Murchison Falls National Park is a gym of wilderness in Uganda popular for the great Murchison Falls after which it was named, it is the country’s largest and oldest conservation area situated in the north in the Nwoya district, it is surrounded by the Bugungu and Karuma game reserves bisected into 2 by the Victoria Nile having the southern and northern banks of Pakuba. Game drives is the highlight of any safari to the national protected areas, it is one of the few places to see the big five of the wilderness (lions, Leopard, elephants, Rhino, and Buffalo), despite the rhinos being extinct in the park they can be found en route at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district.
Murchison falls national park is the best when it comes to attraction count in Uganda some of these include the Murchison falls, wildlife, lush green forest, Victoria Nile, these are habitat to mammals , birds , amphibians and reptiles, it is a unique destination with contrast environments, Game drives in Murchison falls national park are conducted mostly along the Northern bank of Pakuba overlooking the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert, these are in sessions , the early morning drives begin at 6:30 am east African time in order to catch the morning risers, this is the best time to do game drives, animals come out to graze while the carnivores are to hunt, the wilderness is busy with activity, afternoon game drives begin at 2:30 pm in search of wildlife expect to encounter a relaxed life during this time in the shelters of the bush shrubs, evening game drives are done from 4:00 pm east African time to end on sundowner sipping a beer right Infront of animals while enjoying the sunset is beautiful experience.
During the game drives expect to meet animals like lions, leopards, Jackson’s hartebeests, oribi, leopards, Rothchild’s giraffes, oribi, side stripped hyenas, Jackals, Elephants, Buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, to mention a few, the well-distributed game tracks enable easy access to view wildlife in the park the Buligi trail is where most of the activity begins, game drives along the Victoria trail enable you to view animals that come to drink water from the river banks. The National Park is one of the few places where doing night game drives is allowed, these are done in search of nocturnal species Ike bush babies, lions, leopards, and Hyenas.
The best time to do game drives in Murchison Falls National Park is during the dry season from December -February and July to early September it is during this time that the grasses tend to be shorter, hence clear animal views, mammals are in plenty in search of pastures, the trails are less slippery as well, Game drives are conducted using 4×4 wheel car drives beat the tough terrain the Savannah, one is accompanied by a Uganda wildlife ranger n experienced guide, the park being managed by the Uganda wildlife authority visitors require to pay mandatory park entrance fee of $40 charged to foreign nonresidents, $30 for foreign residents and 20,000 shillings for east African citizens.