Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park

Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park are the different features in the park that attract travelers to come and enjoy the amazing wilderness. Murchison falls national park is the largest protected area and one of the most visited national parks in Uganda located in the northern part of Albertine rift valley 305 kilometers north of Kampala City. Murchison falls national park covers an area of 3840 square kilometers and was named Murchison falls after beautiful Murchison falls where the longest river in the world River Nile forces itself through a 7meters Gorge on the Rift valley escarpment. Murchison falls national park is the oldest national park in Uganda in that it was gazette in 1926 and established as a national park in 1952. Murchison falls national park receives a lot of visitors throughout the year due to various attractions in the park and interesting activities that visitors participate in while on a safari in Murchison falls national park.
Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park
Wildlife species: Under wildlife attractions in Murchison falls national park they will be divided into different categories including
- Big game, Murchison falls national park is a home of about 76 animal species including 4 of the big 5 mammals which are the elephants, buffaloes, lions, and leopards. Murchison falls national park is also a home of other animals such as hippos, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, warthogs, crocodiles, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks among others. These big game animals are usually seen during the morning or evening game drives in Murchison falls national park, boat cruise at the bottom of the falls and the Nile Delta plus during nature walks within the park.
- Primates, Murchison falls national park harbors some primate species which can be viewed in Budongo forest, Kaniyo pabidi forest, and Rabongo forest. Among the primates, the chimpanzees are the most visited where visitors engage in chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest to see the habituated chimpanzee families. Apart from chimpanzees, there are other primates that can be seen in Murchison falls national park include olive baboons, blue monkeys, red tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others which give you a great experience while on a safari in Murchison falls national park.
- Birds, Murchison falls national park is known as a birders paradise in that it harbors about 450 species of birds which include the prehistoric shoebill stork, goliath heron, malachite kingfisher, red-throated bee-eater, African quail finch, speckle fronted weaver, white-browed sparrow weaver, grey crowned cranes, blue-headed coucal, swampy flycatcher, squacco heron, African jacana, black billed barbet, black-headed gonolek among others. Bird species are attractions for bird lovers where they will view different bird species during bird watching activity, boat cruise at the bottom of the falls, nature walks in Budongo, Kaniyo Pabidi forests, and during the dame drives in the park.
Vegetation, Murchison falls national park is comprised of woodland, savannah grasslands, riverine forest, tropical forests, wetlands with different tree species which act as food and habitat for wildlife species in the park.
Buligi Game Tracks: Buligi game tracks are savannah grassland areas comprised of acacia tree species located between Victoria Albert Nile and great tracks for game drives where you will drive from Paraa through the delta which takes about 3 to 4 hours drive. A morning or evening game drive at Buligi game tracks offers you with stunning views of the Rift valley, hills in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lake Albert, animal views like lions, buffaloes, elephants among others. An early game drive at Buligi game tracks will give you an opportunity to view some nocturnal animals such as Leopards, Hyenas, Lions, Jackals among others as they go back to their hideout areas. When using the Buligi game track you will also pass via open savannah grasslands, woodlands, acacia, riverine vegetation among others.
Kaniyo Pabidi Forest: Kaniyo Pabidi forest is a natural forest covered with mahogany and iron wood trees situated on the south side of Murchison Falls national park in Budongo forest with a trail which stretches through an area of about 8 kilometers within the Centre of Kichumbanyobo park entrance. Kaniyo pabidi forest is an attraction in Murchison falls national park that offers you an opportunity to trek the habituated chimpanzee families where you will have a face to face interaction and also view be able to view other primates such as the blue monkeys, baboons, red tailed monkeys and animal species like buffaloes, elephants among others. Kaniyo pabidi forest is also a birders paradise with different bird species namely little green sunbird, Rufous-sided broadbill, grey-headed sunbird, blue breasted kingfisher, pygmy crake, crowned eagle, Cassin hawk-eagle, spotted greenbul, yellow-crested woodpecker among others.
