Guide to Murchison Falls National park : Murchison park guide is all the information to know about the famous Murchison falls national park. Located in the north western part of Uganda and it is among the wildlife viewing destinations in the country to add to your safari itinerary. Murchison falls national park is known for the thunderous waterfalls which are a major attraction.
There is a lot to experience when visiting Murchison falls national park and the information you will need to guide you as you plan to visit the national park includes the following;
Activities to take part in when visiting Murchison national park include game drives, bottom of the falls boat cruises, top of the falls hiking, top of the falls viewing, chimpanzee trekking, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching among others.
Game drives around Murchison falls national park during safaris take place in the morning and also during the afternoon hours of the day. The different tracks followed during game drives around the national park include the albert track, the Buligi track and Victoria track. The northern side of the park is a good place to spot wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, giraffes, antelopes, hippos among others during a Uganda safari. This activity can be done at any time of the year and is best done during the dry season. 4×4 safari vehicles with open roofs are recommended for game drives in the park to make it easier to see the wildlife in the savannah plains.
Another activity to do when visiting Murchison falls national park is the bottom of the falls cruise. The boat ride which costs 30 USD takes about 2 to 3 hours and can also be done in the morning or afternoon hours. The Murchison boat ride experience can also be carried out as part of a group or a private tour. During the boat ride, wildlife species such as hippos and crocodiles can be seen in the water and other animals gather near the water shores to feed and drink especially in the dry season. Different bird species can also be seen during the bottom of the falls cruise.
The top of the falls hike is an activity which involves hiking to a point where the surroundings and attractions of the Murchison falls national park can be spotted. This hike takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour and for those who are unable to hike but still wish to view the Murchison falls an alternative of viewing the falls is also offered in the national park. The top of the falls hike costs 15 USD (FNR), 10 USD (FR) and 10,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans and viewing of the falls costs 10 USD (FNR and FR), 10,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest is also done when visiting Murchison falls national park and this activity starts early in the morning with a briefing at Kaniyo pabidi and after briefing, rangers are allocated to the groups engaging in the activity and they proceed into the forest to search for the chimpanzees. The chimp trek takes about 3 hours and can also be done in the afternoon in Budongo forest. travelers below the age of 15 years are not permitted to engage in the chimpanzee trekking activity in budongo forest.
Balloon safaris are also done in Murchison falls national park offering an aerial view of the surroundings in the park and viewing of wildlife species in the plains below. This activity starts as early as 5:00 am at the launch site and it takes 1 hour of flying over the plains of Murchison falls park and after landing, the passengers enjoy a bush breakfast and champagne before continuing with the rest of their Uganda safari.
Murchison falls national park is also a good destination for bird lovers. The national park has over 450 bird species and the best time to see these birds is during the months from November to April. Some of the bird species which can be seen during tours around the park include kingfishers, herons, hornbills, marabou storks, grey crowned cranes, black billed barbets, whistling cisticola, African fish eagle, weavers, bee eaters among others. These birds can also be spotted during game drives, boat rides and other activities around Murchison park.
Park fees for Murchison falls national park is a charge for tourists to be allowed to enter into the national park. This fee is paid to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and is 45 USD for foreign nonresidents, 35 USD for foreign residents and 25,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans. Children are charged 25 USD for foreign nonresidents, 15 USD for foreign residents and 10,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
When to visit Murchison falls national park
It takes about 3 days of safari for those travelling from Kampala to visit the national park with enough time to explore and also engage in different activities around Murchison falls national park.
The dry season is considered the best time to visit Murchison falls national park for a wildlife safari. This season is also referred to as a high season and it is experienced around June to October and also around December, January and February.
The rainy season takes place from March, April and May and also in November when in Murchison falls national park. It is also considered the low season and due to the rains few people visit the national park for Uganda wildlife safaris.
How to get to Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park is about 4 to 5 hours from Kampala and along the way, tourists can have a stop at Zziwa rhino sanctuary for a rhino tracking experience. There are also flights from Entebbe airport to the national park airstrips which include Pakuba airstrip and Chobe airstrip.
Accommodation around Murchison falls national park ranges from budget, midrange and luxury hotels and lodges. Some of the lodges are found inside the park while others are found outside the park. During safaris, tourists can also choose to stay at the different campsites around the national park.
