Murchison falls national park is the largest and oldest park in Uganda, with the most famous scenic beauty, magnificent falls and high concentration of game. The park has a tropical and hot type of climate with temperatures quite uniform throughout the year, so it’s pleasant to visit any time of the year. The park has grasslands, wooded savannah, tropical forests, wetlands and an open water landscape hosting about 76 species of mammals and 451 bird species.
History
Murchison falls national park was first gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, later became Murchison falls national park in 1952 along with the other being Queen Elizabeth National park. The park got its name from an explorer called Sir Samuel Baker in 1864 naming it in remembrance of the president of the Royal Geographical Society called Roderick Murchison.
Wildlife
Murchison falls national park has a lot of flora and fauna that it offers. While on a Uganda safari to Murchison, a visitor can experience the big five game with a stopover at Uganda Rhino Fund 70km south outside the park. And the other big four game including Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes and Savannah Elephants can be pleasantly viewed inside the park. Other wildlife to explore includes the giraffes, warthogs, and different species of antelopes.
Attractions
The park’s Murchison falls (the world’s most powerful waterfalls), characterized by eternal war between rocks and water is one attraction not to be missed because it gives an experience where the waters violently compress through a narrow 7 meters gorge, spraying misty droplets along their wake over a 50 meters radius to a spot that is called the “Devil’s cauldron” creating a permanent rainbow over the battlefield and causes a continuous roar. Activities at the park include; game drives, boat cruises to the bottom of the falls, hiking, bird watching; nature walks, visiting the top of the falls and cultural tours
Location and Accessibility
Murchison falls national park is situated approximately 350kms North West of Kampala, spreading inland from the shores of Lake Albert, around the Victoria Nile up to the Karuma Falls. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile from east to west for a distance of approximately 115 kilometers separating the park into the northern side (in districts of Oyam, Pakwach and Nwoya) and southern side (in districts of Masindi and Bullisa). The park is also the nearest from Kampala taking about 3-4 hours drive on road.