Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area, sprawls across 3,840 square kilometers in the northwest, where the Bunyoro escarpment meets vast, palm-dotted savanna. Gazetted as a game reserve in 1926 and established as a national park in 1952, it sits at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley. Bisected by the Victoria Nile, this park also known as Kabalega National Park boasts dramatic landscapes and rich biodiversity, making it a top safari destination.
The Mighty Murchison Falls
The park’s centerpiece is Murchison Falls, where the Nile squeezes through an 8-meter-wide gorge, plunging 45 meters into the “Devil’s Cauldron” with a thunderous roar. This spectacle, dubbed the world’s most powerful waterfall, sends up a permanent rainbow mist, best seen on a 2–3-hour boat cruise from Paraa to the falls’ base or a hike to the top. The falls mark the end of an 80-kilometer stretch of rapids before the river calms toward Lake Albert.
Wildlife and Birdlife
Home to 144 mammal species, including elephants (over 1,330), buffalo 200+ lions split in about 20 prides, and leopards, Murchison hosts four of the “Big Five” (rhinos reside nearby at Ziwa Sanctuary). Rothschild’s giraffes, numbering over 1,250, roam the northern savanna, while hippos and Nile crocodiles dominate the riverbanks. With 556 bird species, including the rare Shoebill and Goliath Heron, it’s a birdwatcher’s haven, especially along the Nile Delta.
Activities
Game drives in the Buligi Peninsula and Delta areas reveal wildlife against savanna backdrops, while boat trips offer close-up aquatic encounters. Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest, home to over 600 chimps. Cultural visits to local communities add depth.
Getting There
Located 305 kilometers from Kampala (4 to 5-hour drive), Murchison is accessible via Masindi or Fort Portal (6 hours). Flights from Entebbe to Pakuba Airstrip to cut travel time.