Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison falls National Park is located in the north western part of Uganda. The park is well spread in the inland shores of Lake Albert around the Victoria Nile to Karuma falls.
Murchison falls National Park, adjacent 748 square kilometers Bugungu wildlife Reserve and 730 square kilometers, Karuma wildlife Reserve which is famous for Murchison falls Conservation area.
Murchison falls National Park is located in the districts of Nwoya, Masindi, Kiryandongo and Buliisa. The distance from Masindi which is the nearest largest town to Kibanda area of the National park which is about 72 kilometres. The area is approximately 283 kilometers, by road and one takes the northwest part of Kampala.
Murchison falls National park was explored by Sir Samuel and his wife Florence Baker in the 1864, he later on named the park after a geologist Roderick Murchison.
Murchison falls National Park is Uganda’s oldest national park and largest measuring approximately 3,894 square kilometers. The park is bisected by Victoria Nile from the west to East for a distance of 115 kilometers.
Murchison falls flows through a narrow gorge of 7 metres wide and plugs into 43 metres. Masindi-Gulu highway where Karuma falls 600 megawatt power stations is located and the largest of all.
There is an adjacent ament to Murchison falls park where over 80 species of mammals such as Lions, Elephants, warthogs, zebras ,Giraffes, Antelopes, bushbuck, Eland, Jackson hartebeest as well as the largest number of Nile crocodiles is inhabited. The area has over 500 bird species that ranges from a variety of water birds, dwarf kingfisher, shoe billed stork, Goliath heron, White thighed hornbill and great blue Turaco and many more.
Murchison falls National inhabits a number of primates including the primates such as patas, olive baboons ,Monkey, black and white Colobus monkey, chimpanzees that are spotted during the game drives ,nature walk and many more.
Murchison falls National park, is declared as one of the best birding sector where one can record number of bird species Shoebill Stork, the Goliath Heron – the largest heron in the world – and pairs of elegant Grey Crowned Cranes , Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet, Black-headed Gonolek, Eastern Grey Plantain-Eater, Piapiac, Silverbird, Weaver Birds, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-Eater, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Speckle-fronted Weaver.
Wildlife Game Drives
The Murchison falls national park offers the best game drives, guide, rangers of the Uganda wildlife Authority are well informed about the game drives and mammals living in the park these include Elephants, Rothschild Giraffes ,lions, leopards, antelopes, African Buffaloes, warthogs, hippos and black spotted hyena. The game drive takes three hours from the time of start. Some game drives are done at night (nocturnal game drives) to search for Hyenas, Serval cats, Lions and Leopards.
Nile River Boat
Enjoy the nile boat river cruise on the top of the falls as you see the hippos in the water, Nile crocodile mouths opening wide at the Riverbanks, watch the elephant herds, antelopes after the hike to the top you return to the shores of the lake.
Hot Balloon Safaris
Hot air Balloon safaris will give you an amazing cruise to fly and see the park filled with vast of herds of elephants, giraffes, antelopes and antelopes.
Bird watching
Enjoy birding at the park during the nature walk along the Nile. The park has various landscape including Riverine Forest, Savannah, Budongo Forest and a variety of bird species on foot, vehicle and boat.
Hiking in Murchison falls
During the hike to the waterfalls, one is able to participate in the nature walk, to the Rabongo forest where the birders paradise and spot the chimpanzees and other primate species and see the monkeys, bird species, and wildlife.
Chimpanzee tracking-Budongo forest
Chimpanzee tracking is done in Budongo Forest where there is excellent area for trekking the chimpanzees. Enjoy the chimpanzee habituation experience, birding, hiking and nature walks.
Rhino tracking
The Rhino tracking sanctuary is one of the sanctuaries to stop over before proceeding to Murchison falls National Park where you can spot the famous shoebill stork and other water birds.
The park has accommodation facilities to accommodate you during your visit, these arrange from budget, midrange and luxury lodges.
So apart from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Murchison Falls National Park is also under the national parks which would be rated as the best tour destinations in Uganda.
