Murchison Falls National Park 365
Uganda’s largest protected area, the Murchison Falls National Park is a densely forested 3 500 square-metre region bisected by the Nile River and located in the north-west of the country. Together with the neighbouring Karuma Wildlife Reserve, it forms part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area.
By far the park’s most special feature, the Murchison Falls are a result of the waters of the Nile being forced through a small gap in the rock face only seven metres wide, which then plummets 43 metres to the pools below.
But while the park gets its name from this beautiful waterfall, it offers much more than just this – expect good game viewing (it’s home to four of the Big 5 with the exception of rhino, which have been poached from the area and whose gradual reintroduction makes them scarce) and excellent birding opportunities. A possible highlight is a sighting of the rare shoebill stork – a metre-high wading bird capable of eating small crocodiles and other bird species.
The park offers a number of activities, including river cruises along the Nile River to the base of the waterfall (from here you can also hike up to the falls, which takes between 45 minutes and two hours depending on your level of fitness), whitewater rafting and quad biking.