Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest national park. It measures approximately 3,893 square kilometres (1,503 sq mi). Victoria Nile bisects the park from East to West for a distance of about 115 kilometres (71 mi).
Murchison Falls is located within the park. The waters of the Nile flow through a narrow gorge. Which is 7 metres (23 feet) wide and before plunging 43 metres (141 feet).
Inside the park, adjacent to the Masindi-Gulu Highway are the Karuma FallS. The location of the 600 megawatts Karuma Power Station. This is Uganda’s largest power station.
Location
Murchison falls conservation area covers the Ugandan districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo and Masindi the nearest large town, to the Kibanda area of the national park which is about 72 kilometres (45 mi). This area is about 283 kilometres (176 mi), by road, north-west of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda.
Wildlife
Murchison Falls Conservation Area and the adjacent Bugondo Forest Reserve have 76 species of mammals and Uganda’s largest population of Nile crocodiles, 450 bird species are present ranging from an easy variety of water birds, including the rare Shoe-bill stork. Budongo’s 59 “restricted-range” species dwarf Kingfisher, Goliath heron, White-thighed hornbill and Great Blue Turaco.
Since 2005, the protected area is considered a Lion Conservation Unit. In 2010, it was estimated that only 250 Giraffes were in the park. A population of 37 Rothschild’s Giraffes were transferred to Murchison Falls National Park. From the north side to the south side in 2016-2017 when the population was around 1,500
Big game
The Murchison falls national park is home to 76 species of mammals including four of the “Big Five”, with huge herds of buffaloes and elephants, well-camouflaged leopards and a healthy population of lions. This Park is known for its giraffes. In Uganda, these can only be viewed here and in Kidepo Valley.
Other species viewed regularly along the game tracks include Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks and warthogs. Resident crocodiles and hippos and other visiting wildlife are found along the river.
African Primates
Olive baboons are common along the roadsides – be sure to keep car windows and doors shut if you don’t want to lose your lunch! Blue and red-tailed monkeys and black-and-white colobus can be found in the forested sectors. The savannah-dwelling patas monkey is only found here and in Kidepo Valley National Park. Around 800 chimpanzees live in the Kaniyo Pabidi and Budongo Forests.
The varied habitats of Uganda’s largest park make it home to a variety of birds with 451 species recorded. The list includes the Shoebill Stork, the Goliath Heron – the largest heron in the world – and pairs of elegant Grey Crowned Cranes – Uganda’s national bird.
Seen along the banks of the Nile are the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet and many bird species. Ganyana safaris organize wildlife safaris to Murchison falls, you can contact us now and plan a trip.
