Top Things to See and do in Murchison Falls National Park
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Top things to see and do in Murchison Falls National Park
- Go on a game drive within the park.
- Take on a Boat Safari to the Falls.
- Hike to the Top of the Falls.
- Enjoy a Hot Air Balloon Safari over the Park.
- Go birding in Murchison Falls NP.
- Go on a Delta trip to track the shoebill.
- Go Rhino Tracking at Zziwa Sanctuary.
- Visit Kibiro Salt Gardens and Fishing Village.
- Visit the chimpanzees of Budongo Forest.
- Stay at Boomu Village.
GAME DRIVES IN MURCHISON FALLS NP:
Taking part in a game drive is a common thing to do for most travellers visiting Murchison falls. Game Drives in Murchison falls are done On the Northern bank which requires being on time for the scheduled ferry crossings that start as early as 07:00 am, 08:00 am, 11:00 am, 12:00noon, 2:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 06:00 pm and the last one being at 07:00 pm. If staying on the southern bank, endeavour to catch the 07:00 am crossing.
Game drives typically last 03 – 4hours with most travellers rushing back to catch the 12:00 noon crossing if stay at Red chilli, Murchison River lodge, Kabalega Lodge or the upmarket Bakers Lodge.
On the other hand, staying On the Northern Bank saves you the worries of being on time for the Ferry Crossing. The lodges on the Northern bank include the midrange Pakuba Safari Lodge & Fort Murchison Lodge, or The upmarket Paraa Lodge. For budget traveller interested in avoiding the rush for the ferry and also want to save some money on your safari to Murchison falls NP, budget Lodges outside the park on the northern bank include; Hornbill Bush Lodge.
The boat safaris in Murchison Falls National Park can either take place in the morning or afternoon. Most prefer the afternoons when the animals tend to come to the shores to drink Or cool-off. Elephants have been sighted squirting, buffaloes wallowing, hippos dipping, crocs basking – the action is amazing!
**Its important to pre-book your afternoon Murchison falls boat trip with wild frontiers.
HIKE TO THE TOP OF MURCHISON FALLS:
Its is a tradition for most travellers to hop off the boat, and hike up the baker’s trail to the top of the falls where you get to see the Nile force its way through a narrow 7-meter gap falling 45 meters. The hike up the falls cost USD15 per person payable to the UWA clerk at the end of your hike – insist on a receipt.
**All travellers intending to hike up to the top of the falls must make arrangements with their guide or someone to drive round and pick them up at the top otherwise you will be stuck with no means of getting back to your hotel.
NILE DELTA BOAT RIDE TO SEE THE SHOEBILL STORK:
Most travellers take the boat trip upstream to the Falls, but few take the trip downstream to the delta area where the Nile River splits into Lake Albert, with a section of the Nile (Albert Nile) continuing into Sudan.
The delta trip is a must-do for the bird lover who is looking forward to catching a glimpse of the prehistoric, rare and elusive shoebill Stork.
The delta Boat safari is a half-day activity, that we recommend doing in the morning.
Travellers visiting Murchison Falls National Park can now enjoy a hot air balloon safari over the vast plains of the wildlife-filled Murchison Falls Park. The park is filled with large herds of buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, antelopes. On a lucky day, you may catch a glimpse of a pride of lions returning from their previous night’s hunt. To crown it all up, a full bush breakfast will be served to you in the Park.
GO BIRDING IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK
Murchison Falls has quite a number of Prime birding spots for travellers interested in birdwatching.
Budongo & Rabongo Forests located inside Murchison Falls NP is a bird paradise on a ranger-guided tour.
TAKE ON A SCENIC DRIVE INTO MURCHISON FALLS PARK:
Take on a scenic drive along Lake Albert, where your driver-guide will point out the far-standing Congo Blue Mountains in the DRC.
Visit a Fishing Village along the Lake, a hiding point for disguised poachers. While you plan on taking this drive, we recommend making time for a stop at Butiaba, once the halfway stop for Seaplanes that flew from Cairo to Capetown.
At Butaiba, you will also have a glance at the antique wreckage of the Steamship Croydon that used to travel back and forth the lake.
Kibiro Salt Gardens and Fishing Village:
The hike down into the Kibiro village is quite steep is for reasonably fit persons. The Locals f the area majorly do is fishing, produce and trade salt. In the fishing villages of Kibiro, there are also Hot springs.
The Kibiro visit is an off the Beaten Track experience we like to recommend to our discerning travellers visiting Murchison Falls National Park.
In the event that you choose to visit Kibiro, then consider planning to stay overnight in Hoima
CHIMPANZEE TRACKING IN MURCHISON FALLS NP
Chimpanzee tracking in Murchison falls is done in Budongo Forest. The chip treks in Budongo forest are less crowded and provide for a private experience with our cousins of the forest.
Better still, if you are visiting Murchison Falls in the low season (March, April, May, October, November), you could consider taking part in the all-day Chimpanzee Habituation Experience. For accommodation, we recommend staying at the well-placed Budongo Eco-Lodge
Besides chimpanzee tracking or habituation, Budongo Forest also an excellent place for birding, hiking and guided nature walks.
RHINO TRACKING AT ZZIWA RHINO SANCTUARY:
Though not located inside Murchison Falls National Park, we like to mention this as one of the things to see and do in Murchison falls National park because you can either do this at the start of End of your tour to Murchison Falls.
Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary is located on the way into Murchison Falls National Park and is the ideal place to break your drive to Murchison falls NP. While at the sanctuary, you can track Rhinos on foot, and also have lunch at their restaurant before proceeding with the drive into Murchison Falls National Park.
Besides Rhino Tracking, if time allows (plan 1 -2 days), there are quite a few things to see and do at the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary ranging from nature walks to birdwatching. The Sanctuary is yet considered as one of the top places to track and See the shoebill stork In Uganda.
Based on your budget, you could stay at the upmarket Amuka Safari Lodge or the pocket-friendly Zziwa Guest House.
VISIT AND STAY AT THE BOOMU VILLAGE:
The Boomu Village offers the traveller an opportunity to get immersed in a culture. Here you can join Edna (founder) in preparing your local meals, you can also take a guided walk through the village so as to get a proper insight into what their life is. We recommend staying (1-2 nights) in a traditional African Banda at the Boomu Village.
For the discerning traveller looking for an authentic African cultural experience, there is plenty to see and do at Boomu Village.
For those looking to explore Murchison Falls, we recommend planning and booking with a local tour Operator. Browse our list of trusted tour operators and contact them for a quote.
**We recommend contacting at least three (03) tour operators for the best deal.
SAMPLE MURCHISON FALLS SAFARI ITINERARIES TO INSPIRE YOU
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