Where to go, what to do while in Uganda.
MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Sweeping between the escarpments of Bunyora, The Murchison Falls National Park tumbles swiftly into vast, pal-dotted savannah creating a blissful end to the northern part of the Albertine Rift Valley.
Murchison seats on approximately 3,840 sq.km of land making it the largest and oldest national park in Uganda being that it dates its existence history to 1952. Its popularity is wide evident having played location to the 1951 films ‘The African Queen’.
The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which lunges 45 meters over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, which is the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids.
Attractions/ what to see and do
- Views of the Murchison falls
The waterfall found on the river Nile which presents a theatrical battle between the water and the packed rocks displays a large volume of water powerfully squeezing through narrow 7m crevice in the rocks that plunges over 40 meters below into a 50m radius water pool.
- Launch cruises on the River Nile
The best way to explore the river is by taking a launch trip up the stream all the way to the bottom of the waterfall during which you will see various animals and birds.
- Game drives at Buligi
This is the best game viewing area in the park popular for game drives and it comprises of open savanna grasslands, riverine vegetation, woodland and acacia.
- Birding
With over 450 bird species, the Nile corridor of the Murchison has a big array of water birds such as rare shoebill stork other popular species include: the Goliath Heron, African Quail-Finch, the elegant Grey Crowned Cranes, Blue-headed Coucal, White-browed Sparrow Weaver among many others.
- Exploring the Budongo forest
The forest boasts of a huge diversity of wildlife among which are over 287 butterfly species, 24 mammals, over 460 tree species and about 360 types of birds.
Other popular activities include boat trips along Lake Albert and Chimp tracking at Rabongo forest.