Top Things to Do in Murchison Falls National Park Uganda
Top Things to Do in Murchison Falls National Park Uganda
Top Things to Do in Murchison Falls National Park Uganda : Murchison Falls National Park offers a bucket of memorable activities which can be adventured on your safari to Murchison. However, the park is located at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley where the escarpment of Bunyoro tumbles into vast and palm dotted savannah. In 1926 it was first gazette as a game reserve and later turned into a national park to protect a wide range of wildlife species.
Murchison falls national park is renowned as Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, home of 76 mammal species and a paradise of bird life over 455 species. Below are the major highlights to do on visit to Uganda’s Murchison Falls national park a place worth adventurous;
Game Drive
Game drive in Murchison Falls national park is carried out in woodland, wetland ,savannah and tropical rain forest a renown habitant for different bird species and mammals .Game drive is best done in an open roof car where you can be highly rewarded with great sights of mammals and most enjoyed in northern side of the park ,mammal species to be spotted include herds of elephants ,lions ,giraffes ,waterbucks ,Uganda kobs, hippopotamus ,Jackson’s hartebeest, warthogs among others leopards and hynes are commonly seen early in the morning and is the best time to see plenty of games.
This activity is more enjoyed in drier months and when accompanied by a tour guide. During dry season is the best way of experiencing game drive without any disturbance of rainfall.
Boat cruise
This activity can be done on Victoria Nile and starts right way at Paraa landing area where Victoria Nile connects into Lake Albert and takes you to the bottom of the falls for spectacular views. Expect to cruise close to the water species such as crocodiles ,hippos and other animals can be sighted along the Nile banks like waterbucks ,buffaloes and elephants as well as water bird species like Fish eagles ,duck ,Kingfishers ,bee-eaters and shoebill, Cormorants among others .
The cruise will take you near to the devil’s cauldron for great sights ,then you will drive to the Nile banks to get off the boat and hike up to the bottom of the falls to have astonishing display of wildlife and with memorable frontal view of the falls. You might engage in sundowner cruise which offers the perfect sights of an equatorial sunset reflected on the river.
Birding in Murchison
Murchison Falls national park is hoven for birders and the birds of here are best viewed in between Paraa Rest Camp and Ferry Crossing and such species of birds are Blue-napped Moosebird, Bluff-bellied Warbler, Chestnut-Crowned Sparrow-Weaver Ptylilia, Spotted Mourning Thrush, Vitelline Masked Weaver, Black-headed Batis and most spotted one is White-rumped seed eater. Also nocturnal species can be seen around such as Nightjars, Verreaux’s owls, Pennant-winged nightjar, long tailed among others, which are usually viewed between the months of March to September.
Then the standard winged nightjar best seen from November to February. Other bird life includes; African Skimmer, White African fish eagle, Gray Crowned crane, long –toed plover, Goliath Heron and many more.
Nature walks
This is an interesting activity done on foot where you get to explore the wild freely on foot as you discover the conservation area and other areas to enjoy the nature walks around the top of the falls, Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo forest. Rabongo Forest Ecotourism center is also awesome site to carry out your nature walk from as well as the savannah grasslands surrounding the forest. Nature walk is best done by the tour guide who leads you to the site to experience the nature of the park.
During your nature walk you will have chances of exploring species of primates such as Red tailed monkeys, Black and white colored monkeys, Chimpanzees, birds, tree species as well as medicinal plants. The Kaniyo Pabidi is also interesting area of natural forest within Budongo Forest Reserve where you can walk beneath mature ironwood and Mahogany tree species its truly humbling to have your nature walk inside this green forest as you can be rewarded with thrilling sights of various species like plants ,tree species, primates as you listen to sweet melodies of birds ,some of birds to see here are Chocolate backed kingfisher ,White-thighed Hornbill and Pavel’s IIIadopasis which cannot be seen elsewhere in East Africa.
Sport Fishing
Sport fishing can be done along the banks of the Nile below Murchison Falls thus providing exciting experience to anglers. On your visit here remember to carry your own fishing equipment if you’re interested in fishing. Species caught include the Nile perch, tiger fish many more.
Cultural Encounter
Along your visit to Murchison Falls national park, you will be entertained by energetic dancers from Mubako performance around the lodge campfires as a way of experiencing a magical African at night. The Boomu women’s group offers comfortable accommodation facilities to the guests, a craft shop where tourists buy souvenir things to take back home. You might carry out village tours to experience the life time of this local people in the community.
Hot Air Balloons in Murchison
Tourists who normally engage in Hot Air Balloon they enjoy the unique experience of aerial view in the air balloon and this is the best way to explore the wildlife species of Murchison falls national park in a perfect way.
