Murchison falls National Park

 

 

 

 

Murchison Falls National Park

Location

Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is located in the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley in Masindi District in western Uganda and in Nwoya District in northern Uganda covering an area of 3,840 km². The park is situated approximately 300 kilometres by road, northwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile from east to west for a distance of about 115 kilometres. It is home to the four of the “big five” i.e. Buffalos, elephants, lions, leopards and over 400 birds.

Murchison Falls

The park is a home of Murchison Falls where the water of the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks of only 7 metres wide, and tumbles 43 metres , then flows westward into Lake Albert.

In water volume terms 300 cubic metres per second (11,000 ft³/s) of water squeezes through the gap of 7 meters wide. The falls is one of the most powerful surges of water found anywhere in the world.

Animals and birds
The park is a home of over 76 species of mammals and 451 birds. The animals in the park include elephants, giraffes, buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles. There are plenty of aquatic birds are permanent residents.

In the park there are four of the “big five” namely Buffalos, Elephants, Rhinos, Lions and Leopards. Due to poaching, the rhinos became extinct by 1983, but were re-introduced into Uganda in 2005 with the support of the Rhino Fund Uganda. White rhinos are now being bred again in the 7000ha Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Kampala –Gulu Highway about 70 km south of the park.

Other animals include Giraffes, Hartebeests, Oribis, Uganda kobs, Monkeys, Chimpanzees, Hippos, Crocodiles, Rare shoebill

There are many bird species along the Nile River and the river has many varieties of fish including Tilapia and Nile Perch.

Vegetation

The vegetation Murchison National Park is characterized by savannah, riverine forest and woodland which are spread all over the National Park

Famous people who have visited

Films
The 1951 film “The African Queen” starring Hunphrey Bogart was filmed on Lake Albert and the Nile in Murchison Falls National Park.

Karuma Dam

It is adjacent to the Masindi-Gulu Highway to Karuma Falls and  the location of the proposed  600 MW Karuma Power station, Uganda’s largest hydropower station that is currently under construction.

Nile River

Boat riding on Nile River enables Visitors to see falls and animals at close range.

Rabongo and Kaniyo Pabidi forests

These are 8 kilometers inside Kichumbar Gate and are a home to primates, chimpanzees and birds.

Campfire Performances

Mubako Cultural Campfire Performances

Tourist activities