Murchison Falls National Park

Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda's largest and oldest conservation area, covering 3,893 square kilometers of pristine wilderness in northwestern Uganda. The park is bisected by the mighty Victoria Nile, which explodes through a narrow 7-meter gorge to plunge 43 meters at Murchison Falls - described by Winston Churchill as "the most important thing which the Nile has done during the whole of its course."

The park protects 76 mammal species and 451 bird species across diverse habitats from savanna grasslands north of the Nile to dense forests in the south. The northern sector offers classic African savanna game viewing with elephants, buffalos, giraffes, and lions, while boat safaris on the Victoria Nile provide close encounters with massive Nile crocodiles, hundreds of hippos, and waterbirds including the rare shoebill stork. The southern Budongo Forest harbors over 800 chimpanzees.

The dramatic waterfall is the park's centerpiece, where you can hike to the top of the falls and feel the thundering spray. Game drives in the northern plains rival East Africa's finest savanna parks, while chimpanzee tracking in Budongo adds primate adventures. Whether witnessing the falls' raw power, cruising past basking crocodiles, or tracking chimpanzees through forest, Murchison delivers Uganda's most diverse wilderness experiences.

Highlights

• Powerful Murchison Falls waterfall
• Victoria Nile boat safaris
• Chimpanzee tracking in Budongo Forest
• Classic savanna game viewing
• Rare shoebill stork sightings

Things to Do

• Boat safari to falls
• Game drives
• Chimpanzee tracking
• Top of the falls hike
• Bird watching
• Sport fishing

December to February and June to September for best conditions