Murchison Falls National Park

Why visit

Murchison delivers spectacle and big game in one. The Nile is the star — a boat safari upriver brings you to the base of the falls, past hippo, crocodile and elephants on the banks, to where the great river is forced through a gorge only a few metres wide. Above, the savannah carries strong populations of plains game, including the rare Rothschild's giraffe. It's Uganda at its most cinematic.

Wildlife & landscapes

Savannah and riverine habitats hold elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, large numbers of Rothschild's giraffe, antelope, and abundant hippo and Nile crocodile along the river. Birding is excellent, including the prized shoebill in the delta. The landscape pivots around the Nile and the falls themselves.

Best time to visit

Good year-round; the dry seasons (December–February, June–September) concentrate game and ease access, while the wetter months are green and strong for birds. See → Best time to visit Uganda.

Things to do here

• Nile boat safari — upstream to the base of the falls; hippo, crocodile, elephants and birds.
• Game drives — northern-bank savannah for lion, giraffe and plains game.
• Top-of-the-falls walk — to the gorge where the Nile thunders through.
• Birding & delta cruises — including shoebill in the Nile delta.

Know before you go

• Getting there: light aircraft to Pakuba/Bugungu airstrips, or road from Kampala/Entebbe (often via a rhino sanctuary en route).
• Fees: park fees and boat-safari fees apply. Verify current rates.
• How long: 2–3 nights for the boat safari, a game-drive circuit and the falls.

How it fits into a journey

Murchison is the big northern chapter of Uganda, and it changes the scale of the trip. The park is farther from the gorilla and chimpanzee forests than Queen Elizabeth or Kibale, so it needs to justify the movement with enough time on the ground. When it does, the reward is a different Uganda: broader savannah, the Nile as a living corridor, and a waterfall experience that feels elemental rather than incidental.

We use Murchison when travellers want a fuller Uganda circuit, especially with strong river content and the possibility of shoebill-focused birding in the delta. It can combine with Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary by road, or be connected by air to reduce long transfers. Two nights gives the essentials; three nights lets the boat safari, top-of-the-falls visit and northern-bank game drives unfold without pressure.

It is also a useful counterpoint to Uganda's forests. After Kibale or Bwindi, Murchison opens the horizon: giraffe on the plains, elephants at the river, sun on the Nile and the sound of the falls pulling the whole landscape together. That contrast is why the park belongs in longer Uganda journeys, not just as a northern add-on.

We plan it carefully because distances matter. The right airstrip, lodge bank and boat timing can change the feel of the stay, turning a large park into a coherent river-and-savannah chapter.

For travellers who like journeys to build geographically, Murchison gives Uganda a north-south sweep that feels expansive and complete.

It is the chapter that reminds you Uganda is not only forest and primates, but also river, heat, open country and long horizons.

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