Murchison Falls National Park : Murchison Falls game viewing, Murchison Falls Uganda
Murchison Falls National Park is one of Uganda’s most beautiful parks and being the largest national park in Uganda, it offers one an opportunity to extensively look out for wildlife across different sections of the national park. Known for its mighty yet dramatic Murchison Waterfalls, the park combines two amazing experiences that is wildlife game viewing and a visit to the top of the falls. The top of the falls is a major highlight for visitors to the national park as they spend time watching these thunderous waterfalls as they dramatically squeeze through a 7 meter gorge splashing loudly into the River Nile.
The national park is located North west of Kampala (Uganda’s capital city) and is divided into a Northern and Southern section by the Victoria Nile. Murchison Falls National Park is commonly accessed by road from Kampala and the beauty about accessing it by road is that you get to combine another amazing adventure which is the rhino trek at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district. This sanctuary is along the way so is a great way to make a stopover for rhino trekking and also break down the journey with an exciting trekking encounter.
Why should I visit Murchison Falls National Park and what can I do when I visit the national park?
Some people might ask why visit Murchison Falls National Park?
Well, the national park is one of Uganda’s top conservation areas making it a worthwhile stop for game viewing in the vast savanna plains. The park is known for its bio-diversity and wildlife so visiting offers you an opportunity to look out for the wildlife of Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison Falls Wildlife
Murchison Falls National Park is home to about 76 species of mammals which are found in the park itself and some are found in the adjacent Budongo Forest which is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.
Wildlife to look out for while in the park include include lions, cape Buffaloes, leopard, elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, hyenas, oribi, Jackson’s Hartebeest, patas monkeys, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, hippos, chimpanzees in Budongo forest, Uganda Kobs, water bucks, bush bucks, reed buck, warthogs, hyenas, Nile crocodiles which are best seen while on a boat safari on the Nile.
Lion seen while on a game drive in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is known for having the largest population of Nile Crocodiles in Uganda. Budongo Forest is also rich in primates and is one of the places to do the chimpanzee trek in Uganda. Budongo Forest is not just known for the chimpanzees but is also home to primate species like the black-and-white colobus monkey, blue Monkey, potto, bush baby and the red-tailed monkey.
More than 550 bird species have been recorded in Murchison making it a rewarding destination for the birding enthusiast, you look out for the elusive Shoebill while on the Delta Boat ride and then look out for savanna specials. The park is home to escarpment species, low land species, savanna birds and hosts 14 of the Sudan-Guinea Biome species offering a birder keen to tick off their list rewarding sightings.
Giraffes in Murchison Falls National Park
We will now go to things to do in Murchison Falls National Park or what options of activities can I consider if I am to do a Murchison Falls Safari. Below are the details on things to do;
Things to do in Murchison Falls National Park
Game Drives
One of the must do activities when you visit Murchison is the game drives in the national park. These happen best in a 4WD Safari land cruiser/van with a pop up roof. The reason for the pop up roof is so that you can have the best game viewing angles while in the car, since it is a savanna park, the wildlife is spread out across the savanna plains and the pop up roof offers great sighting angles from your car.
Safari vehicle with pop up roof
The northern section of Murchison Falls National Park is where your game drives would happen and you start the day early in the morning after having an early breakfast at your safari lodge. Early mornings are best for game viewing and also offer a chance to look out for nocturnal species before they go back into hiding.
Game drives offer you an opportunity to look out for some of the “Big Five Animals” that is Lion, Leopard, Elephant and Buffalo. Aside from the Big Five animals, you also look out for other wildlife in the park that includes Rothschild’s Giraffes, Patas Monkeys, Warthogs, Hyenas, Vervet monkeys, Olive baboons, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Waterbucks, Uganda Kobs, Oribi, Bushbucks and Reed buck among others. The game drives are not just about the wildlife, they also bring you into the landscape and vegetation of the savanna park. As you drive towards the park, you enjoy views of the golden sunrise over the Victoria Nile and the vast savanna plains. Game drives are a must do activity when you visit.
Giraffes seen while on a game drive in Murchison
Boat Safari on the Nile
The afternoon boat cruise on the Nile to the Murchison Falls is a highlight for many visitors to the park. The boat safari on the Nile also known as the waterfall cruise is best done in the afternoon. Usually after the game drives in the morning, you return to the lodge and then come later in the afternoon for the Murchison boat cruise. Afternoons are better for wildlife viewing as the wildlife converges near the Nile River banks to quench their thirst on a hot afternoon, some of the wildlife is usually seen in the water especially hippos and elephants.
