Facts About Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park has several interesting facts that travelers can research before visiting. The park is located in northwestern Uganda. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest, covering about 3840 square kilometers. It is considered to be the oldest park which was 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’s name 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 kilometers.
After their evacuation, this gave rise to the Bunyooro 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 travelers encounter during their visit to the Murchison Falls National Park?
While in the Murchison Falls National Park, there are several attractions that travelers encounter during the Uganda safaris and they include;
Wildlife
The park is vast with several wildlife that travelers on their Uganda safaris encounter and some of these wildlife range from lions, leopards, hippos, giraffes, buffalos, 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 are over 451 in number. These bird species are situated around the park in the areas of the bongo forest, bongo forest, river line forests, grasslands 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. Travelers engage in different activities while on this river.
Budongo forest
The forest is within the park and it is also a great destination that travelers on their Uganda safaris can encounter. The forest is home to several chimpanzees which travelers encounter during the safaris.
Murchison falls
The Murchison Falls is the strongest falls which is one of the main attractions of the park making it unique away from the other. The water of the Nile River squeezes in 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 travelers 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, buffaloes, 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, travelers 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 sited in the park include shoe bill, sectary bird, black-billed bustard, open-billed stork, widow birds, wood peckers, king fishers, 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%. The chimpanzee trekking in the park takes about 2 to 6 hours of the day. 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. Travelers are supposed to acquire fishing permits. The fish usually caught in the park are usually the Nile perch and again are set back to the water.
How to access the Murchison Falls National Park?
The park is accessed by both road and air transport. Using air transport, travelers are supposed to book the 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. While using road transport, travelers take about 6 hours from Kampala to reach the park. Murchison Falls National Park has several gates that travelers can use to access the park and they include;
Kichumbanyobo gate
This is the main gate of the park which is accessed by travelers from the Kampala Entebbe. The gate is within the southern part of the park. The gate is 85 kilometers away from the Masindi town.
Bugungu gate
Bugungu Gate is also in the southern part of the park and is about 135 kilometers away from Masindi town. The gate passes through the Budongo forest and travelers 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.
