DESTINATION GUIDE // UGANDA
Murchison Falls National Park
The Nile forced through a seven metre gap, and Uganda largest park spread out on either side of it.
3,893 km2
PARK AREA
7 metres
FALLS GAP
43 metres
DROP
305 km
FROM KAMPALA
76
MAMMAL SPECIES
GENERAL OVERVIEW
About Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls is Uganda’s largest and oldest national park, covering 3,893 square kilometres in the northwest. Gazetted in 1952, it is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which runs west across the park before emptying into Lake Albert.
Its defining feature is the falls themselves. The Nile, up to fifty metres wide upstream, is forced through a gap in the rift escarpment just seven metres across and drops forty three metres into what early explorers called the Devil’s Cauldron. The sound carries for a kilometre. It is the most powerful waterfall on the Nile and arguably the most concentrated flow of water anywhere in the world.
North of the river the park is open savannah and borassus palm, holding the bulk of the game. South of it is Rabongo and the Kaniyo Pabidi section of the Budongo Forest, which has its own habituated chimpanzees. The park lost most of its wildlife during the 1970s and 1980s and has since recovered strongly, with Rothschild’s giraffe now numbering well over a thousand.
WILDLIFE AND LANDSCAPES
Species And Terrain
Rothschild’s giraffe. Murchison holds the largest population in the world of this endangered subspecies, recognisable by their pale lower legs. Herds on the northern plains are a defining sight here.
Predators. Lion throughout the Buligi circuit north of the river, leopard along the Albert Nile delta and in the borassus woodland, and spotted hyena. Cheetah are absent.
Elephant and buffalo. Both in large numbers, with elephant frequently crossing the river between sectors.
Plains game. Uganda kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, defassa waterbuck, bushbuck and warthog. There are no zebra or impala.
Chimpanzees. A habituated community at Kaniyo Pabidi in the Budongo Forest on the southern approach.
Water and birds. Very high densities of hippo and Nile crocodile along the river, and around 450 bird species. The Albert Nile delta is one of the most reliable shoebill sites in Africa.
THINGS TO DO
Activities In The Park
Boat to the base of the falls. A three hour return trip upstream from Paraa through hippo pods and crocodile banks to within 200 metres of the cataract. The single best activity in the park.
Top of the falls hike. A forty five minute climb from the boat landing to stand directly above the gap where the Nile is compressed. Loud, wet and genuinely startling. Many visitors do the boat one way and hike out.
Buligi game drives. The northern circuit between the Victoria and Albert Niles, worked at dawn for lion, giraffe and elephant.
Delta boat cruise. A separate downstream trip towards Lake Albert, the best shoebill search in Uganda and quieter than the falls run.
Kaniyo Pabidi chimpanzee tracking. In the Budongo Forest on the southern approach, a good add on if you are not visiting Kibale.
Sport fishing. Catch and release for Nile perch below the falls, with permits arranged in advance.
Hot air ballooning. Dawn flights over the northern plains, launched near Pakuba.
WHY VISIT
What Murchison Is Known For
The falls are the reason. Standing at the top, with the entire Nile forcing itself through a seven metre gap under your feet, is not something the photographs prepare you for. Doing it by boat and then on foot within the same morning is the classic Ugandan half day.
It is also the most reliable big game park in the country. The Buligi circuit north of the river gives open savannah driving of the kind Uganda is not otherwise known for, with the world’s largest population of Rothschild’s giraffe grazing across it.
And it holds the shoebill. The Albert Nile delta is among the most dependable places on the continent to see one, which for birders is reason enough to come.
ENTRY FEES
Park Fees And Practicalities
Park entry for foreign non-residents is 45 US dollars per person per day, the highest of the Ugandan savannah parks, set by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Children aged five to fifteen pay a reduced rate and under fives are free. Tickets run for 24 hours from entry.
Boat trips are charged separately, at roughly 30 dollars per person to the base of the falls and a similar figure for the delta cruise, with private charters available. Chimpanzee tracking at Kaniyo Pabidi is about 100 dollars. Balloon flights and sport fishing are priced individually.
The Paraa ferry crossing between the southern and northern banks carries a small vehicle charge and runs to a fixed timetable, which is worth planning around. Everything is itemised and paid in advance.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
When To Go
December to February and June to September, the dry seasons. The best game viewing. Grass is short on the Buligi circuit, animals concentrate on the river and tracks stay firm.
March to May, the long rains. Green, dramatic and much quieter, with the falls at their most powerful. Some northern tracks become difficult.
October and November, the short rains. Afternoon storms with usable mornings and good birding as migrants arrive.
The falls run hard year round, and the boat trip is unaffected by season. Water volume peaks after the rains, which makes April and May visually the most impressive time to stand at the top.
