Why Visit Murchison Falls National Park: Park Activities and Attractions
Game Drives
This park has got different vegetation cavers, Its combined with tropical savannah grasslands and tropical forests combined river water t give habitat of largest mammals on earth. These include the elephants, hippopotamus, cape buffalo, Rothschilds’s giraffe, lion, Leopard, hartbeest oribi warthog, and Uganda Kob. The water of River Nile provide water all year around to these wildlife and lots of birdlife including the rare shoebill stork . There are schools of hippos in the river water plus crocodiles.
Launch Trips on The Nile River
A visit to Murchison falls will not be complete until you take launch cruise on the Nile taking you up to the bottom of the Murchison falls. This a 17km stretch starting from the Paraa pier and takes 3 hours. The launch trip will treat you to sight of Hippos and crocodiles very abundant and you see elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and birds like herons comorants ducks bee eaters fish eagles kingfishers and the rare shoebill stork. Alternatively may take a boat to the delta an this may tale 4 – 5 hours . All boats are scheduled for specific time.
Primate Walk: Chimpanzee tracking – Kaniyo Pabidi Forest. Chimpanzee Trekking
Kaniyo Pabidi forest is part of Budongo Forest in Murchison falls national park. Budongo Forest is among the tropical rainy forest still surviving in Africa reach in iron wood trees of Mahogany and Muvule species of trees. Chimpanzee trekking is the major activity and famous chimpanzee tracking is done here. This a home of habituated primates chimpanzee group and are tracked by visitors. This area is accessed from the southern end of the park from Kichumbanyobo Gate. This area is also famous for birding experiences where you can sight rare bird species, yellow footed flycatcher, Ituri batis, chocolate-backed kingfisher, the White- thighed Hornbill and Puvels illadopsis.
The area is 8 km from Masindi town and have a lodge where visitors can stay.
Where to do Bird Watching tour birding safari at Murchison falls
Murchison Falls being the largest national park in Uganda , has got unique habitats that support many bird species. Birding experience here is greatly enhanced by the abundant wildlife , scenic landscape, and spectacular falls where the park picks its name.
Birding at the Paraa area where the park offices are situated and around the Red Chili campsite along the Victoria Nile and the ferry crossing points will produce Blue – naped Mousebird, spotted Morning Thrush, Black-headed Batis, Black-headed Gonolek, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Viteline Masked Weaver and Green-winged Pytlia. This the best are in Ugand to watch white-rumped seedeater. When you take boat ride to the delta, Do the birding along the river banks and will be prized with sighting the rare Shoebills at the delta islands where share haitat with Goliath Heron, saddled billed stork, Grey Crowned Crane, Long-toed Plover and the African Fish Eagle plus the African Skimmer all near the river banks.
Big Huge Fig trees and other fruiting trees attract White Crested Turaco, Eastern Grey Plantain- eater and Double toothed Barbet in the fruit seasons. The Sliverbird and the localized White rumped Seedeater frequent the thorn shrubs around the park. A pleasant Savannah grassland also support Grey Kestrel, Crested and Heuglins Francolins, Black Billed wood and Vinaceous Doves, Red-headed lovebirds, Senegal Coucal, Black-lored Babbler, Whistling and Trilling cistcolas, Black-headed Geneloke and Black faced Waxbills and Brown Twinspot . Will on rare occasions sight Long-tailed Nightjars occasionally seen along the entrance road in the morning and evenings.
Budongo Forest
This a tropical rainy forest located in southern part of Murchison Falls National Park Near Masindi town. Specialities in this area include: Uganda Wood-Warbler, Grey-headed Sunbird, Ituri Batis, Jameson’s Wattle-eye, White-spotted Flufftail, Afep Pigeon Dusk tailed Cuckoo, Black Shoulderd Nightjar, White thighed Horn Bill, Yellow throated Tinkerbird, Willock’s Honeyguide, Golden-crowned
Woodpecker, African Shrike-flycatcher Dwarf Kingfisher and Yellow crested wood pecker etc.
Bundongo Forest is believed to have highest concentration of Kingfishers in the region. These include Dwarf Kingfisher which some birders believe to be the smallest Kingfisher in Africa. Others include: Pygmy Kingfisher, Shinning blue Kingfisher, Blue breasted Kingfisher, stripped Kingfisher, woodland Kingfisher and Chocolate backed Kingfisher.
Night Game Drives at Murchison Falls Wildlife Game drives
The park is prime wildlife nocturnal animals and birds. Uganda Wildlife authortu Now allows Night game drives inside Murchison Falls National Parks and Queen Elizabeth National park. Visitors now interested in seeing more of the night life inside the parks will be arranged for them
The launch of this new move was embraced by the King of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom (omukama solomon Iguru),as a sign of acceptance and he was the first to experience this long awaited programme. New four wheel drive cars that are expected to carry out the game drives were bought and these are expected to carry a maximum of 8 visitors.
These cars are open-roofed and covered on top to provide protection and good view to the visitors at night.
Any Birder enthusiastic will enjoy viewing rare night species , with portable spotlight you will be able to view Nocturnal birds and may include Spotted Verreaux’s Eagle –Owls, Spectacular nightjars, such as plain Long tailed and Pennant-winged( viewable in the months of March – September) The mind blowing Standard –winged Nightjars are abundant from November to February . In the whole country the best birding season is from the month of September to April .
More of wildlife involving at night in Murchison falls will include different wildlife species; bird species including the Buffaloes, Jackson hartebeests, Antelopes, Lions, Kobs, Giraffes, Hyenas, Bushbucks, and Warthogs among others. They are widely spread all over the Savannah grasslands, grazing or hunting for prey. This makes the park’s landscape so fantastic for game viewing/game driving safaris.
