Karuma falls situated in the Victoria Nile, is one of the most fascinating waterfalls you can visit while on a safari to Uganda, the rocks are tapestried majestically to form an oasis of nature at its best as water Cascades to the bottom of the falls, creating a dramatic view of flow with a white foam.
Karuma falls are positioned on the eastern corner of Murchison falls national park at the border of the Gulu, Oyam and Masindi districts. Murchison falls National Park is the largest and the oldest in the country, and the famous Karuma bridge links northern Uganda to southern Uganda. John Speke, who was among the first explorers to come to Uganda, passed by this bridge in his early visits to the country looking for the source of the Nile River.
Karuma falls derived its name from the word “Karuma.” it’s believed that there was a great spirit in ancient times known as Karuma; this spirit positioned the rocks in the way they are now, leading to the breaking of the Nile waters. The Karuma falls bridge was built in 1963 in order to help cotton farmers in transferring their produce to the other markets.
Tourists visiting Karuma falls can extend their safari to visiting the famous Murchison falls national park and encounter the big five on a game drive and many animals like baboons, giraffes, warthogs, zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks, reedbucks, Oribis, primates like monkeys and many more
Tourists can also visit the world’s strongest waterfalls at Murchison Falls by taking a boat cruise that lasts 2 to 3 hours, during which they can watch aquatic animals like crocodiles and hippopotamuses, as well as water birds lingering along the Nile. The cruise takes them all the way to the magnificent Devil’s Cauldron, where they can disembark and hike to the top of the falls for a more thrilling experience and better views of this beautiful natural wonder.
Murchison falls national park also boasts over 450 species of birds; some of these birds are residential, while others are migratory birds. Bird enthusiasts can take along binoculars and view birds such as sunbirds, yellow-throated leaf love, grey-cheeked cranes, Kingfishers, Cormorants and many more to be explored.
Karuma falls is also located in the largest hydropower generating station in Uganda; the planned capacity is 600 megawatts, the elevation being about 1000 meters above sea level, years a ago this area was a hazardous zone for the Lord resistance army rebels who could attack several private and public vehicles crossing the bridge; however, the rebels were set out to the rainforests of the Democratic republic of Congo in 2007 by the Ugandan and the Karuma falls are one of the safest destinations to visit in the country with no fear of any attacks.
Karuma falls can be accessed from Masindi or Gulu towns; it is approximately a 1-hour drive from Masindi and 48 minutes from Gulu town. It’s on the Kigumba-Gulu highway. The falls are approximately 311 kilometers from Kampala city.
While visiting Karuma falls there are various accommodation ranges where tourists can lodge, from midrange to budget to luxurious, within Murchison falls national park, Masindi town or Gulu town. Some of the units are Karuma falls campsite, Masindi hotel, shoebill campsite, Paara safari lodge, Chobe safari lodge and Bwana tembo safari camp among the rest.
