Getting to Murchison Falls National Park
Getting to Murchison Falls National Park is a simple task as long as one gets the required necessities like VISA’s, passport, e.t.c and follow the directions. Murchison falls national park is the largest national park located in the northwestern part of Uganda in Bulisa, Kiryadongo, Nwoya and Masindi districts. This national park is the most visited national park in Uganda covering a total land area of 3840 square kilometers. Murchison falls national park is blessed with variety of wildlife species including mammals like elephants, buffaloes, hippos, lions, leopards, giraffes, oribi, waterbucks, bushbucks, Uganda kobs, spotted hyenas, warthogs, side-striped jackal, primates like chimpanzees, baboons, monkeys, bird species like the rare shoebill stork, cormorants, fish eagles, kingfishers, pelicans among others. The national park offers various activities to visitors on a safari including game drives, boat cruise, bird watching, nature walk, chimpanzee trekking, hiking, Hot air balloon activity among others which give visitors exciting and unforgettable experiences while on a safari in Uganda.
How to get to Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison falls national park is located in the northwestern part of Uganda and can be accessed by either road or air transport means.
Road transport: When using road transport, Murchison falls national park can be reached by either private means, self-drive or public means. Murchison falls national park has several gates which can be used when traveling by road transport means, for example, Chobe gate, Chobe gate is located in the northern sector of Murchison falls national park near Pakwach and it can be accessed from Paraa and Karuma fall.
- Tangi gate, Tangi gate is also located in the northern sector of Murchison falls national park and it’s about 110kilometres from Karuma Bridge. After entering the national park it takes 2 kilometers to the park headquarters and when you want to cross to the southern sector of Murchison falls national park you will use a ferry to cross the Nile River.
- Wankwar gate, Wankar gate is located in the northern sector of Murchison falls national park near Purongo which takes about 10 kilometers off the main road on the Arua-Gulu highway.
- Mubako gate, Mubako gate is situated in the northern sector and visitors traveling through the Mubako gate access it by crossing the Nile River from Karuma falls bridge along Kampala-Pakwach road.
- Bugungu gate, Bugungu gate is located in the southern sector and can be accessed through Budondo forest and from Masindi town it takes about 135kilometre. Budongo forest is one of the destinations in Uganda harboring the endangered chimpanzees and other primate species.
- Kichumbanyobo gate, this gate is also located in the southern sector of Murchison falls national park and can be accessed through Kaniyo Pabidi forest and from Masindi town its about 85 kilometers which takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive.
When using the northern gates to travel to Murchison falls national park you will drive from Kampala city via Karuma, Pakwach road and then branch off from after Karuma Bridge to Paraa park headquarters which is 305 kilometers and takes about 4 to 5 hours’ drive. From Entebbe airport to Murchison falls national park it takes about 6 hours’ drive. The northern gates of Murchison Falls national park are also conducive for the visitors traveling from Gulu and Kidepo valley national park to Murchison falls national park.
Murchison falls national park can also be accessed by public means of transport where you will board a bus from the bus station in Kampala city to Masindi town and then board a private taxi to the park headquarters.
Air transport
The park can also be accessed by the use of air transport means. There are domestic aircraft that fly to Murchison falls national park such as Aerolink which operates scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield to Pakuba, Chobe or Bugungu airfield. Aerolink flights to Murchison falls national park operates on Wednesday, Friday and Sundays. From Entebbe airport, the flight departs at 12:30 pm and arrives at 13:30 pm and when they are departing from Bugungu, Pakuba or Chobe airfield they leave at 13:45 pm and arrive in Entebbe at 16:30 pm which is approximately one hour flight. When you arrive at Pakuba airfield, Chobe airfield or Bugungu airfield, the tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to the lodge where you will be staying during your safari in Murchison falls national park.
Domestic flights to Murchison falls national park can be booked either directly by contacting Aerolink offices or through a trusted tour company like Achieve Global Safaris and visitors are advised to book at least 2 days in advance before the actual day of flying. Therefore flying to Murchison falls national park is a better option in that it’s easy, fast and less tiresome therefore it favors visitors who are not used to traveling long distances.
Murchison falls national park can also be accessed from other destinations such as Kidepo valley national park, Kibale forest national park which takes about 7 to 8 hours, Ziwa Rhino sanctuary which is located near the park and takes about 2 to 3 hours’ drive. Therefore visitors can combine activities in Murchison falls national park with chimpanzee trekking or habituation in Kibale forest National Park.
When traveling to Murchison falls national park you can either use road transport means which are a bit longer but rewarding with great scenic views of the landscapes, homesteads or air transport means which is fast and less tiresome because both transport means can lead you to the park. In the park, you will get an opportunity to participate in unique and interesting activities like hot air balloon, game drive, boat cruise, bird watching, chimpanzee trekking and Ziwa Rhino sanctuary which rewards your safari with breathtaking views of animals like the big five mammals, birds, primates among others.
