Murchison Falls Conservation Area covers an area of 5,072 square kilometers and it is one of Uganda’s largest and oldest protected areas lying at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley. It is named after the breath-taking spectacular water falls on the Great River Nile. The impressive water
falls which is the foundation of the national park is where the Nile, the world’s longest river contracts from a grand stream to explode violently through a narrow six metre gorge into the cauldron of turbulent water 40 meters below ,popularly known as the Devil’s cauldron.
Activities in the Park:
Sport Fishing
Nile perch and tiger fish provide an exciting challenge to angler. Sport fishing provides an exciting challenge to anglers. Sport fishing is possible in the river sections above and below the falls, it provides an exciting challenge to anglers, Nile perch and tiger fish provide an exciting challenge. Do bring your own equipments.
Launch drives on the Nile:
The launch trip which
takes about 3 hours from Paraa to the foot of Murchison falls provides good sightings of Hippos and crocodiles, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks and a variety of birds like herons, cormorants, ducks, bee-eaters, fish eagles, kingfishers and sometimes the rare shoebill. The boat trip is scheduled for 0900hr and 1400hr every day.
Nature walks:
Nature walks in Murchison falls offers the opportunity to discover the wild on foot. Animals, birds and plants can be closely and quietly observed. Nature walks are offered at Rabongo Forest, top of the falls and Kaniyo Pabidi in Budongo Forest.
Top of the falls:
A Drive to the top of the falls will reward you with an opportunity to view the falls so well.
Chimpanzee tracking: Kaniyo Pabidi is a natural forest within Budongo Forest Reserve, where you can walk beneath mature mahogany and iron wood trees. Chimpanzee tracking is the most famous activity. You certainly see many forest birds, including the chocolate backed kingfisher, the white thighed hornbill and puvels illadopsis found nowhere else in East Africa. Kaniyo Pabidi is on Masindi-Paraa road, 8kms from kichumbanyobo gate. There is a campsite where water and firewood are available.
Getting to the Park:
By road from Kampala through Masindi via Kichumbanyobo gate, Paraa is a four and a half hour drive, two hours on tarmac and two and a half on murram roads. A four-wheel drive is recommended. The ferry at Paraa operated on scheduled time between the southern and northern bank of River Nile.
By Air: Charter services are available to all-weather aerodromes at Pakuba about 19 kms northwest of Paraa and Bugungu 13kms from Paraa.
