Murchison Falls National Park

The Victoria Nile thunders through a 7-metre gorge; cruise to the foot of the falls and go on safari north of the river for lions, giraffes and shoebills.

Murchison Falls National Park lies in northwestern Uganda and covers about 3,840 sq km, making it the country's largest and most visited national park. The Victoria Nile crosses the park from east to west; at Murchison Falls it is squeezed through a rock cleft only about 7 m wide and plunges 43 m before flowing into Lake Albert, splitting the park into northern and southern sectors.

Areas to explore: the Buligi grasslands on the north bank are the main game-drive area, with lions, Rothschild's giraffes, elephants, African buffalo, Uganda kob and leopards. Paraa is the hub for river crossings and boat trips: afternoon cruises head upstream to the foot of the falls past hippos, Nile crocodiles and countless waterbirds, while early-morning cruises go downstream to the Lake Albert delta in search of shoebills. The south bank has the Top of the Falls viewpoint and chimpanzee tracking at Kaniyo Pabidi and Budongo Forest; on the way from Kampala, many visitors stop at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track white rhinos on foot.

Getting there: about 5–6 hours by road from Kampala via Masindi, or fly by light aircraft from Entebbe or Kampala to airstrips near Pakuba or Paraa. Plan on 2–3 nights; a typical itinerary is 'Day 1: Ziwa and Top of the Falls; Day 2: north-bank game drive plus afternoon cruise; Day 3: the delta or chimpanzees'.

Note: park entry is about US$45 per person per 24 hours, with boat trips, game-drive guides and chimp tracking charged separately; north-bank game drives require a ranger guide in the vehicle; a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required to enter Uganda and malaria prophylaxis is recommended; tsetse flies are common in the park, so wear light-coloured long sleeves.

Top sights

• Top of Murchison Falls – The Nile is squeezed through a gap just 7 metres wide and plunges 43 metres with a thunderous roar. Stand at the top to feel the spray and…
• Nile Launch Trip to the Bottom of the Falls – A launch trip about 17 km upstream from Paraa to the foot of the falls, with hippos, Nile crocodiles, elephants and waterbirds abundant alo…
• Buligi Game Drive Circuit – A game-drive loop across the open grasslands of the north bank, where lions, Rothschild's giraffes, elephant herds and Uganda kobs are abun…
• Uhuru Falls – The 'twin' waterfall beside Murchison Falls, carved out by floodwaters in 1962, which thunders alongside the main falls.
• Paraa Ferry Crossing – A vehicle ferry crossing the Nile between north and south banks, the park's transport hub, and the only way to reach the northern game area.
• Nile Delta (Shoebill Boat Trip) – A papyrus wetland where the Victoria Nile flows into Lake Albert, where boats head out at dawn in search of the rare shoebill stork.
• Old Pakuba Lodge Ruins – The ruins of a presidential holiday lodge from the Amin era, on the grasslands of the north bank, which can be visited as a stop on a game…
• Kaniyo Pabidi Forest – A chimpanzee tracking site in the Budongo Forest on the park's southern edge, where you can search for habituated chimpanzees among towerin…
• Budongo Forest (Royal Mile) – The largest mahogany forest in East Africa, where the 'Royal Mile' forest track is one of Uganda's top birdwatching routes.
• Rabongo Forest – A riverside forest island surrounded by grasslands in the eastern part of the south bank, where you can hike to see black-and-white colobus…
• Karuma Falls – A series of rapids on the Victoria Nile at the park's eastern edge, where baboons often gather near the Karuma Bridge.
• Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary – The only place in Uganda where wild white rhinos can be seen, with walking tracks led by armed rangers to get close to the animals.

Where to eat

• Red Chilli Rest Camp Restaurant – A budget camp restaurant beside the Paraa ferry, with a thatched terrace overlooking the Nile. Dinner offers three main…
• Murchison River Lodge Restaurant – An open-sided thatched restaurant on the south bank of the Nile, with a wooden deck where you can watch hippos and elep…
• Paraa Safari Lodge Restaurant – A long-standing lodge on the north bank of the Nile. Its restaurant and terrace, renovated in 2025, face the river and…

Itineraries

• Uganda Waterfalls, Primates & Lakes Classic Loop – A classic loop connecting Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, and Lake Bunyonyi from north to south.
• Nile River, Sipi Falls & Kidepo Northeast Loop – From rafting in Jinja and hiking in Sipi, head deep into the Kidepo Valley, returning to Entebbe via Murchison Falls.