Murchison Falls Park Tour- 4 days.
Murchison Falls is one of Uganda’s first gazetted game reserves in 1926 and was established as a national park way back in 1952. It is also Uganda’s largest park covering an area of well over 3800 square kilometers, hosting well over 76 mammal species and 450 bird species. Murchison Falls park is notable for being home to the famous Murchison Falls, an area where the mighty River Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge and plunges 45m with a thunderous force that is a magical and dramatic rainbow phenomenon. The northern part of Murchison Falls park contains palms, savannah plains, acacia trees, and riverine woodland, while the southern part of the park is mostly swathes of forest which is part of Budongo Forest and woodland.
Murchison Falls park is bisected by the mighty River Nile, with the dramatic Murchison Falls water flowing calmly across the great rift valley floor into Lake Albert. The stretch of the Victoria Nile provides one Uganda’s most fascinating wildlife habitat for the many animals and birds that come to the bank to drink including elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, lions, leopards, Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks, warthogs and plenty of aquatic bird species. The papyrus lined banks of the river are host to great egrets, African fish eagles, goliath herons and the rare shoebill.
There are a number of activities for visitors to undertake including, morning, evening and night game drives, boat rides along the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls. The banks of the river are usually teeming with wildlife, birds and reptiles. Guided nature walks along the banks of the river can also be arranged as well as sport fishing near Chobe in the north eastern sector of the park close to Karuma Falls. White water rafting and hot air balloon safaris can be arranged in Murchison Falls park.
Murchison Falls park is a sought-after birder’s destination with a recorded 451 bird species. The list of birds found here is so long and includes the shoebill stork, the Goliath Heron- the largest heron in the world. Also found in Murchison Falls park is the grey crowned crane ( Uganda’s national symbol) Also seen along the banks of the Nile are the Blue-headed Coucal, Swamp Flycatcher, Squacco Heron, African Jacana, Sandpipers, Denham’s Bustard, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Barbet, Black-headed Gonolek, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Piapiac, Silverbird, Weaver Birds, Pied, Giant and Malachite Kingfishers, Red-throated Bee-eater, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Speckle-fronted Weaver and African Quail-Finch.
Kaniyo Pabidi Forest located in the south of Murchison Falls Park, is host to a number of primates, including the black & white colobus monkeys, the blue and red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons and about 800 chimpanzees that can all be tracked in the rainforest. Kaniyo Pabidi is also home to large herds of elephants, lions, leopards, giraffes and buffaloes. It is also a birder’s paradise as a range of rare bird species ca be found here, including the chocolate-backed kingfisher, white-thighed hornbill and Puvel’s illadopsis which is not found elsewhere in East Africa.
On a visit to Murchison Falls Park, you may be entertained by some cultural encounters from cultural dances from Mubako. Boomu Women’s Group offers accommodation, a craft shop and village tours which will enable you interact with locals in the area, learn about their cultures, traditions, foods, dance, drama and way of living.
4 Days Murchison Falls Wildlife Safari.
Day 1: Rhino Sanctuary and Boat Cruise
Meet and greet at Entebbe airport, Entebbe or Kampala hotel by our expert safari driver guide who will give you a quick briefing about your safari to Murchison Falls Park. Depart for Murchison Falls and on your way to Masindi you will have a stopover at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for lunch and a guided walking safari to track the rhinos.
You will later in the afternoon depart from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and continue to Murchison Falls national park. You will get a ferry crossing and check into Paraa Safari Lodge your accommodation for the next 2 nights. You will later take a sunset boat cruise on River Nile or drive to the top of the falls before you cross over to Paraa Lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.
Day 2: Game Drive and Launch Trip.
Staying at Paraa Safari Lodge inside the park gives you the advantage of having an unrushed breakfast before starting out on a morning game drive in Buligi tracks of the park. This area is popular with lions, elephants, giraffes, leopards, Jackson’s hartebeest, bushbucks, Uganda kob, waterbucks, warthogs and other wildlife.
You will return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation poolside before embarking on a 2pm 3 hours launch cruise to the base of the dramatic falls. This is an opportunity to see plenty of hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, some elephants and numerous aquatic birds as they come to the banks of the river to drink during the beautiful tropical African afternoon sun.
Dinner and overnight at Paraa Safari Lodge.
Day 3: Birding on the Delta and Game Drive to top of Falls.
Have an early breakfast and start an unforgettable birding experience when you get into a boat and sail to the Nile-Lake Albert delta where the River Nile meets with Lake Albert. There is plenty of bird species to be spotted include the shoebill stork, goliath heron, the grey crowned crane and many more. If you are not an avid bird, then you could stay at Paraa Lodge and cool off in the swimming pool as you sip on a cold Ugandan Nile special beer or take a guided cultural visit walk to the Mubako community to learn about their culture, traditions and way of life.
After lunch, it is time to depart Paraa safari lodge, cross the Nile on a ferry and go for a game drive along the Tebito game tracks. Your game drive will culminate into a short walking safari to the top of the falls on the northern banks of the Nile. Dinner and overnight at Budongo Ecolodge.
Day 4: Chimp Tracking or Birding in Budongo Forest.
After a very early breakfast, get an early start to track the chimpanzees in Budongo Forest. As you search for the chimps you will encounter a number of other primates, baboons and plenty of forest bird species. Alternatively, for avid birders you will be led by an experienced birding guide along the famous “Royal Mile” for some of the best birding opportunities anywhere else in the world. There are over 360 bird species recorded as living in Budongo Forest.
You will early in the afternoon start your 5hrs drive back to Kampala or onward to Entebbe airport.