Murchison Falls national park is located in the districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo, and Masindi. The driving distance from Masindi, the nearest large town, to the Kibanda area of the national park is about 72 kilometres.
Murchison national park was the first protected area to be established in Uganda 1926 as a game reserved and later converted into a national park in 1952 after the visit of Sir Samuel baker and other explorers the park name altered to Murchison fall from kabalega falls national.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda, offering an unrivalled safari experience of a classic gaming of the ‘big game’ viewing opportunities, chimpanzee tracking, breath-taking African scenery, the awesome river Nile, and the eponymous falls and chimpanzee tracking and habituation are done in Budongo forest. The forest can also offer opportunity to view other primates.
The park is 283km by road, north-west of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda. The coordinates of the park near the Kibanda area are 02°11’15.0″N, 31°46’53.0″E (Latitude: 2.187499; Longitude: 31.781400)
The Murchison national park is the oldest and largest protected area in Uganda hosting 76 species of mammals and 451 species of birds. It’s also referred to as the Kabalega Falls, which is a waterfall found on the course of the great Nile.
The River Nile waters attracts a huge population of wildlife such as crocodiles, hippos and water birds. Plus lions, warthogs, buffaloes, rare aquatic sitatunga antelope, giant forest hog, Uganda kobs, topis, waterbuck, elephant and leopard.
The park is divided into two parts by Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the rift valley wall creating the fantastic Murchison falls. The park is also home to 23 Albertine rift endemics given its location in the western arm of the east African rift valley.
Victoria Nile flows across Uganda’s northern region from the vast Lake Victoria to the deep Lake Kyoga and continuing to the northern tip of Lake Albert within the western arm of the great East African Rift.
At the peak of the Murchison Falls, the waters of the Nile force their way through a small slit within the rocks, which is just 7m wide, and topples to 43m below, with a thunderous roar forming a residual water stray that forms a beautiful rainbow, the view is very attractive, as it continues its journey westward into the stunning Lake Albert.
Murchison Falls Conservation Area comprises of Murchison Falls National Park, Bugungu and Karuma Falls Wildlife Reserves.
The River banks are filled with hippos and crocodiles, waterbucks and buffaloes. The vegetation is characterized by savannah, riverine forest and woodland. Wildlife in the park includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species.
Park activities and entrance fees