GETTING THERE
How To Reach The Park
By road from Entebbe or Kampala. Around 300 km to the Kichumbanyobo gate, five to six hours on tarmac via Masindi, or slightly longer via Karuma to the northern gates.
Via Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Most itineraries break the drive at Ziwa, about three hours from Kampala, which is the only place in Uganda to see rhino and where a walking tracking exercise takes about an hour.
From Kibale or Fort Portal. Five to six hours south to north, usually with a stop in Hoima.
By air. Scheduled flights run from Entebbe to Pakuba, Chobe and Bugungu airstrips in about an hour and a quarter.
The Paraa ferry links the two banks and runs to a timetable. Getting caught on the wrong side at the end of the day is the classic Murchison error, so we plan drives around it.
WHERE TO STAY
Lodges And Camps
Paraa Safari Lodge. On the northern bank above the river, the largest and most established property, with a pool and direct access to the boat jetty.
Nile Safari Lodge. Rebuilt suites on the southern bank with the most attractive river frontage in the park.
Baker’s Lodge. Eight cottages on the south bank, small and well run.
Chobe Safari Lodge. Upstream near Karuma, at the eastern end of the park, with rapids below the terrace.
Pakuba Safari Lodge and Murchison River Lodge. Solid mid range options north and south of the river.
Budongo Eco Lodge. Inside the Budongo Forest at Kaniyo Pabidi, the right base if you are tracking chimpanzees on the way in.
Sleeping north of the river saves a ferry crossing before every morning game drive, which matters more than it sounds.
SAFETY AND TRAVEL TIPS
What To Know Before You Go
At the falls. The viewing rocks at the top are wet and unfenced in places. Keep to the marked path and expect spray on cameras.
Hippos and crocodiles. Both at high density along the river. Do not walk the banks outside lodge grounds and keep away from the water at dusk.
Tsetse flies. Present in the woodland sections, particularly around Rabongo. Avoid dark blue and black clothing.
Malaria. Low altitude and high risk. Prophylaxis is necessary and a yellow fever certificate is required for entry to Uganda.
The ferry. Fixed timetable and occasional maintenance closures. We build drives around the crossing times.
Heat. Considerably hotter than the western parks. Bring sun protection and drink more than you think you need.
TOURS WITH US
Safaris With Sola Safari Travels
Murchison is the northern loop rather than part of the western circuit. Three days works well from Entebbe: Ziwa for rhino tracking on the drive up, a full day for the Buligi circuit and the boat to the falls, and the top of the falls hike before turning south.
We book boat departures in advance, plan the drive around the Paraa ferry timetable, and run the trip in a private 4×4 with one driver guide throughout. It combines naturally with the western parks into an eight to ten day Uganda itinerary.
SAFARI PACKAGES
Safaris That Include Murchison Falls
Murchison sits on the northern loop rather than the western circuit, and pairs with Ziwa for rhino on the drive up. All departures are private.
6 DAYS / 5 NIGHTS
6 Days Gorillas and Chimpanzees Uganda
Gorillas in Bwindi and chimpanzees in Kibale, with Queen Elizabeth in between.
From $2,200 per person
4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS
4 Days Uganda Gorilla Trek
Mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi, with a night at Lake Mburo on the drive in from Entebbe.
From $1,560 per person
10 DAYS / 9 NIGHTS
10 Days Ultimate East Africa
Amboseli, the Masai Mara, the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater at an unhurried pace.
From $2,360 per person
KEY QUESTIONS
Murchison Falls Safari, Key Questions
The Nile is squeezed through a gap just seven metres wide and drops forty three metres, which makes it the most concentrated flow of water in the world. You can reach the base by boat and stand directly above the gap after a forty five minute climb.
45 US dollars per person per day for foreign non-residents, with reduced rates for children five to fifteen and free entry under five. Tickets last 24 hours. Boat trips, chimpanzee tracking at Kaniyo Pabidi and balloon flights are charged separately.
Not in Murchison itself. Rhino are seen at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, about three hours from Kampala on the drive north, where tracking is done on foot with rangers. Nearly every Murchison itinerary includes it.
Yes, and the usual way is to combine them. Take the boat upstream to the base of the falls, disembark and climb the forty five minutes to the top, then meet your vehicle there. It is the best half day in the park.
The Albert Nile delta, on a downstream boat cruise from Paraa. It is one of the most dependable shoebill sites in Africa and a quieter trip than the falls run.
Two nights is the working minimum, which gives a full day for the Buligi circuit and the falls. Three lets you add the delta cruise or chimpanzee tracking in the Budongo Forest without rushing.
EXPLORE MORE
Pair Murchison Falls With Other Destinations
The northern loop connects back to the western parks through Hoima and Fort Portal.
Your Murchison Falls Safari Starts Here
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