Tourist Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park
Tourist Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park are plenty and a traveler will be thrilled by the number of wildlife species in the park. The major tourist attractions are the River Nile and Murchison falls but above all. As we have already mentioned that the main tourist attractions of this park are famously known as the unique Murchison Falls and the Victoria Nile with its streaming hippo and a number of crocodiles along the sandbanks as well as wide large of different wild species are seen concentrating to drink water and bath.
In general, the main highlight of visiting Murchison Falls National Park is the launch trip up the stream to observe the falls and riverbank wildlife species. The amazing boat launch begins at 09:00 am and during after 2:00 pm in the local time on a daily basis. Note that, travellers who enjoy sailing on water vessels round trip takes 3 hours and another boat launch goes downstream from paraa down to the papyrus delta at the main point were the river enters into Lake Albert. The exciting experience of boat cruise can last 4 to 5 hours, the return adventure provides a great opportunity of discovering the unique and rare shoebill stork which has famously attracted many tourists to visit Murchison on their birding safaris and other different varieties of Uganda wildlife safaris since Murchison falls national park is the largest and oldest among Uganda’s protected areas and among the most visited national park on Uganda wildlife safari, because of being a home to over 76 mammal species, more than 500 bird species, tree species, vegetation cover, savannah grassland which is inhabit for varieties of species.
The wonderful nature of the Nile which is located below Murchison Falls offers more exciting challengers to fishermen or anglers with a great chance to land with a huge Nile Perch which can be ‘’weighing 108kg’’. Sportfishing is prohibited from designated places that are limited and are acquired with advanced bookings in order to prepare for you the required boat sport fishing through hiring from prior booking. But endeavour to bring your own fishing equipment.
The most and the major rewardable tourist attraction is the spectacular viewing of the waterfalls which is best enjoyed through sight-seeing on the top of the Murchison falls as you listen to the sound of the Nile crashing while experiencing the splashing waterfall with high pressure. The top of the falls can be reached either by car taking a 30 minutes climb or leaving the paraa launch with a boat cruise sailing on water vessels of the Victoria Nile.
The top visited tourist attractions in Murchison falls include;
- The Nile
- Budogo forest
- Karuma Falls
- Paraa
- The kaniyo Pabidi forest
The Kaniyo Pabidi Forest
The kaniyo Pabidi forest is a truly overlooking natural forest covered mainly by the famous huge mahogany trees and ironwood trees. The Kaniyo Pabidi tourism site is a home to primitive where the most done activity like Chimpanzee trekking can be conducted from, this site is managed by the Jane Goodall Institute. In the area there is plenty of birdlife species with other variety of species like the unique puvel’s Illaposis which can only be found here in entire East Africa, the chocolate backed kingfisher,yellow-footed flycatcher in addition to the white thighed hornbill.
Rabongo Pabidi Forest
However, the Rabongo Pabidi forest is a rewardable natural forest covered by tropical river forest with in a sea of thrilling grassland in the south-eastern side of the Murchison falls conservation area, it’s a one and half hour drive from Paraa Safari Lodge. The forest is good to explore it on foot in order to have a high opportunity to set out in search of these very incredible endangered chimpanzees which are almost our cousins and they share about 98% of their DNA structure with humans, other primate species include baboons, black and white Colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys and many more. To travellers who like camping you camp at the shores of the stunning river Wairingo. And in addition, a team of students usually visited the area in their tourism study. The forest offers a diversity of bird species, beautiful butterflies, tree species, plants that act as a medicine to the neighboring communities and can be worth exploring.
Buligi area
The Buligi area is marked among the major thrilling area for game viewing safari Uganda. The savannah grassland of this area offers a wonderful place for you the travellers to enjoy your African wilderness adventure in addition to the attractive sights of the marvelous East African rift valley on top of lake Albert just to have impressive overlooking of the Democratic Republic of Congo. And some of the best thrilling activities done around here are the game drive which are being conducted from Paraa rewarding you with admired sights of the delta which takes 3 to 4 hours’ drive. Game viewing is best enjoyed favorably in morning hours or in the late afternoons. You’re advised to carry out your game viewing with an experienced safari guide who knowns everything concerning this area and is already to offer to you all the necessary information regarding the park’s tourist attraction as well as the forest. Above all, all visitors will have an unforgettable experience to tell to rest about the game drive you engaged in on Uganda wildlife safaris.
The park’s Flora and Fauna
The park is inhabited by savannah grassland, woodland as well as a tropical forest which are all habitant to the biodiversity of over 76 mammal species and over 500 different bird species. Murchison falls is a home of big 4s such as lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes, and other animals including hippos, Uganda kobs, Jackson hartebeest, warthogs, Rothschild’s giraffes, waterbucks among others. To the Nile corridor of the Murchison, there is a big number of water birds such as the rare shoebill stork and the large concentration of Nile crocodile and many more.
Budongo Forest
Budongo Forest lies within the boundary of the Murchison falls conservation area to the southwest part bordering Murchison falls and connects to the neighboring community, which connects with the Kaniyo pabidi forest famously known for chimpanzee tracking area. The Budongo forest is highlight of variety of species with over 360 bird species such as African dwarf kingfisher, Blue-breasted kingfisher, Cassin’s hawk-eagle, Crowned Guinea fowl, Grey-headed sunbird, Ituri batis, Lemon-bellied crombec, Little green sunbird, Olive breasted greenbul among others,24 mammal species,289 butterflies and 465 plants, tree species like the exceptional large mahogany tree, primate species with large population of around 700 chimpanzees. The forest walk carried around here starts at the Busingiro Ecotourism site on the Masindi-Bugungu route to Murchison falls national park where you expect to have a rewardable panoramic view of hidden natural wonders.
Karuma Falls
The karuma falls lies in the north-eastern part of Murchison Falls national park in the Chobe region. It is an amazing place for sport fishing in the park and the thundering waterfalls on the Victoria Nile are made up of a set of nature rock formations giving them a white foam-like appearance and full of excitement to the viewer.
Accommodation facilities in Murchison falls national park.
- Paraa Safari Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge, and Chobe Safari lodge are all luxury lodges.
- Sambiya River Lodge, Fort Murchison Lodge, Pakuba lodge and Murchison River lodge are all midrange lodges.
- Red Chilli Rest Camp, Budongo eco-lodge and Yebo Safari camp these are mid-range lodges.
Accessibility
The park can be accessed by road from Kampala City using the Gulu highway on Tarmac road which is approximately 4hours while using a 4WD safari vehicle.
Air transport is the fastest alternative means of transport to reach the park, charter services are located in Entebbe Airport that flies to pakuba Airstrips. The charter flight Aero link Uganda takes only 1hour and 10minutes to land to pakuba Airstrip which is located inside the park.
Murchison falls national park is the best spotlight of tourist attractions among the Uganda national park, with a stunning activity that attracts many tourists to visit the park which has led to the development of tourism hub in Uganda.