Afternoon boat ride on the Nile
The Murchison Falls boat cruise involves cruising along the Nile looking out for wildlife and water birds as you also head towards the bottom of the Murchison Waterfalls. The boat will stop here just below the falls and you can enjoy the view of the thunderous waterfalls as they dramatically splash into the Nile and also get to capture some photos. Wildlife to look out for include Nile Crocodiles, Hippos, Elephants, water birds and other wildlife along the river banks.
Murchison Waterfalls/ Top of the falls hike
Murchison Waterfalls is a must visit or stop while on safari in the park. There are three ways to see or visit the Murchison Waterfalls, one is while on the boat cruise on the Nile that we just mentioned above, second is a hike to the top of the falls and third is a drive to the top of the falls.
The hike to the top of the falls is recommended for visitors who have more time to spare and enough physical ability to go on a short hike to experience the falls and the landscape of Murchison Falls National Park. The hike can happen after the boat cruise where your boat leaves you somewhere at the bottom of the falls then together with your ranger guide, you start hiking to the top of the falls. Once at the top, you spend time watching the waterfalls and your driver guide then meets you with the car at the top of the falls and transfers you to your safari lodge.
Top of Murchison Falls
With the option of a stopover at the top of the falls, this works if you don’t fancy hiking and would still want to experience being at the top of the falls. Here, your driver guide will drive you to the top of the falls from your lodge or after your morning activity, on arrival you simply walk to the waterfalls, spend time watching the waterfalls and take photos.
The Murchison Waterfalls are a spectacular viewing experience, they are so powerful that you almost want to stand still for long moments at a time to fully take in their power. Watching them as they dramatically force themselves through a 7m gorge is a true nature spectacle, so powerful so loud and so beautiful. It’s a powerful experience at the top!
Murchison Falls Uganda
Rhino Trekking
Rhino trekking is one of the wildlife adventures that you can do while on a Murchison Falls Safari. The rhino trek is a stop over while heading to Murchison Falls National Park and it is done at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located in Nakasongola district and is home to the Southern White Rhinos. The rhino trek stop over is why a safari to Murchison is always categorized as a Big Five safari because of the possibility of rhino trekking at Ziwa and then heading to the national park for an opportunity of looking out for other members of the Big 5.
A rhino at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
The rhino trek starts with a briefing from your ranger guide at the sanctuary and then together with your guide you walk through the sanctuary in search of the Southern White Rhinos. Once you locate them you are allowed to spend one hour with the rhinos taking photos and watching them. The experience is a great way to trek these endangered species and also learn more about them.
Rhino trekking at Ziwa
Sunset Boat Cruise and Sun downer
The sunset boat cruise and sun downer experience is for the traveler who would like to slowly experience Murchison Fall National Park in all its grandeur. This sunset cruise begins at your safari lodge where you are picked up later in the day, you quietly cruise along the Victoria Nile and explore a separate section of the Nile. It’s a slow cruise that allows you to simply relax and enjoy the beauty of the park. Later in the cruise, the sunset starts to be visible as the day comes to an end. Golden views of the sunset, wine and snacks is what to expect while cruising on the Nile!
Evenings on the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park
Chimpanzee Trekking at Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo Forest
Kibale National Park is famously known for the chimpanzee trekking in Uganda however the amazing thing about Murchison Falls National Park is that it offers an opportunity to see the chimpanzees in Budongo Forest. This means if you don’t have enough time to travel all the way to Kibale you can still have an opportunity to see the chimpanzees at Kaniyo Papidi in Budongo Forest.
Budongo Forest is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area and is one of East Africa’s largest tropical rain forests, Budongo in itself is a bio-diverse site that hosts a variety of plant species, birds, fungi and primates.
An adult chimpanzee seen while on a chimp trek
Chimpanzees are present in the forest with over 800 individuals, this makes it the second best place to trek chimps in Uganda after Kibale. The forest has one habituated chimpanzee community that lives in the Kaniyo Pabidi area south of Murchison Falls National Park. The chimp trek allows you to spend one hour with the chimpanzees, also known as man’s closest relatives as we share about 98% DNA with them.
