MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Murchison Falls National Park known as Kabalega National Park is found at the shores of Lake Albert, Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo and Masindi districts the north western Uganda about 305km from the capital city Kampala northwards on an area of 3893km. Its famous for the thought to be most powerful water fall (Murchison falls), where the Nile River surges through a narrow gap over a massive drop.  The park was established in 1952 and re designed in 2006. Animals here include, elephants, hippos and chimpanzees are found in the Kaniyo Padid mahogany forests. The lake Albert delta is a home for shoebill storks. There are game fish in the cascades of Karuma falls and about 76 different mammal species, over 451 bird’s species. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile,

ACTIVITIES AT MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Boat cruise at MFNP

The boat cruise starts upstream from the Paara landing site at that point where river Nile enters lake Albert at takes you to the bottom of the top of the fall. Ass the boat cruiser hike to the top of the falls, there is a display of wildlife species and provide a memorable frontal view of the falls. Here, a visitor gets to see water species like crocodiles, hippos, waterbucks and along the river banks, animals like Elephants, buffaloes during the visitors’ sail along the Victoria Nile. For those who are interested in birding this could be your best opportunity to have a boat cruise because of many water birds like ducks, the unique shoe bill, kingfishers, bee-eaters, cormorants, fish eagles, and many more that would mark a memory in your visit. The view from the sun after reflecting on river water wouldn’t be missed here. The cruise at Murchison falls national park starts from morning as early as 9am and evening cruise starts at 2pm on a daily basis and each cruise take about 4-5 hours to give our visitors a time to remember.

Game dives

Murchison falls national park rewards game viewing that can be enjoyed on the gave drives on largest scale in different designated game drive areas. This park comprises of savannah grassland, woodland, wetland as well as the tropical forests which are inhabited by different bird species and animals. The variety of mammal species include, lions, Rothschild’s giraffe, warthog, cape buffalo, Uganda kob, elephants, hippos, Jacksons hartebeest, and many others The best main areas to do game drive is along the Nile delta where there are high chances of seeing the king of the jungles (lions) in the wait for prey as many animals tend to concentrate at the river shoreline to drink water and see many animals there, though a number of wildlife is spotted is Buligi peninsula and the southern sector known as the Heart of Murchison.

Bird watching

The bird watching starts around the Paara rest camp and a ferry crossing and can be best done in early morning hours, such birds to be spotted include, chestnut-crowned, sparrow weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, Green headed pyitlia, black headed bats, vitelline masked weaver, silver bird bluff belied warbler, white-romped seed eater. Travelers can decide to do birding in the evening and these are the com bird species around that time include, Verreeax’s owl, Nightjars like pennant winged nightjar and long tailed. The best bird watching season is between the month March, September, and November to February and the species here are, white African fish eagle, long toed plover, African skimmer, Gray Crowned Crane, Goliath Heron among others

Sport fishing

This is among the most exciting experience done along the Victoria Nile which starts from 9am in the morning and at 4pm in the evening, the best sport fishing activity is conducted in the river section above and below the falls and caught fish species include Nile perch Tilapia, catfish, mudfish, and many more though travelers are advised to carry their own fishing equipment

Nature walks

Nature walks is so interesting in a way that it brings more hidden features of the park which can be explored in the Murchison falls conservation area. The unique trail at Paara winds throughout the low hills and forests around the river. The guided walk nature walks done in Murchison fall national park is so impressive where travelers can come across several species along the top of the falls, Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabong Forest Ecotourism Centre. Nature walk also be conducted in Rabong forest Ecotourism Centre which sits in an island of tropical river forest in the south east of the conservation area, the forest is surrounded with savannah grasslands. While a traveler is enjoying the nature walk accompanied by tour guide, you can be able to explore variety of primates like black and white colored monkey, red tailed monkeys,chimpanzee, birds, trees and medicine plants species. You can as well carry a nature through the trails to beneath mature Mahogany and Iron wood trees of Budongo forest reserve. As you continue to enjoy your walk, you can be able to see forest birds such as white thighed Hornbill, chocolate backed kingfisher, lemon- bellied crobec, olive-breasted green bull, chestnut-capped flycatcher, little green sunbird grey-headed sunbird, crowned eagle, Pavel’s illadopsis which are not found elsewhere in East Africa

Hot Air Balloon Wildlife Safari

Hot air balloon wildlife safari offers a rewardable aerial views of the Murchison falls national park and in Uganda this is only place where this marvelous act is carried out. Along the sky traveler can be able to view such wildlife species like herds of buffalos, giraffes, elephants, antelope, and many others from a wide view and experiencing the sky mood