Currently, Murchison Falls National Park forms part of the vast Murchison Falls Conservation Area, stretching over 3840 sq. km. It features two main sectors, including the Northern and Southern sectors. The 2 sectors are bisected by the scenic Victoria Nile, which also makes up the powerful Murchison Falls, the park’s iconic attractions. This waterfall can be observed as it plunges 45m and later flows to the Albertine Nile.
Murchison Falls National Park’s landscapes is breathtaking, featuring the extension of the Albertine Rift Valley and the Bunyoro Escarpment. The other features that mark the park’s landscapes include woodlands, extensive savanna plains, rainforests, and scenic Riverine vegetation. The southern part of the Murchison National Park is mainly comprised of Budongo and Kaniyo-Pabidi Forests.
Major Tourist Attractions of Murchison Falls National Park
The key attractions that make Murchison stand out include wildlife, the powerful Murchison Falls, and birds etc.
Wildlife Species
The diverse wildlife to explore on a safari in Murchison Falls National Park include small and large mammals, reptiles, and more. About 76 species of mammals, 451 species of birds, and about 51 reptile species plus several amphibian species, reside in the various habitats in Murchison Falls National Park. The checklist of animals to explore in Murchison Falls include warthogs, Nile crocodiles, cape buffaloes, Jackson’s hartebeests, African bush elephants, hippos, warthogs, Oribis, lions, Uganda Kobs, leopards, and Rothschild giraffes, etc. If you love primates, then expect to find lots of blue monkeys, chimpanzees, olive baboons, and many others.
The Birds in Murchison
An estimate of 451 bird species thrive in Murchison Falls National Park, and the majority range from aquatic, woodlands, vulnerable, and endangered. The diverse species of birds to identify in this park include the black-crowned tchagra, fulvous whistling-ducks, Rock pigeons, African swifts, black-headed lapwing, mourning collared-doves, hadada ibis, purple herons, dwarf bitterns, Senegal lapwings, Vinaceous doves, White-crested turacos, Western crested guinea fowl, Shoebill storks, African jacanas, swamp flycatchers, Egyptian goose, and Northern carmine. The park also supports birds such as squacco herons, reed cormorants, Heuglin’s spurfowl, secretary birds, African fish eagle, Denham’s bustards, Abyssinian ground hornbills, palm-nut vultures, papyrus gonoleks, and more.
Tourism Activities in Murchison Falls National Park –Uganda
Game drives with a guide
When it comes to safaris in Murchison Falls National Park, guided game drives are a must–to–enjoy. The park offers enriching game viewing sessions in the morning and afternoon, with visitors having a chance to observe diversity of animals. The key places to explore on a game drive include the Albert Game Track, Buligi, and Queen’s Track. These rewarding game tracks can be safely explored in a 4×4 tourist car, and the normal game drive takes about 2-3 hours.
Bird-watching
Murchison Falls National Park is one of the top birding tour destinations and offers incredible bird sightings ranging from woodlands, savannas to aquatic species. On the checklist, the birds to find on a bird-watching excursion include papyrus gonoleks, African blue-headed oriole, fork-tailed drongo, white-crested shrikes, elusive shoebill storks, and more.
Boat or Launch tours
A guided boat/launch cruise tour in Murchison lets you explore most of the aquatic animals. Explore the Victoria Nile or Albertine Nile while you keep an eye on the Nile Crocodiles, hippos, and water birds. The aquatic birds to identify on a launch/boat excursion include fish eagles, shoebill stork, blue-spotted doves, African skimmers, and shoebill storks.
A hike to the top of the falls
You can also enjoy a guided hike/trek to the top of the Murchison waterfalls, about 45 minutes. You can be led by an experienced guide and expect to take selfies at the falls.
Chimpanzee trekking/tracking
Murchison Falls National Park also offers mesmerizing chimpanzee trekking and chimpanzee habituation. These primate adventures are enjoyed in the dense Budongo Forest. A normal trek with Budongo Forest takes about 2 to 4 hours, while habituation can last for about a full day.
Guided Nature Walks
Nature walks with an experienced guide from Murchison Falls National Park mainly introduce you to the diverse habitats. As you walk, expect to search for the different animals that can’t easily be spotted when on a game drive.
The best time to tour Murchison Falls National Park –Uganda
The majority of the tour activities in Murchison Falls National Park can be enjoyed at any time of the year. But the dry season promises an excellent game viewing experience compared to any season of the year. This means you can plan and book a tour in June, July, August, and September, whereas the short dry months to organize a wildlife tour falls in December to February. The low or off-peak months are also available for you to organize and book a safari to Murchison Falls National Park, that is March-May or October-November.
Accommodation Choices to Stay –Murchison Falls National Park
Luxury, Midrange, & Budget accommodation options are all present for visitors to retire for a night in Murchison Falls National Park. The lodges and camps that are available for overnight stay in this Park include Twiga Safari Lodge, Murchison Giraffe Camp, Murchison River Camp, Nile Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Sambiya River Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, and Fort Murchison Lodge.
Getting to Murchison Falls National Park from Kampala/Fort Portal
By road, expect to take a 6-7 hour drive from Kampala to Murchison, and you can use the different gates like Tangi, Chobe, and Wankara. From Fort Portal city to Murchison, you will drive for 7-8 hours. And by air, you can spend no more than 2 hours to reach the designated airstrips like Pakuba, Chobe, and Bugungu.