Guide To Murchison Falls , Things to Know before Visiting : If you are aware of these things before visiting Murchison Falls National Park, your game safari will be one to remember. This will help you avoid any disappointments. With a size of 3840 square kilometers, Murchison Falls National Park is the largest of Uganda’s national parks. Acacia trees, riverine woodland, and Borassus palms can be found in the park’s northern region. Wooded areas and isolated forests are prevalent in the south.
There are several ways to get to the Nile at Paraa, which is in the center of the Murchison Fall National Area. To cross the river, you will need to take a ferry, which operates periodically throughout the day.
The best times to visit Murchison Falls National Park are from December to late February and from June to September because the animals congregate near the water sources, making it easier to observe them.
GUIDE TO MURCHISON FALLS, UGANDA: 9 THINGS TO KNOW
If you’re thinking about visiting Uganda, you undoubtedly want to see some of the most inspiring sights there, and Murchison Falls is at the top of the list. Murchison Falls is one of the most stunning and powerful cataract waterfalls in the world.
Beyond this natural marvel, you can find a wealth of African wildlife and thrilling adventures like game drives, Nile River cruises, and cultural encounters in the nearby national park. Here are some things you should know before visiting the park or while you are already there:
- What’s So Special about Murchison Falls?
Why should you visit Uganda’s Murchison Falls? The simple reason is that you will be awestruck by the waterfall’s powerful force and breathtaking beauty. The main draw of Uganda’s largest national park, which bears the same name as the falls, is Murchison Falls.
Murchison Falls, which is regarded as the most potent waterfall in the world, is made when the great Nile River crashes through a small opening in a loud roar, drops 140 feet (43 meters), and then flows outward into Lake Albert.
At the falls, you might also see a variety of birds and colorful rainbows, so be prepared with your camera!
- Where are Murchison Falls located?
This breathtaking waterfall can be found in the Murchison Falls National Park, which is about 75 miles (46 km) from Masindi in northwest Uganda. This national park offers much more than just the stunning waterfall. In addition, the park is home to an abundance of African wildlife and thrilling adventures, which are covered in more detail below.
- How to get to Murchison Falls
You can travel to Murchison Falls National Park by public bus from Kampala. The trip takes five hours. You can also drive your own vehicle, and you’ll discover that well-paved roads like the Kampala-Gulu highway exist.
Masindi, which is approximately 75 km away and takes 1 and a half hours to reach, is the closest large town to Murchison. There is also minibus transportation from the nearby town of Hoima (129 km). You can take a charter flight to the landing area at Pakuba for a quicker option.
You can access the launching area at Paraa, where you can take a boat cruise on the Nile River to see the bottom of the magnificent waterfall, once you enter the Murchison Falls National Park through the Chobe Gate. You can also choose to drive your own vehicle or take a 45-minute hike to the top of the falls if you’d like.
- A Little History About Murchison Falls
As two of the first Europeans to explore the falls region, Sir Samuel and Florence Baker named the falls after Roderick Murchison, a former president of the Royal Geographical Society. Under the Idi Amin regime in the 1970s, the falls’ unofficial name was changed to Kabalega Falls in honor of the king of Bunyoro. When that government fell, the falls’ name changed back to Murchison, though you might occasionally hear people refer to them as Kabalega Falls.
- Guide To Murchison Falls : Drive carefully
Driving at a higher speed, such as 100 km/hr., is risky in the park because you might come across a blind turn and possibly run into some animals that are crossing the road, which could result in an accident. However, at a controlled speed of 40 km/h, you can avoid killing yourself or these animals.
- Guide To Murchison Falls : Keep on Track
Think about how your actions at Murchison will affect the environment. The number of game drive tracks created by the park authorities has already reached this location’s carrying capacity.
When we veer off course, we put additional stress on the environment, which is already vulnerable. Therefore, it is our responsibility as visitors to abide by the park’s rules regarding only driving along designated tracks and avoiding detours.
- Take nothing but photos.
Animals like baboons, warthogs, elephants, and buffaloes often pick up our careless trash disposal along roads, campsites, and lodges and eat it. When it comes to plastics, they get stuck in the animal’s digestive system and frequently cause death. As a result, it is our responsibility as park visitors to prevent unnecessary littering.
- Keep the wildlife wild.
In a national park, feeding human food to animals is one of the worst thing. Such animals actually become a nuisance once they become accustomed to such foods. When they become accustomed to them, elephants, baboons, velvet monkeys, and mongooses frequently break into tents, automobiles, and hotels in search of yellow bananas, mangoes, or biscuits. Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to never feed an animal.
- Keep a respectful distance.
In the Murchison Falls National Park, all of the wildlife is untamed and potentially harmful. Never bother, irritate, or approach them too closely for your own protection, especially when taking pictures.
Conclusion:
The aforementioned recommendations are there to help you enjoy Murchison Falls National Park more while protecting its flora and fauna and keeping yourself safe as well. Just keep in mind that you enter national parks at your own risk.