Rabongo Forest: Rabongo is a forest is situated in the southeastern part of Murchison falls national park covering 4 kilometers and dominated by tropical riverine forest and savannah plains. Rabongo forest is a great destination for nature walks and forest drives where you will be able to explore the forest with great views of primates like Chimpanzees which are occasionally seen, Olive baboons, Red colobus monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabeys, Butterflies, animals like Forest Elephants, Leopards, Warthogs, Cape Buffaloes, Duikers, bird species like Ituri batis, Hornbill, Yellow-footed Flycatcher and many more.
Budongo Forest: Budongo is a natural forest situated in Murchison Falls national park which is characterized by savannah and woodland vegetation. Budongo forest is famously known as a chimpanzee destination in Murchison falls national park which harbors several habituated chimpanzee families available for trekking on daily basis and also harbors other primates like red tailed monkeys, olive baboons, blue monkeys, Pottos among others. Budongo forest is also a great destination for butterfly identification and bird watching where you will get an opportunity to view different bird species such as forest robin, yellow and grey long bill, white spotted flufftail, chocolate backed kingfisher, pygmy crake, brown twinspot, Cassin’s hawk-eagle, crowned eagle, blue breasted dwarf, yellow-crested woodpecker among others hence making your safari in Uganda enjoyable with interesting experiences.
Top of the falls: Top of the falls is an exciting and adventurous hike with a trail that takes you to the top of the falls on your safari in Murchison Falls national park. When going for the top of the falls hike you will first enjoy the boat cruise along the Nile to the bottom of the falls which offers you great views of the hippos, Nile crocodiles and different bird species and you will disembark after the boat trip and start hiking via a trail from the bottom of the falls with a guide and hiking takes about 45 minutes to the top depending on how fit you are. Top of the falls hike will refresh your mind and offers views of different bird species, animals, vegetation, hills, hear roar sounds of the falls and also view the Nile as it makes its way through the rocks to form a waterfall.
River Nile: River Nile is the longest river in the whole world where the source is found in Jinja. River Nile flows through Murchison Falls national park for a distance of 120kilometers on its way from Lake Victoria to Mediterranean seas and Egypt. Murchison falls national park offers an exciting and adventurous boat cruise on River Nile to the bottom of the falls where you will be able to explore and enjoy great views of different bird species and animals such as hippos, crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes among others.
Nile delta: Nile delta is a stretch of water where Victoria Nile enters Lake Albert. Nile Delta is found in the south western part of Murchison Falls national park and offers a boat cruise activity which is either done in the morning or in the afternoon taking about 4 to 5 hours. During the Nile Delta boat cruise, you will be able to have beautiful views of Congo mountain ranges, various bird species such as the sought after Shoe bill stork, African skimmer, African fish eagle, saddle-billed stork, African jacana, great egret, goliath heron among others. The Nile delta boat cruise is an exciting adventure that shouldn’t be missed on your safari in Murchison Falls national park in that you can engage in different activities such as sport fishing, birding, enjoying the sundowner hence gaining great experience and making your safari in Uganda unforgettable.
How to get to Murchison Falls national park
Murchison falls national park can be reached by both road and air transport means
- Air transport, Murchison falls National Park has two airfields namely Pakuba Airfield and Bugungu Airstrip, therefore, visitors can book chartered or scheduled flights from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield to any of the airfields.
- Road transport, visitors will drive from Kampala via Masindi through Kichumbanyobo gate to Murchison falls national park headquarters which takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive. You can also use public means of transport where you will board a bus from Kampala to Masindi and later hire a private car to the park headquarters.

Accommodation facilities in Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national park has a wide range of luxury, mid-range and budget accommodations where visitors on a safari can stay including Chobe Safari Lodge, Paraa Safari Lodge, Nile Safari Camp, Sambiya River Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Twiga Safari Lodge, Amuka safari lodge, Kabalega wilderness lodge, Red Chilli Rest Camp, Murchison safari lodge, Budongo Eco lodge, Boomu women’s group Bandas among others. The lodges provide quality meals, comfortable shelter, free internet, conducive environment for relaxation, breath taking views of River Nile, wildlife, vegetation types, birds species which make the visitor to relax and chill after chimpanzee trekking, nature walk, hiking at the top of the falls.
Murchison falls national park offers a wide range of breathtaking and fascinating attractions which will make you safari in Uganda exciting and enjoyable with lifetime memories.
