What to do in Murchison falls national park: the Park is located in Masindi, Nwoya, Kiryandondo, and Bulisa in northwest Uganda. With an overall size of 3983 square kilometers, the national park is the biggest and oldest in this country. In order to protect various animal species, the Ugandan government gazetted this Park in 1952.
There are 451 bird species, 13 primate species, 76 animal species, and the largest population of Rothschild giraffes in the national park. Sir Samuel Baker’s Murchison Falls, the strongest waterfall in the world, may be found in the national park. One of the fortunate locations where the River Nile flows from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea is through this park.
Following Samuel Baker’s visit, he renamed it in honor of Sir Roderick Murchison, the then-president of the British Royal Geographical Society; it was renamed from Kabalega National Park to Murchison Falls. Idi Amin Dada renamed the national park Kabalega Falls, but the name Murchison Falls National Park was reinstated after his reign.
Travelers from all over the globe go to the park in the hopes of seeing chimpanzees that reside in the Budongo forest next to the park, as well as a variety of wild animals, birds, and the River Nile. The national park is accessible in a single day and is open all year round.
Things to do in Murchison falls national park
Game viewing Safaris
The majority of the 451 bird species, 13 primate species, and more than 76 animal species found in this great park are visible during game drives. Game viewing safaris, which are scheduled in the morning, evening, and night, are mostly held in the northern section of Murchison Falls National Park, a home to a sizable number of wild animals.
Many animals, including giraffes, leopards, hyenas, elephants, buffaloes, lions, hippos, waterbucks, bushbucks, Jackson’s hartebeest, dik dik, oribis, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, grey-checked mangabeys, and blue monkeys, can be seen during the game viewing safaris in Murchison Falls.
Birdwatching in Murchison Falls National Park
Being a top birding site in the country, one of the most popular activities in this park is bird watching. During nature walks, Nile River boat cruises, and wildlife game drives, visitors may observe more than 451 different species of birds that are found in this park. Because the ranger has to keep you safe from hazardous animals and show you the finest places to see birds, most nature walks include guided birding activities.
African darter, Abyssinian ground hornbill, shoebill, grey-headed kingfisher, rock pratincole, long-tailed nightjar, long-toed plover, yellow-fronted tinkerbird, sandpipers, grey-crowned crane, blue-headed coucal, Denham’s bustard, martial eagle, saddle-billed stork, and more are among the birds found in this great park.
Among these are the following: lesser flamingo, black-billed bustards, silverback, secretary bird, Abyssinian ground hornbill, open-billed stork, grey heron, Verreaux’s eagle owl, papyrus gonolek, black-crowned bustard, African darter, and red-throated bee eater.
Boat cruises safaris
The River Nile flows past Murchison Falls National Park, where boat trips are available. You may take a bottom cruise to the Nile delta or the bottom of the falls. In addition to enjoying the refreshing wind from the waterways, the boat ride offers the opportunity to witness a variety of aquatic wildlife, including crocodiles and hippos, as well as fish and birds, including the African jacana, goliath heron, papyrus gonolek, open-billed stork, shoebill stork, blue-headed coucal, and swamp flycatcher. Visitors can spot park mammal species, including elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, warthogs, Uganda kobs, and hartebeest, near the riverbanks as they attempt to graze or drink water.
One of the most popular activities in this park is chimpanzee trekking, which takes place in the nearby Budongo forest. Although there are other primate species in the forest, chimpanzees are the ones that have been habituated. Visitors with chimpanzee permits can spend an hour in this forest while interacting with chimps.
The first step in trekking chimpanzees in Budongo Forest is a briefing during which participants are instructed on the guidelines for the trek. Trekkers are led into the bush by armed ranger guides, and it will take them anything from 30 minutes to 4 hours to find the chimps. The speed of trekkers and the chimpanzees’ location determine how long it takes to find them in Budongo Forest.
The trekkers can spend an 1 hour with the chimpanzees after they have met them, during which they can observe their daily activities, including mating, nesting, hunting, eating, nursing, and playing, as well as learn about their habits and take pictures and videos.
During chimpanzee trekking in the Budongo forest, hikers can encounter a variety of animals, including African pied wagtails, black kites, crested guineafowls, olive-breasted greenbuls, fork-tailed drongos, crowned eagles, brown twinspots, olive baboons, buffaloes, elephants, and blue, red-tailed, and black and white colobus monkeys.
Nature walks in Murchison falls Park
The purpose of the nature paths in the park is to allow visitors to explore the area on foot. Armed ranger rangers lead the nature walks in the park, protecting you from dangerous wild animals and directing you along the most efficient paths. The Kaniyo Pabidi forest is the primary location for nature walks in Murchison Falls National Park, where visitors may get up close and personal with chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, mammals, and birds.
What is best time to visit the Park?
Although you may visit Murchison Falls National Park at any time of year, certain months are better than others. The best time of year to visit this park is during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. This is because there is little to no rainfall, which keeps the game trucks dry; the roads leading to the park are passable; and the park’s vegetation is sparse and short, providing excellent views of the wild animals.
Because the park is always open, visitors may still visit throughout the rainy seasons of March to May and October to November. The park’s lodges’ prices are discounted during the rainy season, which benefits park visitors. However, visitors should be aware that the rainy season brings heavy rains, which muddy and slippery roads, making it quite difficult to access the park, and vegetation is tall hindering clear view of some wildlife species
Accessing Murchison falls national park
Both air and vehicle transportation are available for accessing Murchison Falls National Park.
Accessing Murchison Falls National Park by air: It takes less than two hours to get from Kajjansi or Entebbe International Airport to Chobe or Pakuba airports, which is where the national park is located. Bar Aviation Uganda and Aerolink Uganda operate two daily flights to Murchison Falls National Park.
Accessing this park by car, visitors may reach Murchison Falls National Park in 4 to 6 hours via the Kampala-Masindi or Kampala-Pakwach roads.