Murchison Falls National Park was established in 1952 and is the largest park in Uganda covering an area of 1,503 square miles. It is found in northwestern Uganda in the Districts of Kiryandongo, Masindi, Nwoya and Buliisa. The River Nile flows through the park dividing it in two and leaving behind beautiful waterfalls. The British Explorer Sir Samuel Baker was stunned by one of waterfalls in the park and gave it the name Murchison Falls which later given to the park.

The Murchison Conservation Area has the largest number of crocodiles and Roskilde Giraffe in Uganda. The park is a lion conservation unit with 76 species of mammals and over 445 of birds. During the regime of Idi Amin in the 1970’s, a large number of mammals were lost due to uncontrolled poaching and hunting for sport and meat. The few white Rhinos that roamed the park were virtually made extinct although there is an attempt at reintroducing them to the park from the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary near the park. The Uganda Wildlife Authority has attempted to eliminate poaching in the park but the vice is still prevalent, though on a small scale primarily for bush meat. The park was also affected by the Kony rebellion in Northern Uganda during the 1990’s with some countries declaring it a no go area for their citizens. Peace has returned to every part of the country since 2005 and the number of tourists has increased significantly. The key attractions are the Savannah grasslands, Murchison falls, Karuma falls, river Nile, forests like Kaniyo Pabidi, Budongo and Rabongo.

How reach Murchison Falls National Park

It takes about 4 hours of driving by road to reach Murchison Falls National Park from Kampala. The road from Kampala to the park is well paved although the section leading to the park is made of hard soil.

No public buses go inside the park. Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park From Kampala a traveler needs to take a bus to Masindi town and then take a small commuter bus up to Paraa. From Paraa, a visitor would need to hire a private car to use for activities within the park. Park entrance costs $40 for international visitors. Public transport can be inconveniencing in a developing country like Uganda because the buses never keep Murchison Falls National Park in Ugandatime and make unplanned stoppages to pick and drop passengers. It is h tour vehicles. There are also chartered flights from Entebbe or Kajjansi to small airstrips in Pakuba near the Northern bank of river Nile or Bugungu near the park headquarters.

You can go for a 6 Days tour of Murchison Falls and Kidepo National Park to experience most of what Uganda has to offer.

Visiting the Top of the Murchison Falls:

The first activity most visitors do is to visit the top of the falls. The Murchison Falls form when the river Nile squeezes through a narrow gorge as it makes its way to Egypt. It is arguably one of the most powerful waterfall in the world after the Victoria falls. One does not need a guide to go to the top of the falls though it is important to move with a team or someone knowledgeable about the area.

The first sight of the falls from the top is amazing. The thunderous roar as the water forces its way through the gorge before falling 42 meters below is one of the most memorable moments while in the park. The mist resulting from the force of the water combines with the suns raise to form spectacular rainbows which are awesome to watch. Boat cruise at Murchison Falls National ParkOn a hot day or during the dry season, the mist from the waterfall has a cooling and calming effect especially after a long day of activities.

This area is great for photography and you shouldn’t be there without a camera. After looking at the waterfall from the top, there is path that leads down to the river or to the smaller Uhuru Falls before the Murchison Falls. One spot not to miss is “the crocodile bar”. This is an area towards the bottom of the falls where crocodiles gather to wait for unlucky animals and fish that are accidentally dragged down by the powerful water. Crocodiles of all sizes lay patiently waiting for the next victims.