Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison falls national park is the best all-rounder in Uganda with a wide variety of wildlife and the raging Murchison Falls easily accessible by a boat cruise. Sir Samuel Baker, the British explorer, named the Murchison Falls in commemoration of a president of Royal Geographical Society, and this largest park in Uganda was subsequently named after the falls. The Victoria Nile River traverses this park on its way to Lake Albert.

The park boasts of a total of 76 mammal species including bushbucks, Defassa waterbuck, Bohor reedbuck, oribi, giraffes, warthog, side-striped jackal, spotted-hyena, leopards, lions, chimpanzees, vervet monkeys, localized patas monkeys and olive baboons. A bird checklist of 460 species has been confirmed and 19 species unconfirmed is headed in desirability by the shoebill, commonly found along the stretch of river between Nile Safari Camp and the estuary into Lake Albert. Many other water-associated birds are prolific along the river. 53 species of raptors have also been identified in the park.

The main focus of tourist activities is Paraa downriver of Murchison falls. A motor ferry provides the means of transport crossing between the northern and southern banks of the Nile within the park. A launch trip to the base of the falls departs from Paraa as does the main game-viewing circuit north of the river.

Main tourist activities

  • Nile Launch Trip: this superb launch trip from Paraa to the base of the Murchison Falls leaves twice daily, generally at 08.00 and 14.00, though the departure time can change on request. The return trip takes3 hours, so keen photographers are advised to leave slightly earlier in the morning and later in the afternoon to capture the best light. Game viewing is excellent – big herds of buffaloes, hippos in their hundreds, elephants, some of the huge crocodiles left in Africa, waterbucks, kobs, bushbucks, giraffes, black-and-white colobus, etc. The birdlife on the papyrus-lined banks is prolific, with the top prize being the shoebill, African fish eagle, Goliath heron, saddled-billed stork, African Jacana, pied and malachite kingfishers, African skimmers, piacpiac, black-headed gonolek, rock pranticole, yellow-mantled widowbird, yellow-backed weaver, blak-winged Bishop and a variety of migrant waders.
  • Delta Boat Trip: the launch to the base of the falls is the highlight of most Murchison Falls trips while the boat trip downriver from Paraa towards the Lake Albert Delta is the most preferred by birdwatchers since it offers the best opportunity to spot the shoebill anywhere in Africa especially during the rainy season.

  • Game drives: Most wildlife in the Murchison Falls National Park is concentrated to the north of the Nile and the best area for game drives is the circuit of tracks towards Lake Albert delta.

  • Forest walks and chimp trekking: this is mainly done in Rabongo and Kaniyo Pabidi where birds and chimps are in plenty.
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