At Murchison Falls, the Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge and plunges with a thunderous roar into the “Devils Cauldron”, creating a trademark rainbow.
The northern section of the park contains savanna and borassus palms, acacia trees and riverine woodland. The south is dominated by woodland and forest patches.
Murchison Falls National Park is one of Uganda’s most visited game park, with a variety of tourist attractions and things to do within the park which include the following;
Launch trips
The launch trip upstream from Paraa presents an astonishing display of wildlife and culminates with the memorable frontal view of the Murchison falls. The launch departs at 9am and 2pm daily and take three hours.
Recommended for birders is a morning boat trip downstream to the Nile Delta, providing the best chance in Africa of sighting the rare shoebill. This 4-5 hour return voyage also takes in a variety of other wildlife, including hippos, elephants and many birds.
A tranquil sundowner boat cruise at 5:30pm offers an incredible view of the sunset reflected on the river.
Game Drives
A game drive around the Buligi game tracks on the northern bank with our guide is a fantastic way to see and photograph the wide range of animals in the Nile Valley. Visitors will marvel at herds of buffalos, dozens of elephants, warthogs and towering giraffes, along with bushbucks, reedbucks, duikers, Uganda kobs, oribi, and the unusual-looking hartebeest. Your guide will have a good idea where the lions are hiding, and you may even spot a leopard at dusk!
Chimpanzee Tracking or Habituation
Tracking a troop of habituated chimps in an undisturbed area of Kaniyo Pabidi Forest is an unmissable experience. The trek takes 3-4 hours an is limited to a small group of visitors, spending a maximum of one hour watching the chimpanzees eat, play and interact.
Full day chimp habituation experiences are also available for those who wish to learn more about habituation process and the fascinating behaviour of our closest relatives.
Sport Fishing
The banks of the Nile below the Murchison Falls provide exciting challenges to anglers. Living within strong currents and highly oxygenated water is the Nile perch. There is a chance to land a massive catch; the record is 108kg!
Bush Camping
Bush camping allows you to spend the night in the midst of the park’s wildlife. During your wilderness adventure safari you can take guided nature walks, thrilling night game drives and learn more about the park as you sit around the camp fire for storytelling.
Hiking and Nature Walks
The vast landscape and varied scenery of Murchison Falls National Park can be explored on foot. Trails through Kaniyo Pabidi and Budongo forest provide sighting of many primates and birds, while around the Nile Delta, 2-4 hour guided swamp walks offer possible sightings of the shoebill when the water level is low. Afternoon boating upriver, you can also hike 45 minutes through woodland to the top of the Murchison Falls for a completely different experience of this magnificent waterfall.
Birding
Both the game drive and boat trips offer an opportunity for one to come across distinct birdlife, including savannah forest birds, water birds and Albertine Rift endemics. The commonest species found in the plains include the Marabou Stork, Absyanian Ground hornbill, Secretary Birds, Black-billed stork and Widow bird.
Closer to the river where there are more thickets and woodlands, the commonest bird varieties include the Swallow-tailed and Red-throated Bee-eaters particularly in the Nyamusika Cliffs Woodland, Pied Giant and Malachite Kingfishers; Francolin; Hornbills; Grey Heron; Hamerkop; Shrikes; Flycatchers; Cuckoos; Woodpeckers; Crombecs and Warblers. The river banks are also home to ducks, geese, stilts and plovers.
The park’s main birding attraction is the shoebill, best sighted in the dry season from January-March.
Get in touch with us to organise a wildlife safari tour to Murchison falls game park. Send us an enquiry via info@travel256.com or call +256701367970.