What is the Largest Game Park in Uganda , Destination
What is the Largest Game Park in Uganda : First of all, Uganda is once known as the pearl of Africa with its beautiful warm climate that attracts every one, diversity of wildlife, cultural and bird species among others. More so, Uganda sounds with ten national park and among the ten game parks; Murchison Falls National Park is the largest game park that measures approximately, 3893 square kilometers, the park is bisected by the Victoria Nile from east to west for a distance of around 15 kilometers. Meanwhile Murchison Falls national park is the location of the Murchison Falls where the water of the Nile flow through a narrow gorge raising 7-meter-wide before plunging 43 meters. The park has a wide land that extends to the Masindi Gulu highway, around Karuma Falls a location of the 600 megawatt Karuma Power Station and in not less than a year it will be named Uganda’s largest power station.
The park is located in the northwestern region and surrounded with several Uganda’s districts of Bulisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo and Masindi and it estimates about 283 kilometers by road north-west of Kampala capital city.
Historically, Murchison Falls national park was first explored by John Speke and James Grant were the first Europeans to visit the area in the 1862. Then after, it was explored by other prominent Europeans named Sir Samuel Baker and his wife Florence Baker in 1863-4. Sir Samuel Baker named the falls -Murchison Falls after the geologists Roderick Murchison, who was a president of the Royal geographical then.
Unfortunately, before turning into a national park, the inhabitant of the land of about 13,000 square kilometers were evacuated due to sleeping sickness spread by tsetse flies that was year between 1907 to 12. But in 1910 the Bunyoro Game Reserve extended south of the River Nile and in 1928 the boundaries were enlarged to the north of the river into the modern day in the Nwoya district. Later on, it was established as a national park in 1952.
However, Murchison Falls National park also adjacent to Budongo forest reserve as home to over 76 mammal species and a great location with the largest population of Nile Crocodiles on Uganda safaris. The park also a paradise of over 450 bird species such as the shoe bill stork, dwarf kingfisher, Goliath heron, white thigh hornbill, great blue turaco among others.
Attractions in Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda Safari
Murchison Falls national park has fabulous attractions to adventure on your safari as listed below;
The Most Powerful Murchison Falls
These ancient falls were named by a European Explorer Sir Samuel Baker and his wife, meaning they are the main tourist attraction of this park. This unique Murchison Falls were named after the park and found on the river Nile which presents a theatrical battle between the water and the packed rocks. They display a large volume of water by squeezing through narrow 7meter crevice in the rocks that plunges over 40 meters below into a 50meter radius water pool. The powerful forces of the water results into thundering roar and a bubbling water spray around the fall. Amazingly, visitors to Murchison Falls national park prefer booking accommodation located near to the sweet sound of the waterfall so that they can hear its roaring water mostly in the quite nights.
The River Nile
The River Nile also sounds as other attraction in the park, of which is the world’s longest river which starts in Uganda’s tourist’s town Jinja. Meaning the River Nile in Uganda which starts in Jinja flows its water through the Murchison Falls national park and it is inhabitant of streaming hippos and range of Nile crocodiles seen along the sandbanks and other numerous different animal species and bird species, animals can be seen quenching for thirsty and sunbathing.
One to be able to explore the river is to take a launch trip that sails you up the stream all the way to the bottom of the waterfall, where you will be able to see various animals and birds. There are two sessions of boat trip the morning session which starts at 9:00 and second session starts at 14:00 daily. You can choose to do round trip which takes about 3 hours. Or you can do boat trip that goes downstream from Paraa down to the papyrus delta at the point where the river connects into Lake Albert. Spend 4 to 6 hour around touring where you will have chances of discovering the shoebill stork and different varieties of Uganda Safari Wildlife.
Hike the Murchison Falls View
The best way to have rewardable view of the waterfalls is to a hike on the top of the Nile where you will have great sights and feel sound of the Nile crashing through a small chasm thus awakening your memorable senses. This site can be accessed either by car or on taking 30-minute hike, from the boat at the bottom of the falls.
Buligi Game Area
This is the best game viewing area in the park where the area is comprised of open savannah grassland, riverine vegetation, woodland and acacia. You can choose to do morning or late afternoon game drives in the area may be on the 3 Day Murchison Falls Safari Uganda, escorted with a ranger guide from ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority is whom recommended to guide you.
Animal species in Murchison Falls
Murchison Falls national park is home to large number of animals which are inhabitant of savannah, woodland, wetland and tropical forests habitat to over 76 mammal species which include; Lions, buffaloes, giraffes, Rothschild, warthog, Cape, Uganda kob, Jackson hartebeest, elephants, hippo, crocodile among others
Birds /Birding in Murchison Falls National Park
The park is a stopping area for birding with over 450 bird species which can be spotted in different birding areas inside the park. Some of bird species to sight see include; Red-throated Bee-eater, Squacco Heron, Eastern Grey Plantain –eater, Denham’s Bustard, Weaver birds, Abyssinian Ground –Hornbill, Malachite Kingfisher, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Swamp Flycatcher. Goliath Heron, African Quail-Finch, Black-billed Barbet among others, What is the Largest Game Park in Uganda .
Primates in Murchison Falls National Park
Additionally, the park is also a location to watch primates in Budongo forest and Kaniyo Pabidi a home to over 800 chimpanzee species, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, red tailed monkeys among others.
Visit Budongo forest a home of diversity of wildlife with over 287 beautiful butterfly species ,24 mammals ,460 tree species and around 360 bird species. The forest is good for nature walk, birding and primates viewing among others.
Visit the Kiniyo Pabidi forest that sits in the southern side of the park which can be easily accessed inside Kichumboyombo gate. The forest offers great opportunity for chimpanzee tracking and seeing other species of monkeys. It is also excellent in birding; nature walk many more. This forest is one of the surviving Uganda’s largest remaining mahogany forest.
Where to stay here; You can choose to stay in comfortable cottages or lodges like Murchison Falls Lodge.
The Karuma waterfall
This waterfall is positioned in Chobe area within the northeastern part of the Murchison Falls national park, the thundering waterfall consists of cascading natural rock formations through which the water forces it way to form a white form with impressive sights. The area surrounding the falls are home of wildlife such as monkeys, buffaloes, Jackson water beast, many species of antelopes to see around like the Uganda kobs, Lions, giraffes, baboons and birds, What is the Largest Game Park in Uganda ..
Activities to do in Murchison Falls National Park ‘
Murchison Falls national park has quite number of activities to do on safari to Uganda, they include; Birding, Fishing along Victoria Nile, Game drive viewing, Chimpanzee tracking, Shoe bill stork tracking, boat cruise, hot air balloon,
hiking and nature walk among others.
Getting to Murchison Falls national park
Murchison Falls national park can easily be reached either by road or by air, from Kampala to Bwind it takes 4 to 5 hours in a distance of about 305 kilometers.
Alternatively, take a domestic flight by Aero link or eagle air from Entebbe Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Pakuba or Chobe airstrip located inside the park.
