Is Murchison falls national park worth visiting
Is Murchison falls national park worth visiting: In this article we shall highlight different reasons why it is worth visiting Murchison falls national park. Murchison falls national park is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park in the northwestern part of the country. Murchison falls national park covers a total area of 3,893 s.km and this is a habitat for different wild animals, birds, primates, and vegetation not forgetting River Nile goes through the park bisecting it into two sectors.
The outstanding wildlife, River Nile, Murchison falls, and the spectacular landscapes are some of the reasons why Murchison falls national park should travel wish list. Murchison falls national park offers a number of tourist attractions that make it one of the most worth it during a safari in Uganda. Here are some of the activities that should make you visit Murchison falls national park.
Game drives
There are over 76 mammals living in Murchison falls national park which you can explore on a 3 to 4 hour game drive. Game drives are done in the northern sector of the park because it has the highest population of animals. Most animals are in the northern sector of Murchison falls national park because there is enough vegetation cover which is food to them.
Good safari drive guides take tourists for game drives taking the different game tracks constructed in Murchison falls national park. Animals that tourists are likely to see during game drives in Murchison falls national park include lions, side-stripped jackals, cape buffaloes, spotted hyenas, leopards, elephants, Nubian giraffes, olive baboons, warthogs, defassa waterbucks, bushbucks, hippos, hartebeests, Uganda kobs, bushbabies, sitatungas, chimpanzees, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, and patas monkeys among others.
Game drives in Murchison falls national park are carried out in the morning, evening, and night hours in different parts of the park. Game drives are the best way to see most of the park animals that have been recorded within the park. These animals live in different park areas that tourists can’t access by foot. A game drive will always leave the tourists satisfied if they do it at the right time.
Chimpanzee trekking
The second area in Uganda with highest number of chimpanzees is Murchison falls national park and these live in Budongo forest which is part of the park. Over 600 chimpanzees are said to be living in Budongo forest making it the second best place to for trekking chimpanzee in Budongo in Uganda. Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo Forest activities are worth it in Budongo forest because the chances of seeing the apes are very high.
Chimpanzee trekking in Budongo forest starts with a briefing at the park headquarters and later armed ranger guides lead the group in the jungle. Inside the jungle, the search for chimpanzees is done and while doing so different wild animals and birds are spotted. Locating the chimpanzees takes 2 to 6 hours and when they are found, tourists are given 1 hour to be around them which gives them an opportunity to see them carry out daily activities, take photos, and record videos.
Birding in Murchison falls
451 bird species are found in Murchison falls national park making it one of the best birding destinations in Uganda. Bird watching is one of the activities worth doing in Murchison falls national park. It is done in special areas of the park with well-trained armed ranger guides and a birding guide. The different vegetation types within the park are home to different bird species most of which can be spotted during birding activities.
Birds of Murchison falls national park include red-throated bee-eater, speckle-fronted weaver, northern shoveler, northern carmine bee-eater, common teal, blue-naped moosebird, giant kingfisher, marabou stork, black-headed batis, northern spotted morning thrush, secretary bird, yellow fronted tinkerbird, pel’s fishing owl, rock pratincole, yellow-throated leaf love, yellow-throated greenbul, fawn-breasted waxbill, spur-winger geese, hugli’s francolin, black-headed plover, spotted verreaux eagle owl, secretary bird, white-faced whistling duck, spotted thick-knee, beautiful sunbird,
On a birding trip in Murchison falls Veracious dove, dark chanting goshawk, standard-winged nightjar, black-faced waxbill, black pilled wood dove, grey crowned crane, African quail finch, northern red bishop, chestnut-crowned sparrow weaver, pygmy crake, bar-breasted firefinch, rock pratincole, Senegal thick-knee, Shoebill stork, pied kingfisher, African darter, white-rumped seedeater, silver bird, black-billed barbet, piapiac, white-fronted black chat, palm nut vulture, African jacana to mention but a few.
Visiting the top of the falls
Everyone would love to see the strongest waterfalls in the whole world and the good news is that they are found within Murchison falls national park. Visiting the top of the falls can be done by hiking from the bottom of the falls or it can be done by driving to the top of the falls. The sound and speed of the waters will leave you wondering about God’s creators. At the top of the falls, tourists will be able to see how water running at a very high speed falls down into a pool hence producing a thunderous sound.
Accessing to Murchison falls national park from Entebbe/Kampala
Tourists can get to Murchison falls national park from Entebbe/Kampala using air transport or road transport.
Accessing to Murchison falls By air transport, tourists fly from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Pakuba Airstrip, Chobe Airstrip, or Bugugu Airstrip located inside the park. Different airline companies among which include Bar Aviation Uganda, Aerolink Uganda, and Kampala Executive Aviation have flights to Murchison falls national park.
Accessing to Murchison falls by road transport, tourists from Entebbe/ Kampala get to Murchison falls national park by driving through Bombo, Luwero, Nakasongola, Masindi, and finally Murchison falls national park. Road transport comes with many advantages among which include a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking and Karuma falls which is part of Victoria Nile.
