Murchison Falls National Park is one of the best tourism destinations in Uganda. Because it offers a wide range of things to see and do, including the world’s most powerful waterfalls, classic game viewing and boat safaris on the River Nile, sport fishing, shoebill birding, and chimpanzee trekking in Budongo central forest reserve. The protected area is bisected by the river Nile into the north and the south, which are the main areas for tourism. You can also plan to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary along the way for rhino tracking activity.
The northern sector is mainly for game drives, and the southern area includes Budongo Forest, which is home to over 5 primate species, including over 600 chimpanzees. The larger Murchison Falls conservation area covers over 3,840 sq. km and includes Budongo central forest, Bugungu, Karuma, and Kabwoya-Kaiso wildlife reserves. The epicenter of the park is the Murchison Falls, which are formed as the river squeezes through a narrow gorge and plunges over a 45-meter tall cliff with a thunderous roar into the devil’s cauldron, where a permanent rainbow is formed due to mist and light. Murchison is the “world’s most powerful waterfall.”
Flora and fauna of Murchison Falls National Park
The park consists of a variety of habitats, including moist semideciduous and riverine forests, open savanna plains, dense acacia thickets, woodlands, and papyrus wetlands, which support rich biodiversity, including 79 mammal species, over 450 species of birds, and over 40 reptiles. The open savanna plains in north Murchison Falls feature a range of grass, herb, and tree species that support herbivores, including hippo grass (Echinochloa stagnina), sporobolus pyramidalis tussock grass, thatching grass (Hyperrhenia hirta), tropical spiderwort grass, and sharp-flowered signal grass.
Tree species in northern Murchison Falls include borassus palms (palmyra palm), whistling acacia (acacia hoki), acacia nilotica, desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca), candle tree (Sennaalata), and whitethorn acacia tree (Vachellia constricta). Wildlife in Murchison includes four of the Big Five mammals, which include over 128 lions, leopards, buffaloes, and elephants. Among other herbivores are hippos, Nubian giraffes, and a variety of antelope species such as Uganda kobs, topis, Jackson’s hartebeests, oribi, waterbucks, and bushbucks.
There are primate species such as olive baboons and one of the largest populations of Patas monkeys. The southern area of Murchison is dominated by Budongo central forest, a moist semi-deciduous forest with one of the largest tracts of mahogany and ironwood tree species interspersed with savanna woodland vegetation. The forest is home to over 5 primate species, including over 600 chimpanzees, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and black and white colobus monkeys.
Birds
Murchison Falls is famous for harboring 451 bird species, including the shoebill stork. Savanna and waterbird species are found in the park. Forest species are in Budongo Forest, including Puvel’s illadopsis and yellow-footed flycatcher.
Activities to do in Murchison Falls National Park
Boat safari on the Nile
Boat trips can be taken either downstream to the delta where the River Nile joins Lake Albert or upstream to the base of the falls. Launch trips upstream offer an opportunity to see wildlife on the riverbanks, including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, and hippos. Reptiles such as Nile crocodiles and large monitor lizards can be seen up close.
The cruise is good for birding with African fish eagles, Egyptian gooses, blue-breasted rollers, kingfishers, and hammerkops. The boat trip cruises up to 10 meters away from the base of the falls, allowing you to witness the devil’s cauldron. The trip lasts for 3 hours, covering a distance of 17 km to and from along the Victoria Nile. The boat trips to the delta are mainly for those intending to see the shoebill stork. There are also chances to see other wildlife, including lions, when they’re resting on the riverside.
Game drives
Murchison Falls offers both day and night game drives to see mammals and enjoy the spectacular scenery in the north. There are several game tracks that you must stick to and avoid off-tracking, such as the Victoria track for lion sightings. Leopards are common around the track near Pakuba Lodge. Most of the animals—eagles, giraffes, and various antelopes—can be found along the track to the Albert Nile delta, a beautiful place to get out of the vehicle and enjoy views and a picnic by the delta.
Evening game drives can be planned to include Sundowner, and the top places for that include the top of the falls, Nyamusika cliffs, and the hippo pool. Night game drives offer an opportunity to spot nocturnal animals, including leopards, porcupines, pangolins, lions, spotted hyenas, civets, and genets. Visitors on this activity must be accompanied by a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger.
Top of the Falls hike
Hiking to the top of the falls is a moderate hike anyone can do with the help of a guide. For a keen photographer, the hike offers spectacular views of the Nile. The top of the falls hike is only accessible when you’re still in the southern area along Baker’s trail. The hike may last for 2 hours, depending on the pace of the visitors. Before the water levels increased in 2020, it was possible to start the hike from the boat cruise.
Bird watching in Murchison Falls National Park
Birding in Murchison Falls can be done on a boat cruise, during game drives, and on nature walks such as the Royal Mile walk in Budongo Forest. Murchison Falls alone is home to over 450 species of birds, including the shoebill stork, which you can only see during a boat trip downstream to the delta wetland. The best areas for birding in the park include Paara and the top of the falls, where you can do nature walks. The River Nile offers an opportunity to see waterbird species such as Egyptian goose, African fish eagle, hammerkops, African fin-foot, and kingfishers.
The Nile delta point is a nice place to sit back and spot wetland species such as lapwings, Senegal thick-knee, saddle-billed storks, and Goliath herons. Savanna species such as the secretary bird, Denham’s bustard, and Abyssinian ground hornbill can be during game drives. The best time for birding in Murchison Falls is December to February and June to September.
Zip lining and canopy walk at Sambiya River Lodge
Sambiya River Lodge is located along the south banks of the Nile and offers zip-lining and canopy walks. There are two zip lines, which include the one that is 170 and 75 meters long. The canopy walk winds through the acacia thickets, making a great spot to see birds.
Bush Breakfast
Spots to enjoy bush breakfast in Murchison Falls include several lodges located along the river, such as Paara Safari, Chobe Safari Lodges, and Sambiya River Lodge. Bush breakfasts can also be arranged at the top of the falls.