There are endless reasons to visit Murchison Falls National Park especially the fact that it is endowed with a myriad of natural wonders. These include the world’s most powerful waterfalls, dazzling landscapes, plethora of wildlife species, a variety of bird species and a long list of bucket list experiences. This is why most tourists to Uganda head to Murchison Falls first.
There is no doubt that Uganda’s largest national park matches every taste, age, interest and budget but most importantly delivers indescribable experiences that are almost impossible to encounter elsewhere.
Whereas it’s easy to assume one of the only reasons to visit Murchison falls National Park is for the wildlife species, you will be glad to know that there is more to this park than meets the eye. There are many national parks in Africa for safaris but if you long to experience a world-class safari experience, then Murchison Falls National Park should be on your bucket-list. Therefore below is the list of some of the reasons why you should visit Uganda’s prime and largest national park.
Magical natural wonders
Some of the natural wonders in Murchison Falls National Park are magical, others breathtaking, or utterly awe-inspiring but one thing is for sure, this park is a haven to fantabulous natural features. From the mighty Nile River bisecting the park into two, to the famous Murchison Falls – ‘the world’s most powerful waterfall’, the lush Kaniyo-Pabidi forest and the legendary rapids.
A visit to this park, where the tropical rainforest, Budongo Forest, meets the savannah will leave you believing you are really in the middle of nowhere. Because of its boundless beauty, it has attracted popular visitors such as Ernest Hemingway, Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt, among others.
Amazing game viewing opportunities
Murchison Falls National Park is home to Africa’s most cherished wildlife species such as elephants, lions, buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, spotted hyenas, bushbucks, Defassa waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests, Oribis, leopards, olive baboons and warthogs, among others. A visit to this park makes your dream of meeting the big five animals come true with an en-route visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, for rhino tracking. Whether it’s a dry or wet season, this Park promises a magical experience with game tracks passing through some of the wildlife rich areas.
Endless adventures – Visit Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is a paradise for endless adventures. As a result, you will undeniably be spoiled for choices within this isolated paradise of endless adventures. You can choose to hike to the top of the falls, cruise on a boat along the incredibly beautiful Victoria Nile, explore the park’s vast wilderness on a hot air balloon, go sport fishing for the heaviest fish ever recorded or try something in between.
Chimpanzee trekking
Murchison falls National Park is one of the few places that offer excellent chimpanzee trekking experiences on top of offering unforgettable game viewing opportunities. Chimpanzees in Budongo forest and Kaniyo-Pabidi forest can be tracked in the morning and in the afternoon. Besides the chimpanzees, this forest offers shelter to other species of primates such as olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys and many others.
Dashing safari lodges and tented camps
Many world-class safari lodges and wilderness tented camps can be found in Murchison Falls National Park. Staying in places like Chobe Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Bakers Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge and Kabalega Wilderness Lodge may leave you convinced that you want to move to Uganda – the Pearl of Africa.
More about Murchison falls National Park
No particular words can describe Murchison Falls National Park but it’s the largest and oldest national park in Uganda. Established in 1952 and extending for 3,840 square kilometers, it is the most biologically diverse, thrilling, and stunning park you will ever visit in Uganda.
Murchison Falls is rich in wildlife with over 79 species of mammals, over 450 species of birds, plethora of reptile species including the African Rock pythons, Nile crocodiles and monitor lizards. When you talk about vegetation, this park has varying vegetation types ranging from the savannah grasslands, woodlands to the tropical rainforest, especially on the north-western side of the park.
There are awe-inspiring wonders such as the Victoria Nile, and the magical Murchison Falls that is formed when a section of the Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge of 7 meters and then plunges with a thunderous sound into a ‘Devil’s Cauldron’. These features, together with the wide variety of wildlife have made this park one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa.
Swanky safari lodges in Murchison Falls National Park
As far as swanky safari lodges in Uganda is concerned, it’s no brainer that Murchison Falls National Park has a variety of them. Spend an overnight at Chobe Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Bakers Lodge, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge, Amuka Safari Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Murchison River Lodge, and Nile Safari Lodge among others.
How to get there
A good destination should be easy to reach or find and the beauty of Murchison Falls National Park is that even a first-time visitor can easily access it. The park can be accessed by both air and road transport. For the latter, the commonest route is the 5-6 hours’ Kampala-Luwero-Nakasongola-Masindi and to the park through the Kichumbayobo Gate or Bugungu Gate. These are the two southern entrance gates.
On this route, you can opt for an en-route visit of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking.
For northern entrance gates, you will access the park through Tangi, Chobe, Mubako and Wankwar Gates. This is used by tourists interested in enjoying the views of the Karuma falls before getting into Murchison Falls National Park or those travelling from northern Uganda via Gulu and Kitgum, especially those connecting from Kidepo Valley National Park.
Avoid the hustle of driving by opting for a scheduled flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Pakuba, Bugungu or Chobe airstrips.