Murchison Falls National Park

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Murchison Falls National Park

Highlights

  • Great for First Time Adventurers.
  • Witness The Best Part Of Safari.
  • Make Memories For Life Time.

This national park is one of Uganda’s first national parks in 1952. At this place the Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge and goes with a very thunderous roar into the Devil’s cauldron hence creating a trademark rain bow. The northern section of the park contains savannah and palms, acacia trees and the riverine woodland. The south is also dominated by woodland as well as forest patches.

This national park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift valley where the Bunyoro escarpments tumbles in to the large, palm dotted savanna. It was first gazette as a game reserve in 1926, its Uganda\s largest and oldest conservation area hosting 76 species of Mammals and 451 bird species. This national park is divided by the Victoria Nile, which passes 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison falls, which is the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. This mighty waterfall drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a large placid stream that flows across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. The park is home to variety of wildlife species including; elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, Nile crocodiles, birds and many more.

This national park is gifted with lots of attractions hence the many activities that are enjoyed by the tourists, some of these include;

Boat Cruises

The launch trip upstream from Paara presents an astonishing display of wildlife and concludes with the memorable frontal view of the falls. Recommended for birders is a morning cruise downstream to the Nile Lake Albert Delta. The boat cruise upstream from Paara offers an astonishing display of wildlife and concludes with the memorable frontal view of the falls. The Launch departs at 9am and 2 pm daily and takes three hours.

Recommended for birders is a morning cruise downstream to the Nile Lake Albert Delta, offering the best chance in Africa of sighting the subtle Shoebil. These 4 to 5 hours return voyage also takes in variety of other wildlife including; elephants, hippos and many birds. A calm sundowner boat cruise at 5:30 pm offers the classic view of an equatorial sunset that is reflected on the river.

Birding in Murchison falls national Park

Both the game drives and the launch trips offer an opportunity for one to come across distinct birdlife, including savannah forest birds, water birds as well as the Albertine endemics. The park’s main birding attraction is the shoebill, the best sighted in the dry season from January to March Both of the game drives and launch trips offering an opportunity for one to come across the distinct birdlife, including the savannah forest birds, water birds as well as the Albertine Rift endemics.

The park’s main birding attraction is the shoebill and its best sighted in the dry season from January to March. The commonest species found in the plains include the Marabou stork, Abyssinian Ground hornbill, black bellied bustards, secretary birds, the open billed storks and the Widow bird. Just closer to the river where there are more thickets and woodlands, the commonest bird varieties include the swallow tailed and red throated bee eaters in the Nyamusika cliffs, woodland, giant and Malachite kingfishers, Francolin, Hornbills, grey heron, Hermerkop, fly catchers, cuckoos, wood peckers, warblers, crombecs. The riverbanks are also home to ducks, geese, plovers and stilts.

Game drives

Within Murchison falls national Park, game viewing can be enjoyed while on a game drive in many designated game drive areas. The main areas are the delta where you have a great chance of seeing the lions in waiting for prey as they go to drink, the buligi peninsula and the southern sector known as the heart of Murchison.

Game viewing in the park can be enjoyed while on a game drive in several designated game drive areas. The main areas ate the delta where there is high chance of seeing the lions as they wait for prey go to drink, the Buligi peninsula and the southern sector known as the heart of Murchison.

The Buligi Peninsula;

The park’s great game viewing area lies on the Buligi Peninsula, a triangle of grassland bounded by the Victoria Nile entering Lake Albert and the Albert Nile flowing out of it. Also expect to see elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, giraffes, leopards as well as lions. The game track network meets at Delta point where the Nile flows north out of Lake Albert; This is a convenient place to stop for the refreshments and view water birds offshore and the distant hippos. The visitors can take to the air to adventure the plains north and west of Paara in a hot air balloon.

In the heart of Murchison

Even though much of the southern part of MFNP is covered by bush and forest, a delightful tract of savannah rolls down to the river from the Rabongo road with in the very center of the park. The vehicle tracks have been opened in this area, which thanks to substantial herds of Uganda kob becoming known as a prime location for the lions. The heart of Murchison lies 20km east of the Masindi- Paara road. You might also get a chance to see some giraffes along the tracks.

Hiking and nature walks

The large land scape and the varied scenery of Murchison Falls National park and the surrounding conservation area can be adventured on foot. The trails through Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo forests offer sightings of many primates and birds while around the Nile Delta, 2-4 hours guided swamp walks offer possible shoebill sightings.

