Driving to Murchison falls national park is one of easiest and best ways to get to Uganda’s largest and oldest national park it is strategically situated at the edge of the Albertine rift valley, it is famous for the world’s most powerful waterfall after which it was named, the biodiverse environment was gazette in the 1952 initially known as the Kabalega national park, during the reign of Uganda’s president Idi Amin Dada, this name resurfaced however following his down fall the conservation area got its renown name Murchison falls back, the park is divided by the Nile smoothly flowing into the Lake Albert, Most of the animals in the conservation area can be seen along the northern bank of the national park.
Murchison falls national park used to be one place to find all the big five of the wilderness (lions leopards Elephants Rhinos and. Buffaloes) however the Rhino went extinct from the park on the early 90’s. and has only been reinstated at the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola district. The park is vegetation consists mainly Borassus palms, Savannah grassland, shrubs, short bushes while the south features a lush green forest and woodland the vast differed vegetation cover act as homes to Wildlife including waterbucks, chimpanzee, olive baboons, water bucks, bush bucks, oribi and over 400 species of birds.
Driving to Murchison falls national park begins from the Entebbe international airport or Kampala, by road it takes approximately 6 hours drive to the destination via the Kampala – Gulu highway passing through amazing small villages and towns,the northern route of Uganda is well developed with better road conditions except for those within the national park, via Pakuba or Masindi still the road is good and through the many gates of the park it can be accessed from any point, for example from Bugungu gate, Tangi gate to mention a few.
Driving from Murchison falls national park can also be from Kidepo valley national park in the far north of the country, the remote area is tucked in an amazing savannah disappearing into the mountains of Morungule, it is from here that your driver will come via the Kidepo-Kitgum-Gulu highway, this drive lasts for 5 hours drive. Road conditions depend on weather for the day more so from this part of the country.
To enjoy driving to the national park it is important to first check the condition of the vehicle, fuel consumption rate and actual fuel you gave, along the scenic drive, believing that you will need to take a few snacks enroute and drinking water for high land area. On arrival the park entrance and conservation fees are charged by the Uganda wildlife authority about $45 for foreign nonresidents and $35 for foreign residents as long as you have git proof of residence and then 25,000 shillings for east African citizens.
Other means to get to Murchison falls national park is flying to the destination, flights can be arranged from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi Kampala to land at the Pakuba airstrip or Chobe airstrip.