History of Murchison falls national park
History of Murchison falls national park: Murchison falls national park had been in existence but it got known in 1926. This is the year that Murchison falls national park was gazetted as a game reserve after noticing that so many wild animals were finding a home in this area. Murchison falls national park was first gazetted as a game reserve making it Uganda’s largest conservation area and the oldest national park in the country.
History of Murchison falls national park
When it comes to the largest and most visited protected area in the pearl of Africa what stands above the rest is Murchison falls national park. The national park is located in the beautiful country Uganda on the northern end of the Albertine rift valley. Murchison falls national park covers the northwestern districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo, and Masindi.
Sir Samuel Baker, his wide Florence baker visited the gazetted area by then in 1964 and they were the first Europeans to sight the Murchison falls. There is a point in the park named after his name because people believed that ist here that he stood to see the spectacular Murchison falls.
Sir Samuel baker an American explorer, named the thunderous falls in the honor of the president of the royal geographical society, Sir Roderick Murchison. It’s from the Murchison falls that Uganda’s largest protected area was named the Murchison falls national park.
In 1951, Murchison falls national park become more famous when it appeared in the film title The African Queen starring Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey. The film was recorded on Lake Albert and River Nile within Murchison falls national park. In 1952, the parliament which was sitting in London during the colonial time passed a law to gazetted the area as a national park.
The government named the protected area Murchison falls national park and the name was derived from the spectacular Murchison falls which happen to be on the Victoria Nile that bisects the park into the southern sector and the northern sector. The River Nile starts from Lake Victoria goes to Lake Kyoga and passes through Murchison falls national park before finding its way to Lake Albert.
The Murchison falls were before called Kabalega falls but sir Samuel baker name them Murchison falls after discovering them. In 1970’s during the regime of Idi Amin, the name of the falls was changed to Kabelega falls because of the differences between western countries and black people. Murchison falls were not the only one changed to Kabelega falls but also the national park was changed to Kabalega national park. Idi Amin Dada named the park after the king of Bunyoro that was ruling during that time.
However, after the regime of Idi Amin Dada, the name of the park which was Murchison falls national park in the constitution was revamped back until today we know the park as Murchison falls national park. A lot of great people have visited Murchison falls national park among which include Winston Churchill who referred Uganda as the Pearl of Africa in his book titled My African journey.
Murchison falls national park today
Today Uganda’s largest protected area is called Murchison falls national park. The national park covers a total area of 3893 sq. km comprising savannah, woodland, and riverine vegetation. The national park is a habitat to 76 mammals, 13 primates, and 451 bird species. Game drives are the most done activities in this park however other activities can be done among which include boat cruises, birding, hot air balloon safari, nature walks, and chimpanzee trekking.
Accessing Murchison falls national park
Travelers can get to Murchison falls national park using road transport or air transport. The road transport journey takes 4-6 hours which are rewarding with views of the Karuma falls and a visit to Ziwa rhino sanctuary home to white rhino in the country. Travelers can start from Kampala to Luwero, Nakasongola, Masindi to Paraa or from Kampala to Luwero to Nakasongola to Kiryandogo to Pakwach and then Murchison.
Accessing Murchison falls national park by flight: Luxury travelers or those that hate traveling for long distances can fly to Murchison falls national park in 1 hour and 15 minutes by taking chattered flights from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport to Pakuba airstrip or Bugugu airstrip or Chobe airstrip all within the park. Flights are organized by Aerolink Uganda, Fly Uganda, and Bar Aviation Uganda at certain days of the week.