Nile Delta Boat Trip
The Nile Delta Boat trip takes you on a journey in search of the pre-historic Shoebill, this elusive bird species is usually a highlight for some visitors to Uganda especially birders. The elusive Shoebill is known for its hunting skill that involves standing in one place for a long time waiting to devour its prey. The Nile Delta boat trip takes you on a quiet boat cruise to the Lake Albert Delta, a ramsar site where the Nile River enters Lake Albert. The Nile – Lake Albert Delta stretches from the devil’s cauldron where the Nile River forces its way through a 7m gap between rocks before thunderously splashing 43m down forming the Murchison Waterfalls. The Nile splashes down losings its power and the flows smoothly heading to Lake Albert however before it connects to the lake, it forms a shallow area that consists of swamp and wetland. Aside from the Shoebill, you look out for other water bird species and papyrus dwellers.
Birding in Murchison Falls National Park
Pied Kingfisher in Murchison
For a birder doing a birding safari in Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park is a rewarding stop as over 556 bird species have been recorded in the park. The park hosts 14 of the Sudan-Gunea Biome species and is also one of the places in Uganda where one can look out for the elusive Shoebill.
Birding to Murchison falls National Park begins en-route as you look out for species like the Stripped Kingfisher, Grey-headed Oliveback, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu and the Brown Babbler.
Birding Murchison then continues at Budongo Central Reserve at the Royal Mile which is a stretch of murram road between the main research station and a forestry college. The Royal Mile is known as the richest bird watching site in Uganda and about 366 bird species have been recorded at the site. Birds to look out for at the Royal Mile in Budongo forest include the African Yellow Warbler, Cabanis’s Bunting, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Forest-Robin, White-thighed Hornbill, Uganda Woodland-warbler, African dwarf Kingfisher, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher (a rare sighting), Black headed Gonolek, Purple-headed starling.
Birding then continues to the main Murchison Falls game reserve where you do full day game drives and boat cruise on Victoria Nile in search of water birds, escarpment species and savanna species.
Birds in the national park include Bateleur, Gray-headed Bushshrike, Marsh Tchagra, Dark Chanting Goshawk, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Abysinnian Ground Hornbill, Red-necked Falcon, Spotted thick-nee, Greater Painted-snipe, Northern Carmine Bee-eater, Red-throated Bee-eater, Grey Crowned cranes, Senegal thick-knee, Water thick-knee, Black-bellied Bustard, Silver Bird, Gray Kestrel, White-faced Whistling duck, Saddle-billed Stork, African Swamphen, Rock Pratincole usually seen on a hike to the bottom of the falls perched on rocky outcrops, and the Goliath Heron. Nocturnal species to look out for while on a night game drive in Murchison Falls National Park include the Slender-tailed Night Jar and the Greyish Eagle-owl.
Sport fishing in Murchison Falls National Park
A chart showing some of the fish species on the Murchison Nile
One of the less known activities in Murchison is sport fishing, this experience works for sport fishing enthusiasts looking to fish on the Nile. The experience is done under the guidance of expert fishing guides based in Murchison, the most common fish that is caught is the Nile perch and the fish is release back into the water afterward. The fishing activity requires a fishing permit that is issued to visitors by Uganda Wildlife Authority at a fee. Fish species of the Murchison Nile include Butter Catfish, Sudan Catfish, Nile Perch, Black Nile Catfish, Egyptian Robber, Vundu Catfish, Nile Tilapia, Elongate Tiger Fish and African Labeo among others.
How to get to Murchison Falls National Park from Kampala
Murchison Falls National Park is usually accessed by most visitors from Kampala (Uganda’s Capital city) after they arrive at Entebbe International Airport. This doesn’t mean that it is the only way to get to the park, the park can also be accessed during a circuit safari from areas like Fort Portal in western Uganda and from Kidepo National Park. The access depends on where you are at the moment.
From Kampala, you access Murchison Falls National Park by road through Nakasongola district Masindi town. Aside from road, you can access Murchison Falls National Park by chartered/scheduled flights from Entebbe or Kajansi Airstrip landing at Pakuba Airstrip in the northern section of the park or Bugungu Airstrip.
Murchison Falls National Park Tours
3 Day Murchison Falls Tour & Rhino trekking
4 Day Murchison Falls NP Wildlife and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
