Murchison Falls National Park is part of the larger Murchison Falls Conservation Area and is great for watching wildlife. The Victoria Nile River runs through the park, and taking a boat trip to see the stunning Murchison Falls is a must-do. If you hike to the top of the falls, you can really feel their power.
Traveling around the park usually takes about 8 to 10 hours. During the rainy season, you’ll need a 4WD vehicle to reach some trailheads.
Most visitors arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB), which is about 46 km (29 miles) from Kampala, the capital city. You can also fly from Entebbe or Kajjansi Airfield in Kampala to Kihihi or Kisoro, which are close to Bwindi.
The park is home to four of the Big Five animals, with only rhinos missing. You can often see buffalo and elephants here. There’s a strong population of lions that hunt the plentiful Uganda kob. Other antelope in the park include oribi, Jackson's hartebeest, defassa waterbuck, grey duiker, and bushbuck. The Victoria Nile is full of crocodiles and hippos.
Large groups of Rothschild's giraffe can be seen in the park, and while leopards are not very common, you might spot one near Pakuba Lodge. You can occasionally see troops of the rare patas monkey on the grassy plains, and chimpanzees can be found in the nearby Budongo Forest.
Murchison Falls National Park is one of the best places in Africa to see the unique shoebill stork. You can almost always spot this bird on a boat trip along the Victoria Nile to the Lake Albert delta. These boat trips, including the popular one to Murchison Falls, are also great for seeing many other water birds. The park is home to over 450 bird species, and migratory birds can be seen from November to April.
You can visit Murchison Falls National Park any time of year, but the best time for wildlife viewing is during the Dry season, from December to February, when animals gather around the Victoria Nile and other water sources.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
You can visit Murchison Falls National Park any time of year, but the best time to see wildlife is during the Dry season, from December to February, when animals gather around the Victoria Nile and other reliable water sources.