Facts About Murchison Falls National Park

Facts About Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park has several interesting facts that travellers can research before visiting. The park is located in northwestern Uganda. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest, covering approximately 3,840 square kilometres. It is considered the oldest park, established in 1952.

History of the park

The park was initially known as the Kabalega National Park, and it was named Murchison Falls National Park by the Scottish geologist Sir Roderick Murchison. The park was named after the falls within the park. From 1907 to 1912, the earliest natives who used to live in this park were evacuated due to the sleeping sickness caused by the tsetse flies. These people were covering a total area of about 13000 square kilometres.

After their evacuation, this gave rise to the Bunyoro game reserve covering the areas of the Nile River in 1910 in the area of Masindi. In 1928, the reserve was extended to the Gulu areas where the river passes also and this protected area was named the Gulu Bunyoro Game Reserve. The land area covered by the park continued to increase due to the tsetse flies increasing in the area, and the people were leaving the area without being displaced.

 In 1932, the Budongo Forest Reserve was added to the reserve, and the forest continued to expand, which created a way for the park’s land to increase. Currently, the park compares Bugungu Wildlife Reserve, Karuma Wildlife Reserve, and the Budongo Wildlife Reserve. This makes the park so diverse in its ecosystem, like other parks around Africa.  The park is home to over 76 mammal species and 451 bird species, and all of these are situated around the park.

What are the attractions that travellers encounter during their visit to the Murchison Falls National Park?

While in the Murchison Falls National Park, there are several attractions that travellers encounter during the Uganda safaris, and they include;

Wildlife

The park is vast with several wildlife that travellers on their Uganda safaris encounter, and some of this wildlife range from lions, leopards, hippos, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, baboons, and many others. The park is also home to several primates, like the chimpanzee, which are encountered in the Budongo forest.

Bird species

The park hosts several bird species, and these species is over 451. These bird species are situated around the park in the areas of the Rabongo forest, river line forests, and grasslands within the park. The bird species in the park include yellow-footed flycatchers, Illinois, fishing eagles, kingfishers, Abyssinian ground hornbills, and many others.

Nile river

This is the longest river in the world, which passes through the park. It also divides the park into two, and it is also a source of water for the wildlife in the park. Travellers engage in different activities while on this river.

Budongo forest

The forest is within the park, and it is also a great destination that travellers on their Uganda safaris can encounter. The forest is home to several chimpanzees, which travellers encounter during the safaris.

Murchison falls

The Murchison Falls are the strongest falls, which are one of the major attractions of the park, making it unique from the other. The water of the Nile River squeezes through a three-meter gorge, which leads to the formation of the falls.

What to do in the Murchison Falls National Park?

There are several activities that travellers on their Uganda safaris engage in the Murchison Falls National Park, and they include;

Game drive or game viewing

The game drive or the game viewing takes you through the viewing of the wildlife in the park. The game viewing is done in the 4×4 safari van with a pop-up. It is done in the gazette tracks of the park, like the Albert, Victoria, and Bugili tracks. The wildlife that is usually seen includes lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, warthogs, baboons, and many others. The game drive is done in the morning, afternoon, and evening.

Boat cruise

Embarking on the boat cruise in the Murchison Falls National Park is one of the exciting activities in the park. The activity is carried out on the Nile River. During the cruise on the Nile, travellers will see several wildlife, like hippos, elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, and many others.

Bird watching

The park is home to over 451 bird species, and this makes it a great birding destination for birders. The bird species which are usually sighted in the park include the shoebill, secretary bird, black-billed bustard, open-billed stork, widow birds, woodpeckers, kingfishers, and many others.

Chimpanzee trekking

The chimpanzee is one of the large primates within the park located in the Budongo forest. The chimpanzees are considered to be the closest cousins of man, sharing over 98%. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest usually lasts 2 to 6 hours daily. This activity has two sessions, which include the morning session and the afternoon session.

Sportfishing

The sport of fishing is one of the athletic activities that are trophy-rewarding in the park. Travellers are supposed to acquire fishing permits. The fish usually caught in the park are the Nile perch, and again are set back in the water.

How to access the Murchison Falls National Park?

The park is accessed by both road and air transport. Using air transport, travellers are supposed to book scheduled chartered flights from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to the different airstrips in the Murchison Falls National Park. Airstrips in the park include the Chobe, Bugungu, and Pakuba. In using road transport, travellers take about 6 hours from Kampala to reach the park. Murchison Falls National Park has several gates that travellers can use to access the park, and they include;

Kichumbanyobo gate

This is the main gate of the park, which is accessed by travellers from Kampala and Entebbe. The gate is in the southern part of the park. The gate is 85 kilometres away from Masindi town.

Bugungu gate

Bugungu Gate is also in the southern part of the park and is about 135 kilometres away from Masindi town. The gate passes through the Budongo forest, and travellers have a view of Albert Lake and also the view of the Congo Mountains. The other gates in the north of the park include the Tangi Gate, Chobe Gate, Mubako Gate, and Wankar Gate.