Murchison Falls National Park is located in the northern part of Uganda in Nwoya district. It is the country’s largest and oldest conservation area gazetted in 1925 as a way of protecting the animal species that call this home, in the 1900’s the conservation area faced a lot of human degradation, which led to the extinction of some animals like the Rhinoceros due to the constant poaching, never the less the park remained one of the best places to easily see the so-called big four of the wilderness (lions, leopards, buffaloes). During the reign of Uganda’s dictator President Idi Amin Dada the national park was named Kabalega National Park, a traditional name to represent the king of Bunyoro Kingdom, later following his downfall, the park regained its name to Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison Falls National Park is bisected into 2 by the Victoria Nile, famous for its greatest feature Murchison Fall after which it was named the water squeezes itself into a small slit on the rock approximately 7 meters, falling off the plunge pool with the greatest and loudest roar sound, the presence of the wide savannah along the floor of the great Albertine rift valley region dotted with shrubs, Borassus palms, short scattered trees, bushes, and the Forest presents home to several animal species present within the ecosystem, popular animals include lions, antelopes, Jackson hartebeests, oribi, warthogs, African elephants, African buffaloes, primates like olive baboons, chimpanzee in the Budongo forest, and over 400 bird species have been recorded here to date.
Major attractions of the national park include the various wildlife living in the bio-diverse ecosystem, the great Murchison Fall, which is one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls, it has been named among the 7 wonders of the world, River Nile, world’s longest river tributary Victoria Nile crosses through the park dropping its waters into the Lake Albert, the presence of these natural features gives a golden chance to do activities in the national park, Game drives in Murchison falls national park is conducted early on the morning in search of game, through the properly planned game tracks of the area you will come up close with wildlife, expect to meet early morning risers like the Rothschild’s giraffes, waterbucks, elephants, warthogs among other species. Game drives are done in 3 sessions, in the morning, afternoon, and evening time, the conservation area is one of those few places where doing night game drives is allowed for the protection of the Uganda wildlife game rangers.
Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, this begins at the Para dock, the cruise will take you for 2-3 hours to witness the fall of the great Murchison fall, it is an amazing journey as you will witness many water animals like hippos, the Nile crocodiles basking along the sandy beaches of the conservation area are not to miss! On a lucky day, you may be chanced to see the rare shoe bill stock in the marshy swampy areas along the river banks. Guided nature walks in the national park will be led through by a great guide from the Uganda Wildlife Authority, it is an amazing way to explore the national park. Visiting the local communities living around the national park, for example, the BOMU women’s group will showcase their art crafts, and perform to their traditional songs.
Murchison Falls National Park can be visited all year round but is best during the dry season between June –early September and January –December, and can be easily accessed by road through the Kampala –Gulu highway, it is approximately 6-hour drive to arrive at the destination, charter flights can be arranged to land at the Chobe private airstrip or Pakuba.