Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park [1] is in the north west of Uganda. The park covers approximately 3840 sq km, and the River Nile passes through. Rabonga Forest in the south east has large populations of chimps and the Nile has a lot of hippos and crocs.

Culture and History

History

Named after the president of the English Royal Geographic Society in 1862 by Samuel Baker.

Landscape

Part of the Albertine Rift. the White Nile flows through this park from east to west, before turning north when it contacts Lake Albert. Point of note is the spectacular Murchison Falls, where the Nile squeezes much of its water through a 7-meter wide cleft. Less know is the Uhuru Falls, adjacent to Murchison Falls. "Uhuru" means "freedom" in Swahili - these falls broke through the rock in the year of Uganda's independence.

Flora and fauna

Elephants, Rothschild's giraffe, nile buffalo, lelwel hartebeest, oribi, waterbuck, bushbuck, warthog, lion, leopard, hippo, nile crocodile, olive baboons, mongoose, honey badger, monitor lizards, black and white colobus, vervet monkey, chimpanzee, BIRDS BIRDS BIRDS (inluding the rare shoebill stork).

Climate

Tropical, rains April/May and Oct/Nov. Good to visit all year

Travel to Murchison Falls National Park - Visa Requirements

Take an early bus to Masindi and then try to arrange for transport to bring you to the park. With some luck you could get a free ride with the rangers. Low-budget safaris are offered by the Red Chili. Book in Kampala.

Many safari companies offer safaris into this park. One is www.uganda-wildlife-photographic-safaris.com. They operate the nearby Ajai Safari camp. You can fly into nearby Arua Airport from Kampala (daily flights with Eagle Air) and this company will send a safari vehicle to get you.

You can stay with Boomu Women's Group who are located just outside Kichumbanyobo gate, the main gate to the park. You can get transport to there from Masindi. After your stay you can go to the park gate, just metres up the road and try to get a lift to your destination in the park. Either that or you can ask the staff to arrange for a taxi to take you to your destination. If your destination is chimp trekking in Pabidi, staff at Boomu Women's Group can help arrange transport to this site.

Fees/Permits

For non-residents, a one day permit costs US$20, for East African residents, US$10.

Tours and Getting around Murchison Falls National Park

Your best bet is to either hire a car or go on an organized safari. Don't even bother hitching or taking a bus. It is VERY difficult to get around in the park without your own transportation. You might get lucky and have a safari opportunity with someone, but you might not.

Murchison Falls National Park tourist attractions and sightseeing

• Take a boat ride and get surrounded by crocodiles and hippos. From 15000 USh.
• Safaris can be done, the wildlife is abundant.

Murchison Falls National Park city tours

Game drives, chimp walks, birding, boat trips

Community tours that offer a chance to see the local community, understand issues faced by rural Ugandans and learn about local food are offered at Boomu Women's Group [2]. This group also offers a chance to see how local handcrafts are made.

Murchison Falls National Park souvenirs and shopping

Local crafts, drinks, snacks and simple meals can be purchased from Boomu Womens Group [3]. As this is a community tourism project all sales directly help the surrounding community.

Murchison Falls National Park Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

Murchison Falls National Park nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Murchison Falls National Park cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

Lodging

The Nile Safari Camp accessible through a very bumpy road is a luxury tent-style accommodation with spectacular service and wooden cabins overlooking the Nile River. Very quaint and rustic, but with 5-star service.

Paraa Lodge located on the "animal-side" of the Nile River is a hotel boasting a colonial style and a very good food buffet.

Simple and cheap'banda style' accommodation as well as camping can be found at Boomu Women's Group. [4].

Ajai Safari Camp located outside of the Park. But the operators regularly take the clients to Murchison as part of a package. The camp will also pick-up visitors who fly into nearby Arua airport, that has daily flights. See www.uganda-wildlife-photographic-safaris.com

Camping

• Red Chili Guest House is the cheapest option at Murchison Falls. Pitch your own tent for 5000+ shilling or hire one of theirs for 5000 more. The nearby village allows for local atmosphere and cheap local food. More Accommodation Options

The best camping in Uganda (or just about anywhere else) can be had on the Nile Delta. Make arrangements at park headquarters and a guide will come watch over you while you spend a night on the savannah. Shine your flashlight out of your tent to see hundreds of buffalo eyes shining back at you, hear the lions roar and see the shadows of elephants passing by 20 meters from your tent. Unforgettable!

Backcountry

Stay safe

If you stay to the roads with a safari vehicle, there is no danger. However do not go off the marked roads.

Get out

• Masindi approx 90km.

Murchison Falls National Park Website

This page was last edited by Wikitravel user AJAI. Based on work by Ryan Holliday, Mark D. Jordahl and Tim Sandell, Wikitravel user(s) The Yeti, Morph and WindHorse and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license