What to See

What to See In Murchison Falls National Park Uganda : Murchison falls national park is popularly known to the world because of being with the most powerful waterfall in the world. It is not only the oldest but also the largest national park seated on 3893 square kilometers. Murchison falls is a habitat to over 451 bird species, about 76 mammal species, 449 tree species and 29 reptile species not leaving out the 49 species of Amphibians. Murchison falls national park is under the management of Uganda wildlife Authority. The whole of Murchison falls national park is covered by acacia trees, riverine woodland, bush and forest, savannah and borassus palms.

Attractions in Murchison falls national park.

• Murchison falls

Murchison falls is the main attraction in Murchison falls national park. These falls are originally known as “Pajok” and this is a luo word. This word means a “place of spirits”. At this place, sacrifices were offered to the gods of wars and rain which also protected people from sickness. Murchison falls is the most powerful waterfall in the whole world. There are a number of wildlife species that reside around this powerful waterfall. Some of them include the hippos, crocodiles, aquatic birds and many more. Visitors are able to spot these animals and birds when they visit the falls.

• Birds

Murchison falls national park is a habitat to over 451 bird species. The number of birds this national park shelters makes it one of the best birding destinations in Uganda. Some of the bird species in Murchison falls national park include African grey woodpecker, silver birds, rock pratincole, giant kingfisher, black-billed barbet, swamp flycatcher, blue-headed coucal, long-tailed nightjars, yellow-fronted tinkerbird, speckle-fronted weaver, black-headed gonolek, black-headed weaver, long-toed lawping, red-throated bee-eater, eastern plantain eater, denham’s bustard, senegal thick knee, abyssinian ground hornbill, black-headed lawping and many more. These birds can be seen by visitors through out the year when they visit this national park.

• Animals

Murchison falls national park is a home to over 76 mammal species. Some of these species include the buffaloes, elephants, antelopes, giraffes, hartebeasts, giraffes, oribis, Uganda kob, hippopotamus and many more. These animals can be spotted by tourists while on game drives at the park and also when carrying out launch trips on the water bodies within the park. Some of these animals can also be seen during nature walks in budongo forest and this enables visitors to get the opportunity tohave a glimpse on these animals at a close distance while on foot through the trails in the forest.

• Karuma falls

Karuma falls is situated at the point where the road crosses River Nile along the Kampala-Gulu highway. Karuma falls are located in bunyoro sub-region in Kiryandongo district in the western part of Uganda. A variety of birds and fish species can be spotted by visitors  at Karuma falls. Some of the bird species at this falls include the shoebill, grey crowned crane, cormorants, herons, swamp flycatcher, kingfishers, sunbirds, yellow-throated leaf love and many more. There are also mammals that can spotted at this place for example the baboons, monkeys, elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, warthogs and many more plus a variety of butterflies.

• Budongo forest

Budongo forest is a popular spot for chimpanzee tracking in Uganda. Visitors who visit Murchison falls national park go ahead to visit budongo forest to carry out chimpanzee tracking and other activities. This forest is dominated by mahogany trees where a number of over 800 chimpanzees reside. It is situated in Hoima and Kikuube and it is Northeast of Lake Albert on an escarpment. Chimpanzee tracking is done twice in a day that is the morning and in the afternoon. This activity is best done in the dry season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February when the trails in the forest are dry and easily passable by tourists. In the dry season, the forest is less thick enabling tourists to easily spot the chimpanzees and other species like birds. Chimpanzee tracking is best done in the dry season in budongo forest though it doesn’t stop visitors to come in the wet season.

• Kaniyo Pabidi forest

Kaniyo pabidi forest is known for being one of the best birding spots in uganda though it offers other activities like nature walks, chimpanzee tracking, camping chimpanzee habituation and many more. This forest is majorly dominated by mahogany trees and is situated in the southern part of murchison falls national park in Masindi district just 8km away from kichumbanyobo gate of the park and is part of budongo forest. A variety of birds can be spotted by visitors in this forest while carrying out forest walks either in the morning or evening. The activity of bird watching in this forest is done under the supervision of trained guides that direct vistors through the trails in this forest. The trails are easily accessed in the dry season because they are always dry and less slippery enabling easy movement of visitors in the forest.\

• Primates

Murchison falls national park harbors a variety of primates which include the chimpanzees, blue monkeys, white and black colobus, patas monkeys, red tailed monkeys, olive baboons and many more. These primates can be found in Kaniyo pabidi forest, budongo forest and other forest areas of the park. Over 600 primates can be seen in Kaniyo pabidi forest and budongo forest. Chimpanzees are the major primates in murchison falls national park that attract visitors to come to this park to carry out chimpanzee tracking and habituation. The primates in these areas of the park can be seen at anytime through out the year.

• River Nile

River Nile cuts through Murchison falls national park and at this point is where a number of visitors can’t opt to miss to have a sight at this place where the nile bisects in the park. A number of animals and birds can be spotted by tourists while at river nile in murchison falls national park. Some of the animals species around river Nile in murchison falls national park include hippos, waterbucks, hartebeasts, uganda kob, warthogs, oribis and many more plus bird species like osprey, shoebill, African darter, giant kingfisher, veracious dove, long-toed plover, black-headed lawping among others.