furthermore, because of its many features, it is the most well-known national park in the nation and the top wildlife viewing destination in Uganda.
A range of mammals, birds, primates, and reptiles can be found in the park’s many vegetation types, which include savannah plains, woods, swamps, and wooded areas.
Game drives, where you can view lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, waterbucks, warthogs, buffaloes, Uganda kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, and more, are the greatest safari activity here. Additional activities include trekking to the top of the water falls, birdwatching, chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest, and boat cruising along the Nile to the powerful waterfalls.
It was given its name in honor of the powerful waterfalls that were once known as Kabalega Falls in the area. The most fascinating natural feature that everyone should initially take into consideration is Murchison Falls, which is described as “an impressive waterfall.” For the ideal safari, it’s critical to understand when to visit Murchison Falls National Park. Planning is best done after learning about the various seasons in the various locations and in general.
With two dry seasons and two wet seasons, the park experiences seasonal variations in its climate. Depending on the convenience of a traveler’s choice of time of year, each of these seasons offers unique challenges and benefits.
In Uganda, the dry season—particularly the months of December through February and June through September—usually marks the height of the season. Uganda’s national parks get a high volume of visitors at this time.
This time of year is the finest time to visit all of the major national parks, including Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is ideal for seeing “rare tree climbing lions,” Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is the best place to do gorilla trekking, and Murchison Falls National Park.
At this time of year, lodging costs increase significantly, and even low-cost resorts are completely booked. We suggest making reservations in advance for those who would rather stay in upscale lodges during this time of year.
In Murchison Falls National Park, there are affordable lodges like Twiga Tales and Heritage Lodge and Parkside Safari Lodge, as well as luxury lodges like Paraa Safari Lodge, Chobe Safari Lodge, Mid-range lodges like Pakuba Safari Lodge, Twiga Safari Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge, Sambya River Lodge, and Murchison River Lodge.
The wet season, which runs from March to May and October to November, is also known as the low season. At a particular point in the year, the roads leading to the parks are muddy and slick. However, work is underway to upgrade the infrastructure.
As a result, the park’s water pools are full, allowing animals and animas to find fresh pasture and water. However, the long-growing grass makes it difficult to identify creatures.
Because there may not be as many tourists in the country and at the destination during the wet season, safari lodges and camps lower their rates. Furthermore, the greatest time of year to see birds is when there is an abundance of food, when they are reproducing, and when migratory birds may be arriving in the parks.
When visiting Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, you should bring the following items: a passport, a yellow fever vaccination card, an airline ticket, a visa, travel and health insurance, passport-size photos, an anti-malarial medication kit, a credit card, enough cash, binoculars, a camera, and clothing, among other items.