Crafted in nature beyond forgery or imitation, Murchison Falls National Park is an absolute adventure. The park is the largest protected area in the country stretching for over 3,893 square kilometers. Its vast nature encircles the districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo, and Masindi. The park is divided by the Victoria Nile from north to south for a distance of about 120 kilometers. These two bisections offer two different landscapes and vegetation types as the northern side is characterized by a tropical rainforest and the south is a mixture of savannah grassland and woodland. Murchison Falls National Park from being the largest park doubles as the oldest national park in Uganda. Its history runs back to 1952 when it was gazette as a national park from a game reserve. The park spanned half its current size, however, due to a tsetse fly outbreak in the area close to the park between 1907 and 1912, this area was added to the park. The park was formerly named Kabalega National Park after the Omukama Kabalega the king of the Bunyoro Kingdom. However, the coming of the British explorer Samuel Baker and his wife Florence Baker witnessed the falls and were amazed. They named the falls after the British president of the Royal Geographical Society and geologist Roderick Murchison. This was enacted by the British colonial government and maintained the name, Murchison Falls National Park when it established the National Parks Act in Uganda in 1952.
Murchison Falls National Park hosts a variety of wildlife species from the 4 of the Big 5 animals to birds, primates, and other wildlife species. The park once completed the Big 5 puzzle, however, with the growing insecurity and black market of bush meat and products, the last rhino was poached in 1983. This brought the population of rhinos to be extinct in the country. Later, rhinos were reintroduced into the country and are now protected at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The park harbors wildlife species like lions, hyenas, leopards, duikers, oribis, antelopes, elephants, and giraffes to mention but a few. The park has a lot to offer from attractions to activities like we shall be unveiling below.
What to see in Murchison Falls National Park?
Murchison Falls National Park has a vast landscape that harbors a variety of flora and fauna species and also physical features that can entertain you. These can include the following.
Wildlife
Murchison Falls National Park’s vast landscape harbors over 140 mammals including both carnivores and herbivores. These include lions, leopards, elephants, hyenas, buffaloes, antelopes, giraffes, hippos, and crocodiles among others. Murchison Falls National Park is one of the few parks in Uganda that has the big 4 of the big 5 animals.
Primates
The northern part of Murchison Falls National Park is covered by vast fields of tropical rainforest of Budongo. This is the largest natural mahogany forest in Uganda and East Africa. Mabira forest in central Uganda once held that title but lost it when part of it was replanted after it was cleared for farming. Budongo Forest is the main habitat of the chimpanzee primates in the Murchison Falls Conservation Area. There are over 600 chimpanzees in the Budongo Forest and can easily be spotted. Other primates in the forest include colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, and red-tailed monkeys.
Birdlife
The diverse ecological systems of Murchison Falls National Park harbor approximately 550 bird species. The park hosts the unique Albertine Rift Valley endemics and water birds scattered across the landscape. There are also migratory bird species that fly into the park from different areas. The bird species in the park include Abyssinian ground hornbill, Senegal thick-knee, black-headed lapwing, Denham’s bustard, yellow-fronted tinkerbird, long-tailed nightjar, long-toed lapwing, black-billed barbet, rock pratincole, giant kingfisher, red-winged grey warbler, African darter, standard-winged nightjar, blue-headed coucal, swamp flycatcher, grey-headed kingfisher, piapiac, white-browed sparrow-weaver, red-throated bee-eater, speckle-fronted weaver, silverbird, pennant-winged nightjar, double-toothed barbet, etc.
Murchison Falls
The park is named after waterfalls located along the Victoria Nile a tributary of the River Nile. The Murchison Falls is the world’s strongest waterfall and is formed when large gallons of water are squeezed through a narrow rock wall before plunging into a small pool at the bottom of the falls. This process causes the falls to produce a roar heard from miles away as you approach it. The falls are iced by a rainbow formed above it to showcase its beauty as the cast high water vapor waters the surroundings.
What to do in Murchison Falls National Park?
Several attractions in Murchison Falls National Park come with incredible activities that can suit every visitor’s bucket list. There are many things to engage in the park as uncovered below.
Game viewing
This is the major activity in Murchison Falls National Park. Game drives are done in the savannah open plains of the park in the safety of a safari vehicle. This is the best activity to spot and explore the many wildlife species in the park. Game drives expose visitors to various wildlife species like elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, hyenas, warthogs, antelopes, oribis, etc.
Boat cruise
A boat cruise experience in Murchison Falls National Park is the best way to explore the aquatic side of the park. Taking on a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile is a perfect chance to explore and encounter aquatic species like hippos and crocodiles. Other animals like elephants, buffaloes, and antelopes can be spotted quenching their thirst on the banks of the river. The boat cruise experience also offers beautiful views of the Murchison Falls in a glimpse.
Birding
Birding in the park is one of the interesting activities in the park. It is carried in the different ecosystems in the park from the savannah plains, tropical forests, and riverine vegetation. Budongo and Kaniyo Pabidi Forests are a paradise for birders because they harbor over 400 birds. These forests harbor more birds than any other area in Murchison Falls National Park. The designated birding trails are scattered across the park leading to various bird habitats.
Chimpanzee trekking
Trekking chimpanzees in Murchison Falls National Park is done in the Budongo Forest. This area hosts about 600 chimpanzees that live in troops. Chimpanzee trekking involves walking through forest canopies searching for these primates. Upon locating them, visitors are given an hour to spend with the chimpanzees in their presence. Visitors can take pictures as they watch them feed, rest, and go by with their chores.
How to get to Murchison Falls National Park?
Murchison Falls National Park is located in the western region of the country. It can be accessed by both air and road transport because of the improved transport network systems. By road, Murchison Falls National Park is accessed through the Kampala-Masindi-Pakwachi highway. The park is approximately 305 kilometers from the capital city Kampala and it can take about 4-6 hours to get there. The main highway to the park is tarmacked which eases access to Murchison Falls National Park.
Accessing Murchison Falls National Park by air transport is the fastest way to get to the park. Domestic flights can be arranged from Entebbe International Airport and Kajjansi Airstrip to one of the various airstrips around the park. Some of these airstrips include Pakuba Airstrip, Bugungu Airstrip, and Chobe Airstrip.
When to visit Murchison Falls National Park?
With various activities in the park, Murchison Falls National Park is open for exploring year in and out. Various activities in the park trigger different times to visit the park for example birding is best done in the wet season when it is the breeding season for birds. Game drives, boat cruises, and nature walks are best done in the dry season. The park receives two dry and wet seasons throughout the year. The dry runs from June to September and December to February and the wet season from May to March and October to November.