Uganda’s Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest in Uganda with an area of 3,840 km (1,480 sq mi). It is one of Uganda's best safari parks for game viewing safaris and birding tours

The park is bisected by the Nile River, which first races down 80 km (50 miles) of white-water rapids before plunging 40 meters (130 feet) over the rift valley wall at Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park.

 

 

 

 

 

The sight of the world's longest river, winding its way through the park and plunging through a narrow gap is unforgettable. The falls are stunning, notable not so much for their size as for their immense power.

Murchison Falls National Park, with its variety of vegetation ranging from riparian forests and swamp lands to broad savannah, provides the opportunity of seeing many of the animals found in Uganda.

This park and the greater Murchison Falls Conservation Area support an abundance of flora and fauna – boasting 76 species of mammals, 10 species of primates, 250 species of butterflies and more than 465 species of plants. The diversity can truly boggle your imagination. From rolling savannah and tall grasslands to thick bush and woodlands, the bio-diversity of this park never ceases to amaze visitors.

Wildlife includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees and many bird species including the rare shoebill. A boat cruise to the base of the falls is an exciting way to view the river banks, which are densely populated with hippos, crocodiles, waterbucks and buffaloes.

South of the river the park is characterized by denser woodland, giving way in the southeast to closed canopy forest. This small forest reserve offers the visitor a chance to see habituated wild chimps and some of the other 10 species found in this habitat, such as black-and-white colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkey, olive baboons and several species of pottos and bushbabies.

Murchison Falls is 305 km (180 miles) north of Kamapala, and is a 5 hour drive.