Activities in Murchison falls national park : Murchison falls national park is the oldest national park in Uganda and it is located in the north western part of Uganda.
The national park covers about 3840 square kilometers and Murchison falls national park is made up of savannah grasslands, woodlands, riverine forests as well as the thunderous Murchison falls.
Many Uganda wildlife species are found in Murchison falls national park including four of the big five. The different activities which are carried out during tours around the national park include the following;
Game drives
Murchison falls national park is home to a variety of wildlife species and they can be seen during game drives that are done at different times of the day at the destination. These game drives can take place early in the morning and also during the afternoon or evening hours.
During game drives around Murchison falls national park, 4×4 safari vehicles are used for the tours and the game drives can be done as part of a private tour or a group tour. Wildlife species such as elephants, giraffes, buffalos, waterbucks, kobs, warthogs, hartebeests, bushbucks, oribi among others can be seen around the savannah of Murchison falls park.
Morning game drives around Murchison falls national park are very rewarding as many wildlife species are active making them easy to see during a safari.
Boat cruise
Another activity to take part in when visiting Murchison falls national park is the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls.
The boat cruise in Murchison falls national park takes place on the Victoria Nile and it can be done in the morning around 9:00 am or in the afternoon around 2:00 pm. The duration of the boat ride in Murchison falls national park is about 2 to 3 hours and it is an exciting experience.
Wildlife species such as buffalos, elephants, waterbucks, hippos, crocodiles among others as well as other bird species can also be seen during the boat cruise in Murchison falls national park.
Chimpanzee trekking
Murchison falls tours also involve chimpanzee trekking which is carried out in Budongo forest.
Budongo forest is a natural rainforest in Murchison falls national park which covers about 500 square kilometers. The forest is located about 30 minutes drive from Kichumbanyobo gate. The Jane Goodall institute of research manages the chimpanzee experience in Budongo forest.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest can be done two times in a day and it takes about 3 hours.
Hot air balloon safaris
When visiting Murchison falls national park, another activity which you can engage in is hot air balloon safaris.
The hot air balloon safari experience in Murchison falls national park is offered by Dream balloon and the activity can be done at sunrise and also at sunset. The experience also involves being picked up from the lodge or hotel where the visitor is staying to the starting point of the balloon safari.
After a short briefing, the hot air balloon is inflated and the balloon experience over the beautiful Murchison falls national park begins. The activity takes 2 hours of enjoying the views, seeing wildlife species and other attractions around Murchison falls national park.
The experience ends with a bush breakfast and champagne before continuing with other activities on the Murchison falls tour or returning to the lodge. The hot air balloon safari experience costs about 400 USD and can be done by both adults and children above 6 years.
The best time for the hot air balloon safari experience in Murchison falls national park is during the dry season from June to August and also around December.
Bird watching
Bird watching is another activity to do when visiting Murchison falls national park and there are over 400 bird species found at the destination.
The various bird species can be seen around the Albertine delta, the Murchison falls area and also around the open savannah. Birds in Murchison falls national park can also be seen during activities such as game drives and boat cruise.
Birds which can be seen during tours around Murchison falls national park include kingfishers, raptors, martial eagles, African fish eagles, papyrus gonoleks among others, To see the migratory bird species around the national park, the months of November to April are recommended.
Hiking to the top of the falls
The top of the falls hike is another activity which can be done when visiting Murchison falls national park.
This activity can be combined with a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls and from there you can hike to the top of the falls and enjoy views of the Murchison falls national park. The top of the falls hike costs 15 USD for foreign nonresidents, 10 USD for foreign residents and 10,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
Viewing the top of the falls
Murchison falls national park also offers the viewing of the top of the falls as another activity to do during a Uganda wildlife safari.
The activity costs 10 USD for both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents while East Africans are charged 10,000 Uganda shillings to engage in the viewing of the top of the falls.
Cultural tours
Experiencing the way of life of the locals and getting to know more about their culture is another activity to do when visiting Murchison falls national park. The cultural tours also involve entertainment by the locals inform of traditional songs and also dances.
This activity can be done by visiting the neighboring communities around Murchison falls national park.
To be able to engage in the various activities around Murchison falls national park, park entrance fee is charged to visitors and this fee is 45 USD for foreign nonresidents, 35 USD for foreign residents and 25,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
Murchison falls national park during a Uganda Safaris can be accessed by driving and also by flight. The drive from Kampala or Entebbe to Murchison falls national park takes about 5 to 6 hours and the different gates which can be used to access the park include Tangi gate, Chobe gate, Mubako gate, Kichumbanyobo gate, Wankar gate and also Bugungu gate.
Flights to Murchison falls national park can be got from Entebbe international airport to Bugungu airstrip, Pakuba airfield and also the Chobe airstrip.
