Attractions(What To See) in Murchison Falls National Park
The best tourist attractions in Murchison Falls National Park are: Murchison Falls, Wildlife (Big Four), Chimpanzees, River Nile, Top of the Murchison Falls View, Buligi game area, Paraa, Budongo Forest, Birds, Kaniyo pabidi forest, and Karuma waterfall.
Tourist Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park: What are the major attractions in Murchison Falls national Park?, What is Murchison Falls National Park famous for?
Murchison Falls national park is a famous wildlife watching safari destination in Uganda. The park whose total area is 3840 square kilometer, is located in the North Western part of the country, just about 90km away from Masindi town.
Being one among the best Uganda wildlife safari destinations, the park can be visited at anytime of the year, and it can be accessed by both road and air transport systems.
By road, one can enter from either the southern and Northern gates, which respectively include; Kachumbayobo gate, Bugungu gate, Mubako gate, Wankar, Chobe gate and Tangi gate.
While by air, chartered flights are organized on specific days of Sunday, Wednesday from Entebbe International Airport/ Kajjansi Airfield to Chobe Airfield, Pakuba or Bugungu Air strip. These flights can be booked directly from Aerolink Uganda Ltd.
Visiting this park in North Western Uganda is a great choice because of the numerous attractions it has to offers.
Must-See Tourist Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park
The Murchison Falls
Murchison Falls (after which the Park was named), is the major headline that draws the attention of each traveler to Murchison Falls national Park. The mighty water falls are formed as large volume of water from the River Nile forces itself through a 7m narrow crevice in the rocks, thus plunging beyond 40m down into a 50m radius water pool. These falls make a loud roar, as the water falls and spreads around the falls.
The River Nile
Being famous all over the world, as the Longest river, River Nile whose source is in Jinja is the major tourist attraction that attracts the attention of most tourists in the Universe.
Apart from the above, the Nile River is also the main source of water in the Park, around which the most animals gather at the sand banks to quench their thirst and bathe on hot and dry months.
The Nile River is best explored on a 3 hours launch cruise, which kickstarts every day from Paraa to Lake Albert from either 9:00am in the morning or 2:00pm in the afternoon. The most interesting moment is the beautiful sightings of the animals like a school of Hippos and water birds like the shoebill Stork along the banks of the River.
Top of the Murchison falls view
Murchison Falls is most beautiful at its top. The top of the Nile offers breathtaking views, where the sights and sounds of the Nile river crushing through a small chasm makes an alluring assault on your senses.
It takes at most 30 minutes to walk/climb to the Top of the falls from the Bottom of the Falls, otherwise, one can also drive to the top of the falls to enjoy this beautiful scenery.
Buligi Game Area
Buligi game area is nestled between the Victoria Nile and Albertine which boasts of impressive views towards the Western rift valley, Lake Albert and the Democratic republic of Congo.
The game area is the best site for spotting most wild animals in both morning and afternoon game drives in Murchison Falls National park. This spot is made of Open grasslands, woodland acacia, and riverine vegetation.
Wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National park is made up wetlands, woodlands, tropical forest and savannah grassland, hosting more than 76 species of mammals and some species of primates.
The common mammals found here are; Lions, leopards, Cape Buffaloes, Elephants, the Uganda Kob, Rothschild giraffes, Hartebeests, while the primates include; Chimpanzees, Blue monkeys, Black and white colobus monkeys, Olive Baboons, Red tailed Monkeys among others
Birding in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park hosts more than 450 species of birds including water birds, Savannah birds and the Albertine rift which makes it a rewarding destination for bird watching safaris in Uganda. These birds include the Goliath Heron, Martial Eagle, African Quail-Finch, the elegant Grey Crowned Cranes, Blue-headed Coucal, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Swamp Flycatcher, Red-throated Bee-eater, Squacco Heron, Silver bird, African Jacana, Piapiac, Sandpipers, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Denham’s Bustard, Weaver Birds, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Malachite Kingfishers and the Black-billed Barbet among several others.
Primates in Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison falls is also known as a home to more than 800 primates, which includes among others chimpanzees, olive baboons, black & white colobus monkeys, the red-tailed monkeys and some found in Kaniyo Pabidi as well as the Budongo forest.
Paraa
Paraa is yet another spot located at the Nile river bank, that is worth discovering in Murchison Falls National Park. Its name in the native language means “Home of Hippos”, which well difines the area, because it has the widest number of hippos.
Apart from Hippos, Para aals offers a range of activities to be done like the routine morning and afternoon game drives, hot air balloon rides, cultural visits, birding tours, fishing trips, guided nature walks and boat trips. Game drives and boat rides offer a chance to see numerous animals and birds in the Nile.
While guided nature walks takes you to visit the native Luo people and get a chance to dig deep into their culture and way of life. Additionally, you can also visit the museum with a gift shop found in the northern part of Paraa.
You will also be able to find a luxury accommodation facility – the Paraa Safari Lodge that offers exquisite accommodation, fine restaurant with a professional chef, a well-stocked bar and a very hospitable and professional team of staff.
Budongo Forest
Another place you cannot miss is the Budongo Forest, which is situated in the Southwestern part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area, just near the Murchison Falls national Park. The Forest connects with kaniyo Pabidi Forest, which is also located on the escarpements, just north east of the lake Albert, which covers up to an area of 825 square kilometers.
The Budongo Forest is famous for chimpanzees and diverse number of Mahogany trees, which measure upto 80 meters tall with a circumference of 20m. The forest also inhabits 360 bird species, 290 butterflies, 130 moths, 475 tree species, 24 mammals and 9 primate species.
Some of these birds include black lured and brown babblers, Nubian wood pecker, Isabelline wheater, Harriers, Eagles, Yellow throated Greenbul, White fronted Black Chat among others, Vultures, Arrow marked barbets, Nubian wood Peckers, Sooty Chat, among others, while primates include Chimpanzees, Red tailed monkeys, Olive Monkeys, Blue monkeys, Potto, Galago species, Black and white monkeys.
Budongo Forest is a perfect spot for primate viewing and bird watching in Murchison Falls national Park, and is best experienced when exploring the Royal Mile that has a well maintained road stretch, showcasing numerous tree species
Kaniyo Pabidi forests
Kaniyo Pabidi forest is located south of the Murchison Falls conservation Area, approximately 8km from Kichumbanyobo gate inside Murchison Falls national Park. This forest is the best spot for tracking chimpanzees, watching birds and other primate species like the blue monkeys, olive baboons, as well as the black & white colobus monkeys. While birds you expect to see during the guided nature walk are yellow-footed flycatcher, white thighed hornbill and Ituri.
Animals like Buffaloes, elephants and lions are other species living in this forest.
The Karuma Waterfall
Karuma Falls is the most Beautiful feature in the Northern region within the Chobe area of Murchison Falls National Park. The attractive fall is made up of cascading natural rock-formations through which the water forces its way forming an eye catching ‘white foam’ that is so alluring to observe. Its ideal location make it the perfect spot sport fishing.
Karuma falls, due to the formation of a pool in its surrounding, has become a home to numerous wildlife such as monkeys, buffaloes, hartebeests, various antelopes like the Uganda Kobs, lions, giraffes, baboons and birds.
