Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National park

Bisected by the great River Nile is Murchison Falls National Park almost in the heart of Uganda. This park is one of the largest and oldest conservation game parks in Uganda placed at the northern end of the albertine Rift Valley. It is covers about 3893 square kilo meters. it is where the bulky Bunyoro escarpment merges into the vast plains of Acholi land.

Being one of the easily accessed and well-endowed wildlife parks in Uganda, several  foreign dignitaries have paid a visit to this park and enjoyed its natural beautiful environs. Winston Churchhill in 1907 hiked, boated and cycled up the Nile corridor and out of the trip he took named Uganda the Pearl of Africa. Theodore Roosevelt did a hunting safari here , in 1951, these falls provided a backdrop for Humphrey Bogart in John Huston’s famous film “The African Queen which was filmed on location along the Murchison Nile and lake Albert.  Some family members of the British Royal family like Prince of Wales ( Later Edward VII), Queen mother in 1959, Sir Samuel Baker’s Grandson, The famous  American socialites in the Kardashian family (Kim and Kanye West ) the lists is endless.

The part of River Nile that bisects Murchison Falls into two parts is called Victoria Falls.

It races  about 80 km of white water rapids, squeezes through a 7 meters wide gorge before plunging about 40 meters cliff of the Rift valley wall acquiring the name Murchison Falls. In 1894,Sir Samuel Baker a great explorer baptized this spot  Murchison Falls because of its outstanding appearance on the entire River Nile Course. The falls drain the last energy transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the Rift Valley floor of approximately 55 km to Lake Albert. Its lush riverine provide a comfortable spot for numerous animals like herds of elephants, giraffes, herds of buffaloes, lions, leopards, water bucks, bush bucks, schools of hippos appear like rocks embedded in the river, Nile crocodiles to mention but a few.

What Fauna And Flora To See In Murchison Falls National park

Murchison Falls is composed of savannah woodland, River/ wetland and tropical forest habitats. This rich habitat is home to about 76 mammals, approximately 450 bird species, variety of large mammals like leopards, lions, elephants, Rothschild’s giraffes, cape buffalos, oribi, Nile crocodiles, warthogs, hartebeest, Uganda Kob, school of hippos the list is endless. About 360 bird species including the rare prehistoric shoe bill find home in the Kaniyo Pabidi Forest.

The part of River Nile that bisects Murchison Falls into two parts is called Victoria Falls. It races  about 80 km of white water rapids, squeezes through a 7 meters wide gorge before plunging about 40 meters cliff of the Rift valley wall acquiring the name Murchison Falls. In 1894,Sir Samuel Baker a great explorer baptized this spot  Murchison Falls because of its outstanding appearance on the entire River Nile Course. The falls drain the last energy transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the Rift Valley floor of approximately 55 km to Lake Albert. Its lush riverine provide a comfortable spot for numerous animals like herds of elephants, giraffes, herds of buffaloes, lions, leopards, water bucks, bush bucks, schools of hippos appear like rocks embedded in the river, Nile crocodiles to mention but a few.

What Activities To do In Murchison Falls National Park

Early in the morning, game drives are conducted especially in the northern sector of the park where most of the wild animals live. You may have the opportunity of seeing animals like the leopards, lions, water bucks, herds of elephants, herds of cape buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes rare birds and so much more. The Buligi area is the prime savannah game viewing area with lovely grassland wilderness sandwitched between the victora and Alber Niles with panoramic views towards the western wall of the Rift Valley beyond Lake Albert in the D.R.Congo.