MURCHISON NATIONAL PARK

Murchison falls national park is the biggest park in Uganda which derives  its name from the Murchison falls where the mighty river Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and flows down to become a placid river whose banks are thronged with hippos, crocodiles, water bucks, and buffaloes.
The vegetation at Murchison is characterized by savannah, riverine forest and wood land.
Wildlife at Murchison falls national park includes lions, leopard, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species including the rare shoebill.

There is a number of tourist activities at Murchison falls national park.
Game drives that are best started at 7 in the morning and 6 in the evening, are enjoyable because they expose visitors to the flora and fauna which would not be easily discovered without one going for game drives.
There is plenty of game drive at buligi, Albert and queen’s tracks north of the river Nile.
At nyamusika cliffs visitors can picnic, enjoy the view and watch elephants and other game on the grassy hillsides.
Game drives take four hours, and there should be a trained guide to take the visitors for the game drive to explain to them the different and new things and places the visitors will come across, and to direct the driver, if at all the guide is not the one driving.

Launch trip on the Nile which starts from paraa to the foot of Murchison falls is one of the highlights of a visit to Murchison falls national park.         While on the launch trip, visitors view lots of birds like cormorants, kingfishers, fish eagles, herons, ducks, bee eaters, and sometimes the rare shoebill.
Elephants, buffaloes, and water bucks are also viewed while on the launch trip.
It is 17 kilometers from paraa to the falls and around trip takes about three hours. A boat trip from paraa to the delta takes about four to five hours and it is 28 kilometers.
The boat trip is scheduled for 9 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon local time. And this is on a daily basis. Any special time can be arranged with the park management.
While on the boat trip, visitors will view the same variety as though on a launch cruise.

Nature walks can be arranged and visitors move around with the guides. Murchison falls protected area offers the opportunity to explore the wild and flora on foot.
Birds, animals and plants can all be closely and quietly observed during the nature walk.   
Nature walks can be offered at different parts of the park, that is at rabongo forest, top of the falls and kaniyo-pabidi in budongo forest reserve. On these three trails the visitors can enjoy their visit at Murchison falls national park.

Sport fishing is both possible in the river below and above the falls. Nile perch and tiger-fish provide an exciting challenge to the anglers. Bookings with the park management should be made in advance because the number of people doing sport fishing at designated sites at any time has to be regulated for conservation purposes. Fishing equipment has to be brought by the visitor who going to carry on sport fishing.

Top of the falls is an interesting part of Murchison falls national park.
Trails around the top of the falls go right up to the water’s edge.
This gives visitors the opportunity to hike up to the top of the falls from the boat landing and to get close to the narrow gorge through which the river explodes into the falls.
On top of the falls, there are campsites, picnic sites, and walking safaris are available here.
Most tourists’ enjoy on top of the falls such that they cant leave Murchison falls national park without trailing.

Chimpanzee tracking is the most famous activity carried on at kaniyo pabidi.
Kaniyo pabidi is an undisturbed area of natural forest within budongo forest reserve, where you can walk beneath mature mahogany and iron wood trees.

Bird watching is enjoyed at kaniyo pabidi where birders certainly view many forest birds. These include chocolate backed kingfisher, the white - sighed hornbill and puvel’s illadopsis found nowhere else in east Africa. Kaniyo pabidi located on the masindi-paraa road is 8 kilometers from kichumbanyobo gate.
There is a campsite where water and firewood are available.
Kaniyo pabidi area is managed by the national forest authority.

Rabongo forest is one and a half hour from paraa.
Rabongo ecotourism centre is situated in an island of tropical riverine forest in the south east of the protected area. The forest is surrounded by savannah grassland and guides can help visitors explore the forest on foot.
In labongo forest observant visitors will spot primates like black and white colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, baboons and on some occasion’s chimpanzees. Some people identify animals, birders are the lucky ones on this point because they will discover a big number of birds, medicinal plants and trees of different kinds are found in rabongo forest. Interested visitors can picnic and camp by river waringo. This place is ideal for students who visit the park for academic purposes.

Access
Murchison falls national park can be accessed by road, air, and a ferry is available at paraa.  
By road, from Kampala through masindi via kichumbanyobo gate to paraa takes 4 ½ hours on murram roads.
Visitors who travel by road are advised to use four wheel drive vehicles because the road is not reliable.
By air, charter services are available to all weather conditions at pakuba about 19 kilometers North West of paraa and bugungu 13 kilometers from paraa.
The ferry at paraa operates on scheduled time between the southern and northern bank of the river.

Accommodation
The park has campsites available at the top of the falls, rabongo forest paraa and delta area.
There are also traditional and self contained bandas at red chilli rest camp. Here the meals and beverages are provided.
Nile safari camp also offers luxurious accommodation and here meals and drinks are a guarantee.
Paraa safaris lodge also a luxurious and sambiya river lodge accommodate visitors luxuriously and both provide meals.
Accommodation and meals at Murchison falls national park is not a problem unlike some other parks where visitors have to carry their camping facilities and food for the whole period they will have to spend at the park, therefore making a visit to Murchison falls more enjoyable.

For conservation purposes, there are things one has to do and those strictly to be avoided while at Murchison falls national park

• Drive only between 6:30 am and 6:30 pm
• No littering while in the park.
• Fire arms and ammunitions are strictly prohibited in the park and the protected areas.
• Picking of flowers, cutting of plants, and destroying of any vegetation is not allowed.
• Camping should only be at designated camp sites.
• Lighting of fires should only be at the fire rings at the camp sites.
• Visitors should be accompanied by a guides on nature walks and game drives.
• Driving should only be on designated roads.
• Dogs and any other domestic animals are not allowed in the park and the protected areas around the park.
• Walking should only be on designated trails.
• Sounding of horns and unnecessary noise is prohibited.
• All official receipts issued for park activities should be retained.
• Enter the protected area through kichumbanyobo, bugungu, or tangi gate.