Murchison Falls National Park
A wonderful tapestry of natural landscapes. Murchison Falls National Park is where the mighty Nile River bisects the flourishing savannah. The River is flanked by lush riverine woodlands, before bursting through a chasm in the Rift Valley escarpment to form the raging Murchison Falls. Wildlife enthusiasts can expect to see great pods of hippos. Besides hippos, the immense rafts of Nile crocodile in-and-around the Nile is a spectacular sight, as well as an array of exceptional water birds. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s oldest and largest park.
highlights
Game Drives
Murchison Falls is one of the best parks in Uganda for wildlife. The game drives afford the opportunity to spot an abundance of wildlife. Murchison Falls has over 76 mammals, such as the rare Rothschild Giraffe, Patas monkey, buffalo, lions, elephant and various antelope species. The park is also home to approximately 451 bird species.
Nile Launch Trip
The perfect way to get a closer feel of the great Nile is by joining in on a Nile cruise. One of the great highlights at Murchison Falls is the Nile River Launch Trips. Cruising down the Nile provides a great opportunity to see the hidden beauty of the land as well as observe animals as they come down to the water’s edge to drink. The Nile here supports one of the largest concentrations of hippos and crocodiles in Africa. The views of the falls when approached by boat are spectacular. Launch trips usually last around 3 hours.
Delta Trip
A more relaxed boat trip down the Victoria Nile. The Deltra boat trip, as it heads into Lake Albert goes through a scenic area of papyrus swamps. This is a great way to view birdlife, including the rare shoebill stork.
Top of the Falls Hike
An alternative to viewing the falls by boat. The 45-minute hike to the top of Murchison Falls offers great views over the surrounding landscape. As the path gets closer, you can hear the thunder and feel the spray as the water forces itself through the rock and over the edge.
Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo Forest
On the southern side of the park lies the enchanting Budongo Forest. It is here, where chimpanzee trekking and habituation experiences can be done in the morning or afternoon. The success of chimpanzee sightings is high, although it depends on the fruiting seasons. The best chances for the Chimp sightings is between May to August. The terrain encountered is pretty tough, with some steep inclines to tackle.
Rhino Tracking in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Located approximately 2 hours from Murchison Falls, on the overland route from Kampala, the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary can be conveniently visited en-route to the park. It is the only place in Uganda to track rhinos on foot, with armed rangers.
Best time to visit
