Locally known as Kabalega National Park is situated at the end of the Albertan Rift Valley and it is Uganda’s oldest and largest safari park. Murchison is located 305 kilometers north of Kampala in Masindi District and can be accessed by road or flights. Murchison Falls National park was first gazette as a wildlife reserve in 1926 and is home to 76 different mammal species and 451 birds. Murchison Falls Conservation Area is made up of Bugungu, Karuma wildlife reserves and Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison Falls National park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the remnant valley wall, creating the dramatic falls, the park’s unique attraction and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles that can only be experienced through Uganda safaris.
Uganda trips.
This is something you will clearly see when you visit Murchison Falls National Park.
Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are permanent residents. Notable visitors to Murchison Falls National Park include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and several British royals. Common activities include: wildlife viewing safaris at Murchison falls / game viewing, launch trips to the bottom of the falls and hikes to the top (Devil’s Cauldron), birding and nature walks. Launch trips stand out as the most common exciting activities because it gets you close to the centerpiece of the park. For those that want an aerial wildlife viewing experience, hot air ballooning activities are available within the park. The vegetation of Murchison Falls National Park is made up of Savannah, Riverine forest and woodland. Some of the wildlife includes kobs, elephants, Rothschild giraffes, heartbeats, oribis, leopards, lions Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species. This safari park is an all year wildlife destination but can best be visited on a Uganda safari during the months of June to late September or January to mid-March.
Murchison Falls Safaris
Attractions
- The park hosts about 76mammal species with 5 of the big7
- 451 bird species, Victoria Nile which bisects the park for 80km.
- 45m plunge pool which drains the last of the river’s energy transforming the torrent into a broad placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor towards L. Albert.
- Regular visitors to the river bank e.g elephants, giraffes, buffaloes plus Nile crocodiles, hippos and aquatic birds are permanent residents.
- Heart of Murchison (20km east of Masindi Paraa road).
Climate
During the day, the temp is around 25-320C making this park one of the hottest regions in Uganda. Nights are cooler dropping to around 180C. Rainfall is low though when it rains, it falls in torrential storms.
Top of the falls which is a view point for tourists to see, hear and feel the Nile thunder going through a 6m wide gorge.
6.Buligi peninsula. The park’s prime game viewing area lies on the buligi peninsula, a triangle of grassland bounded by the Victoria Nile entering l. Albert Nile flowing out of it.expect to see elephants, buffaloes, antelopes giraffes and keep your fingers crossed for lions and leopards. It is possible to also use hot air balloons to explore the plains north and west of paraa.
7.Kaniyo pabidi forest. It is found in the south of Murchison falls national park and it is home for habituated chimps group which can be tracked with experienced forest guides. It is essential for birding due to presence of the Albertan rift valley endemics and other restricted range species e.g. the chocolate backed king fisher, white thigh horned bill and northern red bishop.