Murchison falls national park ferry crossing
Murchison falls national park ferry crossing: Murchison falls national park is the biggest protected area in Uganda covering an area of 3893 sq. km. The national park is one of the areas where the strongest river in the world named River Nile goes through as it comes from Lake Victoria heading to River Nile. The river bisects the national park into two sections which have been the northern bank and the southern bank.
Murchison falls national park ferry crossing is a magical experience on its own as the ferry takes people from one side of the river to another. Ferry crossing River Nile in Murchison falls national park is done at Paraa jetty area where tourists are moved from one side of the park to another. River Nile which goes through the national park bisects it into two parts which are named the southern bank and the northern bank.
The ferry crossing is done by tourists who want to access the other side of the park for example those who come from Masindi use the ferry crossing to get to the northern side of the park and those who are on the northern side of the park use the ferry to cross to the southern sector the park.
Ferry crossing in Murchison falls national park is commonly used by travelers in the northern sector of the park who want to exit the park using the southern gates to Masindi town. This is because the route from Murchison falls national park via Masindi back to Kampala is the shortest compared to getting back to Pakwach.
Ferry crossing in Murchison falls national park gives tourists an opportunity to see the river Nile flow through the park as it comes from Lake Kyoga going through Lake Albert. Tourists will get on to the ferry with some vehicles and hold themselves on to the ferry. The ferry will be driven to the other side of the park with the time taken depending on the speed of the waters.
Ferry crossing at River Nile in Murchison falls national park starts from 7 am to help those that are going for game viewing on the other side of the park and it ends at 7 pm because it gets dark. The ferry crossing is done at 7 am, 9 am, 11 am, 12 noon, 2 pm, 6 pm, and 7 pm therefore those that are intending to visit the park should know about these times so that they don’t get disappointed.
The ferry crossing in Murchison falls national park is not done for free but at a very far cost. The price for ferry crossing on River Nile when it comes to cars depends on the weight and size of the vehicle but for human beings, it’s the same for foreign non-residents, foreign residents, and East African citizens. As for vehicle drives and school buses with students it’s free of charge.
How much is the ferry crossing in Murchison falls national park
Passengers pay UGX 5,000
Motorcycles pay UGX5,000
Very heavy vehicles 10 to 20 tonnes pay UGX 150,000
Heavy vehicles 5 to 10 tonnes pay UGX 80,000
Medium vehicles 2 to 5 tonnes pay UGX 40,000
Light vehicles 2 tonnes and less pay UGX20,000
Ferry crossing in Murchison falls national park is done by those that are exiting the national park from the opposite side of where they are and those that want to cross from one region to another for park activities. The northern side of Murchison falls national park is the most loved when it comes to game viewing and therefore most tourists cross using the ferry to be part of the amazing activity.
The game drive activity on the northern side of the park gives tourists an opportunity to see so many wild animals that are said to be having their home in that region. Game viewing activities are done in the morning, evening and night to enable tourists to see different activities within the park. The activity takes 2-3 hours depending on the fan you have had and how many animals you have seen.
During the game drive activities, tourists are able to see different park animals among which include lions, buffaloes, duikers, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, hyenas, elephants, topis, giraffes, oribis, leopards, olive baboons, warthogs, waterbucks, bushbucks, monkeys, birds, and River Nile among others.
Chimpanzee trekking is another activity done in Murchison falls park in Budongo forest. Travelers that are in the northern sector of the park will need to cross to the south using the ferry in order to be part of the activity that gives tourists a chance to get close to chimpanzees which are said to be close relatives to human beings.
The chimpanzee trekking in Budongo is done in the morning so tourists need to do ferry crossing as early as 7 and in the afternoon hours. The activity starts with a briefing at the forest offices where trekkers are taught about the rules and regulations of the trekking activity so that they learn how to behave around the chimpanzees.
The armed ranger guides do lead the trekking and they are able to take tourists through different areas of the forest until they locate the chimpanzees. During the search, different wildlife is seen among which include primates, mammals, and birds. Trekkers are able to be around the chimpanzees for 1 hour and this gives them an opportunity to learn about their habits, watch them do daily activities, and take photos.
A boat cruise is another activity that needs to be done while on a safari in Murchison falls national park. The activity starts on the side of Paraa which means tourists on the southern side need to first cross using the ferry to be part of the activity. The boat cross activity can be in the morning or evening but the experience is always the same.
Tourists are able to earn about the River Nile, different animals in the waters like hippos and crocodiles, water birds on the surrounding vegetation, and the Murchison falls. During the boat cruise, animals will see different animals around the shores which come to drink water or feed on the fresh vegetation when it’s the dry season.
There are other activities done in Murchison falls park among which include bird watching since it’s a home to over 451 bird species, hike to the top of the falls, sport fishing, nature walks, and hot air balloon safaris but these can be done anywhere in the park and don’t need tourists to use the ferry to cross from one region to the other.
When to visit Murchison falls national park
Tourists need to visit Murchison falls national park at any time of the year however there are periods better than the rest. The dry season is the best time to be in Murchison falls national park because there is little rainfall, the vegetation is short with clear views of the animals and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Travelers especially budget travelers can visit Murchison falls national park in the rainy season from March to May and October to November simply to enjoy huge discounts on the accommodation facilities. The rainy season however comes with a lot of rainfall which makes the game trucks muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall with unclear views of the animals and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
