A memorable trip to Murchison Falls National, one of Uganda’s biggest national conservation area located in northwest Uganda entirely dictates what Uganda has interms of beauty and nature. Murchison Falls Conservation Area ( MFCA ) comprises of Murchison Falls National Park, Bugungu and Karuma Falls Wildlife Reserves where the Nile explodes through a narrow gorge and cascades down to become a placid river whose banks are thronged with hippos and crocodiles, waterbucks and buffaloes. The vegetation is characterised by savannah, riverine forest and woodland. Wildlife includes lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, oribis, Uganda kobs, chimpanzees, and many bird species.
This park was established in 1952 and covers an area of approximately 3,893 km2 (1,503 sq mi.)
Murchison Falls, mostly referred to as the Kabarega Falls in the early days, is found on the course of the great Nile. It actually breaks the stunning Victoria Nile, which flows across Uganda’s northern region from the vast Lake Victoria to the deep Lake Kyoga and continuing to the northern tip of Lake Albert within the western arm of the great East African Rift. Right on the peak of the Murchison Falls, the waters of the Nile force their way through a small slit within the rocks, which is just 7 meters or 23 feet wide, and topples to 43 meters or 141 feet below with a thunderous roar forming a residual water stray that forms a beautiful rainbow; the view is very breathtaking! From here it then continues its westward into the stunning Lake Albert.
The name Murchison was baptized by Sir Samuel Baker during his expeditions of Uganda in the course of the 19th Century. As the largest park in Uganda, Murchison Falls has almost all of Africa’s major mammals. It is a Lion conservation unit and has one of the largest populations of Roskilde Giraffes in Africa. The parks consist of vast savannah grasslands and also great forests like Budongo.
Upon paying a visit, there’s plenty to keep your eyes busy though the most popular activity is a guided safari.
Murchison wildlife includes everything from elephants and hippos to chimpanzees and crocodiles. You can also see White Rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary which was built close to the park.
Once you see the powerful waterfall of Murchison, you’ll understand why the entire 1,500 square miles of the park is named after the cascading falls. The water comes from the Victoria Nile River, but it is not like the waterfalls you’re probably used to. The water surges through a narrow gorge in the ground that stretches about 6 meters, pushing onwards before it makes its way down a massive drop.
Some people compare the Murchison Falls to the waterfalls found in Canada’s Nahanni National Park, only Murchison is more magnificent. The local people of Uganda sometimes even say that “these falls are defined by external war between the rock and the water.” You’ll completely agree with this description once you see the sheer force involved in pushing the water through the Earth.
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