Murchison Falls National Park
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Our Take
Murchison Falls has it all – great location, the biggest park, the most species, the Nile and the falls. Huge savannah plains and plenty to see and do. A great combination with the rhinos at Ziwa.
Classic lodges and great places to stay – but given a choice, we wild camp in the park down by the delta with moonlit views over Lake Albert and the sounds of wild Africa.
Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls NP is the biggest and probably the best National Park in Uganda. The Nile doesn’t just run through it – it tumbles 45 metres over the most powerful waterfall in the world and terminates at the delta with Lake Albert. It offers not just the sheer charisma of the Nile but also spectacular views, boat safaris, fishing and sightseeing tours.
Wildlife
The Nile supports an abundance of wildlife on its banks – eponymously including the Nile crocodile – and on the vast savannah plains to the north. These include favourites such as cape buffalo, elephant, hippos and giraffe as well as warthog, Ugandan kob, Jackson hartebeest, water buck and oribi. It is a great place to see cats, especially lion and leopard and is a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 550 species including shoebill stork, African fish eagle and Goliath heron.
Location
Another great advantage of Murchison Falls NP is its location a day’s drive NW of Kampala providing a ‘stepping stone’ on the journey to Kidepo Valley and the Karamojong wilderness to the NE. It also offers Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary en route from Kampala – currently the only place to see rhino in Uganda and a must see therefore for those pursuing the Big Five.
Murchison is not without its challenges but remains a must see on any safari tour of Uganda.
The Facts
- Established 1926 as a game reserve and subsequently gazetted as a National Park in 1952.
- Uganda’s largest National Park at 3,893 sqkm
- Home to 144 mammal species; 556 bird species; 51 reptiles and 51 amphibians.
- Savanna, woodland and riverine forests. It lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley.
- Bisected by the Nile and featuring the powerful Murchison Falls
- Famous visitors include Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway and British Royalty
- The 1951 film: The African Queen was filmed on Lake Albert and at Murchison Falls
Camping In Uganda;
Murchison Falls National Park
There are some great places to stay. Our favourite is camping inside the park in the wild with a ranger down by the Nile Delta – a great place for wildlife and moonlit views over Lake Albert and to truly experience camping in Uganda. Another is camping at Red Chilli Restcamp, this is a first night on many of our camping tours and offers a gentle introduction to our set up whilst also benefitting from Red Chillis excellent, though basic, chill out bar and restaurant facilities.
Mid-Range Lodges
Our favourite lodges are Pakuba Safari Lodge or Murchison River Lodge, both offering excellent, mid-range lodge accommodation and services and in great locations. We also like to enjoy lunch at the famous Paraa Lodge overlooking the Nile and perhaps a swim in the pool for an extra fee.
Stop Dreaming,
Start Planning!
Do you want to include Murchison Falls NP in your custom-made safari? Then go to the Detailed Planner page where you can tell us all your likes and wishes and we will create a dream trip for you.