The popular Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s best-known and biggest nature reserve, and its impressive animal populations and superb activities are further augmented by its location, which straddles the Victoria Nile as it makes its way through multiple rapids and waterfalls (including the enormously impressive Murchison Falls) to Lake Albert.
This is an exceptional place to see wildlife and a trip along the Nile in order to see the powerful Murchison Falls up close, a simply unforgettable Uganda Safari experience. The Lake Victoria outlet sends about 300 cubic meters per second of water to these falls and all this volumes squeezed through this gorge that is 7 meters wide. These waterfalls are found within the National park which was actually named after these wonderfull waterfalls. The park is located in the northern region of the Albertine Rift Valley.
The park is recognized as one of the best National parks in Uganda. When you are thinking of planning a safari to Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park is a must visit destination. In 1926, the park was a game reserve established to shelter the savannah grassland which was pointed out by Winston Church chill in the year 1907, as the grand Kew Gardens together with the wildlife combined on an confined land.
There are over 72 Mammals recorded in the Murchison Falls National Park. The park is also a popular birding spot and different bird species can be checked off the bird list. These include some of the following;
Elephants can be found during the game drives and also as you take the boat launch up to the bottom of the falls.
The African Buffalo is quite a large animal and moved about in groups and you will find them mainly on game drives or on boat launch.
Lions, Giraffes, Antelopes like Uganda Kob, Hartebeest, Bushbuck, Defassa Waterbuck, Bohor Reedbuck, Oribi.
There are also different monkeys like Vervet Monkeys, Baboon, Black and White Colobus, Patas Monkeys, warthogs, Side Striped Jackal, Leopards, Spotted Hyenas. The vegetation is characterised by savannah, riverine forest and woodland.
By road, the Nile river crossing at Paraa, in the centre of the park, is approximately 4 hrs drive from kampala. Paraa is 85km from Masindi town by the direct route. A longer alternative route passes through Budongo forest and enjoys spectacular views across Lake Albert from the rift valley escarpment above Butiaba. Murchison can also be reached by air. Charter flights can land at airstrips north of the Nile at Pakuba and south at Bugungu.
