Welcome to the Murchison Falls National Park which is the Uganda’s oldest and the largest National Park, its located in the north western part of the country and it is among the mostly visited places while on your Uganda safari because of its most powerful waterfall formed by the Nile as it flows northwards bisecting the park into two sections. The park is mostly visited during low rain season due to its flat plains that makes the roads around the park slippery hence disorganizing game drives and other hiking activities. The following are the major tourist activities done around the park,
Game drives, one cannot leave the park minus taking up a game drive either during day time or night drives, this is done in a well developed and maintained road networks within the different corners of the park. This enables all the visitors to enjoy the wilderness since herds of large animals are seen loitering around their territories. Also sloping to the falls is the permanent water residents including the crocodiles that are always seen yawning around the shorelines, herds of hippos as they bounce around the waters and elephants plus other big animals including, lions, leopards and buffaloes just to mention but a few.
Launch cruising, enjoying a boat cruise at the Nile waters is another wonder since this happens in shifts, the morning shift and the afternoon shift that starts at 2pm, while on the boat, visitors enjoy the cruise while taking some wine and fun as the guides give them detailed information about the park including the different animals and birds that are seen while on the boat. This takes you through the papyrus swamps where different bird species are spotted. Viewing herds of animals is also another advantage of taking up this kind of activity.
Hiking, to enjoy the waterfall, hiking is the best way to go since guides lead the hikers throughout the activity, this helps you to see the different animals including the small primates such as monkeys and as they move around while shouting at the visitors, different trails take you to the World’s Most Powerful waterfall. As one goes closer to the falls he/she starts experiencing vibrations as water flows through a narrow gorge hence flowing on from a tall cliff of about 50fts, this makes the place a nice to see area.
Sport fishing, this is an interesting activity since visitors sail around the Nile looking for fish, the most caught fish type here is the Nile Perch, all visitors are required to come along with their fishing equipments, fishing boats are available for hire at a friendly cost and those without fishing equipments can hire them from the service providers around the park at a fee. This is so interesting since it is one of the best activities enjoyed by visitors during their leisure time.
Cultural encounters, this is another activity to be performed around the park and this leads you to Bomu cultural centre where you will be provided with a chance to engage in different cultural activities, these may include but limited to participating in cooking the local food, engaging in traditional dances of different tribes, local herbs and also experiencing the art crafts hand made by this group and the local people at a cheaper price.
Birding, the amazing place to do birding remains to be this park since birders flock into it to enjoy the haven of birds, birders can decide to take up a hike or use boat cruise around the Nile. The best spotting points include, walking in the Budongo Forest Reserve and around Sambiya River Lodge or Mubako Junction, both on the south bank of the river and the bird species seen here includes the Marabou Stork, Abyssinian Ground Horn bill, Secretary Birds, Black-bellied Bustards, Open-billed Storks and Widow Bird, woodland, Francolin, Horn bills, Grey heron, Hamerkop, Shrikes, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, Woodpeckers, Crombec and Warblers. The swamps around the river are also a home to ducks, geese, stilts and a plover are common but most importantly is the Shoebill stork that can be spotted along the shores of the River Nile and you can take the boat cruise to the Delta and among other birds.