The afternoon boating upriver, you can also hike 45 minutes through woodland to the top of Murchison falls for a completely different experience of the magnificent waterfall. The experience brings all the senses into play, view the waves of white water summersault hypnotically through the six-meter chasm, listen to the roar, taste the spray on your face and then face the rock shake under your feet. In case you don’t like the trek to the top, stop off at the north bank during your game drive and walk down a few steps to stand with in meters of the rapids. The birders and nature lovers can enjoy short treks starting from Sambiya River lodge or Mubako junction, both on the south bank or have a walk lasting from one and half to two hours.

Cultural encounters with in Murchison falls National Park

There are the energetic dancers from Mubako who perform around lodge campsites, making for a magical African experience at dusk. Boomu Women’s group offers accommodation, a craft shop and the village tours, showing the realities of life with in the rural community.

The Mubako Cultural campfire performances

This remote community of Mubako is situated beside the savannah of Murchison Falls National Park and it’s a cluster of traditional thatched huts around a clearing, where the villagers gather to escape the mid-day sun under the shade of a large tree. The Mubako’s small craft shop sells carved wooden sculptures and the handwoven items made by community members. The local cultural groups perform vibrant songs and dances around the campfires of local lodges, accompanied by the beautiful sound of the adungu originating from this region, the instrument is made of cowhide and twine, and the harmonies of the many sized adungus against the backdrop of the Nile sunset are magical.

There are few economic opportunities in this region and the climate makes farming hard, but with the money generated through tourism, the community can buy produce from the local markets, pay fees and support a nursey for 90 children.

Boomu Women’s group

The subsistence farmers from the villages of Kihaguzi and Kigaragara in Uganda’s dry northern region had little produce left over to sell, so in 1999 the Bomu Women’s group that was formed, with the aim of reducing poverty and malnutrition, and providing an income for the members to be able to pay their children’s school fees. What started as a craft group has evolved into a wonderful community tourism project with traditional accommodation, a restaurant, unique guided tours and the well-tended garden.

The scenic village tour reveals the features of everyday rural life as well as explaining the problems facing the community. The guide will show you many crops as well as taking you to visit the village blacksmith. Story telling tales about customs and the local way of life, and a visit to the nursey, having a cooking demonstration or a basket weaving class that can be arranged on request.

 

 

 

Sport Fishing in Murchison Falls National Park

Sport fishing in Murchison falls National Park is so rewarding for the avid angler. There are great opportunities to land a large Nile Pearch or a cat fish. The other fish species include Tiger Fish, Electric cat fish, Tilapia and many more. The recorded Nile Perch was 13kgs landed at the water guage just opposite the crocodile pool, and the largest cat fish was 45 kgs that landed near the Nyamusika cliffs.

The experienced UWA guides are sent to present to lead you to the best fishing spots, however, there are other tour operators who operate sport fishing. A fishing permit is required and currently is at $50 per day or $150 for four days. The park fees are paid separately.

Hot Air Balloon in Murchison

In case you opt for a safari to Murchison falls National Park, then the hot Air ballooning is one of the things you should not miss out on. The park is said to be the largest protected area that has so much to see when it comes to nature and all that which is around it, like the variety of wildlife that can be seen in this area not forgetting the famous River Nile.

You are taken to the launch site for the hot air balloon just near Paara Safari Lodge which is the Wildlife side of the park. As you are here, you will be able to watch them do last minute preparations like pumping air into the balloon before you could fly high during the morning sunrise then given a brief on the safety precautions, rules and regulations as you get ready to hop aboard the balloon. As you are up there, you are able to have a great view of the savannah below with lots of wildlife.

After you are through with your hot air balloon safari, you are handed certificated that show your participation in the above activity and then later, you finish off with a special bush breakfast and a bottle of champagne all organized and offered by the commis chefs from Paara Lodge and later proceed with your game drive around the park and then return to your place of accommodation.

There is a sunset balloon flight that starts exactly at 4pm however, this one does not come with any special offers like the bush meals after the ride. This activity is perfect for those on honeymoon, the adrenaline junkies and those seeking a once in a lifetime adventure. The scenes up there are so spectacular and the air fresh and soothing. This is an experience made of thousands of memories that you will recollect every time you think about Your safari in Uganda. Hot Air Ballooning at Murchison Falls National Park comes along with these features; the general scenic views of the Murchison falls park, the off road animals hidden somewhere, the Lake Albert and Victoria Nile views, the bush breakfast experiences in the wild, the pickups from the different destinations, the participation certificates, crossings by ferry and the ride on the hot air balloon that lasts an hour among many others. Enjoy the unique experience of flying in a hot air balloon with one of the following options only available at Murchison falls National Park; Sunrise/ post sunrise hot air balloon safari with or without bush breakfast, the sunset Hot air balloon safari and the Short rides for the large groups and students.

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