Africa · Uganda
Murchison Falls National Park
Uganda's largest national park, where the Nile is forced through a 7-metre gorge with explosive force — and where elephant, lion, giraffe, hippo, and shoebill stork share one of Africa's most dramatic landscapes.
About Murchison Falls National Park
Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda's largest protected area at 3,893 km², bisected by the Victoria Nile and dominated by the thundering Murchison Falls — where the entire Nile is squeezed through a rocky gorge just 7 metres wide with a force that creates a permanent rainbow in the mist. The park's savannah north of the Nile hosts large concentrations of elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, Rothschild's giraffe, and Uganda kob. The Nile itself is outstanding for boat safaris: hippos, Nile crocodiles, and an extraordinary density of birds including the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, en route from Kampala, is Uganda's only place to see wild white rhinos on foot.
Highlights
- Murchison Falls — the Nile forced through a 7-metre gorge
- Boat safari from Paraa to the base of the falls — hippos and crocodiles
- Rothschild's giraffe — Uganda's most endangered giraffe subspecies
- Shoebill stork sighting on the Nile delta
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary — Uganda's only wild white rhinos
- Large elephant and buffalo herds on the northern savannah
- Delta boat safari — papyrus swamps, shoebill habitat
Best Time to Visit
December–March and June–August. The dry season concentrates wildlife around water sources making game drives more productive. The shoebill is resident year-round in the delta.
Weather & Seasons
Murchison Falls sits at 619–1,292m altitude in northern Uganda. The climate is warm to hot with two dry seasons. The park north of the Nile is drier and hotter; the Budongo Forest south of the Nile is cooler and wetter.
Dry Season 1
Dec – Feb
Very dry and hot. Wildlife concentrates around the Nile and waterholes. Excellent game viewing.
Dry Season 2
Jun – Aug
Dry and warm. Good game drives and excellent boat safaris. Also best for chimp tracking in Budongo Forest.
Short Rains
Sep – Nov
Moderate rain. Park accessible. Good birding as migrants arrive.
Long Rains
Mar – May
Heavy rains. Some tracks become impassable. Wildlife disperses.
Gallery
Tours and lodges for this destination are coming soon.