Tourist attractions in Murchison falls national park

Tourist attractions in Murchison falls national park

Tourist attractions in Murchison falls national park : Murchison Falls national park is a very fascinating Uganda safari destination situated in Northwestern region of Uganda and lies in a distance of 90 kilometers from Masindi, Murchison falls national park covers an area of 3840 square kilometers making it the largest protected area in Uganda.

Murchison falls national park is a must visit Uganda safari destination composed of numerous tourist attractions and these include

Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls is the trademark tourist in Murchison Falls national park from which the park gets its name, Murchison falls is the most powerful falls in the world formed as river Nile squeezes through a 7 meters narrow crevie in the rocks thus plunging over 40 meters below into a 50 meters radius water pool. While squeezing through the rocks, the falls make a loud roar heard from meters away and water is seen spraying around the falls.

River Nile

River Nile is a major tourist attraction and the longest river in the world flowing through Murchison falls national park, the river is a major source of water to the ecosystem of the park and while flowing it is crowded by many animals at its sand banks which come to drink water and bathe. The best way to explore river Nile in Murchison Falls national park is on a boat trip of 3 hours starting from Paraa entering into Lake Albert. On the boat trip you will enjoy watching many animals and water birds along the banks of the river.

Top of the Murchison Falls view

Top of the Murchison falls view is a very spectacular view of the powerful Murchison falls and is the top of the Nile, from this sight you get to enjoy sights and sounds of the river Nile crushing through a small chasm.

The top of Murchison falls is reached by a car and it is a 30 minutes climb from the bottom of the water falls.

Buligi game area

The Buligi game area is the best game viewing site in Murchison Falls national park, the area comprises of open savanna grasslands, riverine vegetation, woodland and acacia. Buligi game area is situated between Victoria Nile and the Albertine boosting excellent views of the western rift valley, Lake Albert and into the Democratic republic of Congo, this area is where most game drives (morning and afternoon game drives) are normally conducted because of the high concentrations of animals in the area.

Wildlife

Murchison Falls national park comprises of woodland, wetlands, tropical forests and savannah grassland inhabiting over 76 mammal species and various species of primates. Mammals found in Murchison Falls national park include lions, leopards, cape buffaloes, elephants, Uganda kob, hartebeest, elephants, Rothschild’s giraffe, hartebeests among others. Primates in Murchison Falls national park include chimpanzees recorded to be over 800 individuals, olive baboons, red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys among others.

Birds                                                                   

Murchison Falls national park is very rewarding destination for Uganda birding safaris, the park is a habitat to over 450 bird species including Albertine rift endemic birds, water birds and savannah birds. Some of the birds found in Murchison Falls national park include Shoe bill, African Darter, Giant Kingfisher, Osprey, Long-toed Plover, Grey-headed Kingfisher, Veracious Dove, Black-headed Lapwing, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Rock Pratincole, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird, Black-billed Barbet, Long-tailed Nightjar, Weaver Birds, Yellow-billed Stork, Martial Eagle, Silver bird, Gray crowned crested crane, Sandpipers, Pied Kingfishers, Standard-winged Nightjar, Malachite Kingfishers, Blue-headed Coucal, Denham’s Bustard, Swamp Flycatcher, Giant Heron, African Jacana, Secretary Bird, Read-throated Bee eater, Saddle-billed stork, Senegal, Thick-Knee, Red winged Grey Warbler among others.

Paraa

Paraa is a very attractive and important area in Murchison Falls national park which is worth exploring while on a Uganda safari in the park, Parra area is situated close to the banks of River Nile and its name is a local slag meaning “home of hippos” which are also found in this area.

Paraa is a perfect site in Murchison Falls national park for game drives, bird watching safaris, sport fishing,  guided nature walks, launch boat trips and cultural safaris to the local native people living in the community bordering Murchison falls national park. While on cultural safaris in Murchison falls national park you get to visit the museum and a gift shop in the northern area of the Paraa area.

Budongo forest

Budongo forest is located in the southwestern region of the Murchison Conservation Area and it is continuous with the Kaniyo Pabidi Forest, Budongo forest is situated on the escarpments northeast of the Lake Albert covering an area of 825 square kilometers.

Budongo forest is famously known for abundance of African mahogany trees as well as chimpanzees inhabiting in the forest, mahogany trees in the forest are more than 80 meters tall with a circumference of 20 meters. Budongo forest is a home to more than 360 bird species, 290 butterflies, 130 moths, 475 tree species, and 9 species of primates.

• Birds found in the Budongo forest include white-breasted, Sooty chat, Isabelline wheatear, Black lured and Brown babblers, Nubian woodpecker, Arrow marked, Barbets, Rollers, Harriers, Vultures, Eagles, Yellow-throated Greenbul, white-fronted Black Chat among others.
• Primates include chimpanzees, redtailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and nocturnal primates such as pottos and galago species.

Budongo forest is a best site in Murchison Falls national park for primate viewing and bird watching and it is best explored on the well maintained Royal Mile offering excellent sites of many colorful birds and primates playing on tree branches.

Kaniyo Pabidi forest

Kaniyo Pabidi forest is located in the southern region of the Murchison Falls conservation area in just 8 kilometers from Kichumbanyobo gate an entrance to Murchison Falls national park, Kaniyo Pabidi forest is one of the best sites for chimpanzee tracking and bird watching in Murchison Falls national park.

Kaniyo Pabidi Forest comprises of the Uganda’s largest remaining Mahogany forest and ironwood trees which are habitats to many primates such as chimpanzees,  blue monkeys, olive baboons and black and white colobus monkeys which are best encountered during primate tracking safari in Murchison Falls national park.

As already said, Kaniyo Pabidi forest an excellent site for birding in Murchison Falls national park, the forest inhabits many birds such as he yellow-footed fly catcher and puvelie illadopsis, other bird species include zoothers, camarones, ceratogymna fistulator, neatrapus cassini, ratis iturinis, white thighed hornbill, the white spotted fluff tail, yellow and grey long bill, little green sunbird which you will enjoy spotting.

The Karuma waterfall

The spectacular Karuma waterfall is an attractive feature in Murchison Falls national park found in the Chobe area in the northeastern region of the park, Karuma waterfall is a thunderous waterfalls comprising of cascading natural rock-formations through which the waters force their way through thus forming impressive white foam.

Karuma waterfall forms a pool of water which is visited by numerous animals such as buffaloes, hartebeests, Uganda kobs, lions, giraffes, baboons and many birds such as shoe bill, goliath heron, red-throated bee-eater among others. Karuma water is a best site for sport fishing in Murchison Falls national park.