Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park: Uganda Safaris
Game drives are one of the most preferred Uganda safari activities for most guests. Owing to the tremendous biodiversity of Murchison Falls National Park, game drives in Murchison falls national park are very rewarding. Murchison falls national park is Uganda’s largest national park. It has an area of around 3,893 square kilometers and is located in the districts of Masindi, Kiryandongo, Bulisa, and Nyowa in Northwestern Uganda. It is, together with Queen Elizabeth National Park, one of Uganda’s oldest National Parks. The Uganda Wildlife Authority manages Murchison Falls National Park. This wildlife haven is home to over 76 mammal species, including 4 of the big 5(lions, elephants, buffaloes and leopards). White rhinos can be seen at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary along the route to Murchison falls.
Furthermore, the Park is home to around 450 bird species, including both indigenous and migratory birds. This makes it a renowned birding destination in Uganda. Other wild animals found in the park include bushbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbucks, giraffes, Uganda kobs, hippos, crocodiles, and monitor lizards. Murchison Falls National Park is also well known for housing the huge Murchison Falls, one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls. The Victoria Nile, which runs through the park, is where the falls are located. As a result, the Northern and Southern banks of the Victoria Nile divide the National Park.
Game drives in Murchison Falls are one of the park’s highlights since they allow visitors to witness a range of wildlife species. The vast bulk of game drives takes place in 4×4 safari vehicles. Game drives are mainly done on the Northern side of Murchison Falls National Park due to the high population of wild animals. The northern portion of the park is marked by short savannah forests and open savannah grasslands, which provide an ideal home for a wide range of wild species.
Morning Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park
Early morning game drives frequently begin around 6:00 a.m. and will last 3 to 4 hours. During these game drives, visitors might spot the Park’s predators returning to their hideouts or calmly feasting on their prey. Predators in Murchison Falls National Park include leopards, hyenas, and lions. Furthermore, this is the time of the day when animals are the most active. During morning game drives, visitors can expect to witness elephants, buffaloes, Jackson’s Hartebeests, antelopes, giraffes, and Uganda Kobs feeding in the savannah woodlands.
Evening and Night Game Drives in Murchison Falls National Park
Because the evening game drive is generally scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m. These game drives are frequently merged into one and last 3 to 4 hours. The game drive provides visitors with the opportunity to witness nocturnal game such as lions, hyenas, and leopards as they emerge from their burrows to begin their hunt for prey. To provide guests with a clear glimpse of the forest, night wildlife drives are frequently done with spotlight torches. You will also be accompanied by an armed game ranger who will protect you and assist you in spotting night wildlife.
Tracks to follow on game drives in Murchison Falls National park.
Buligi track
The Buligi game track is one of Murchison Falls National Park’s most popular and well-known game drives. It is located in the Northern section. Visitors to the Buligi get the opportunity to witness four of the big five: lions, elephants, leopards, and buffaloes. Waterbucks, bush bucks, hyenas, giraffes, and crocodiles can also be seen on the Victoria Nile’s banks. Furthermore, the route offers visitors multiple opportunities to see birds such as Kingfishers, bee-eaters, African fish eagles, and Grey-crowned cranes, among others.
The Victoria track
The Victoria track is located along the Victoria Nile, which is popular for boat cruises. This nature trail attracts visitors who want to witness aquatic creatures like monitor lizards, Nile crocodiles, and hippos. Tourists can also view a wide range of wild animals drinking water, bathing, and relaxing along the riverbanks.
Albert Track
The Albert Nile Delta is a basin of water where the serene Victoria Nile flows into Lake Albert. The Delta is linked by visually pleasing natural vegetation that surrounds the delta and Murchison Falls. The Delta is a fantastic site to watch aquatic birds such as the shoebill stork and Kingfishers, to name a few. The Delta also supports a diverse range of wild species. Visitors on a wildlife safari through the Albert Nile Delta are likely to witness elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, and Uganda kobs.
When is the best time to go on game drive in Murchison Falls National Park?
Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park are offered throughout the year. However, the best time to go on a game drive is during the dry season, which lasts from December to February and June to August. Most wild animals concentrate around the main water streams in search of water. Furthermore, during the dry season, the grass is usually short, making it simpler for the animals to pass through. Game drives are held on a regular basis in Murchison Falls National Park, but at different times of the day.
Other Safari Activities In Murchison falls National Park
Boat cruises
The park’s most renowned and longest-running feature is the magnificent boat safari journey from Paraa to the bottom of the Murchison Falls – the Queen Mother made an initial voyage in a brand-new launch in 1959. Aside from the dependable UWA launch tours, two private firms, G&C Tours and Marasa also operate various boats on the river. As a result, it is now simple to plan boat safari excursions that fit your schedule and needs.
Photographers for example might want to leave early in the morning or later in the afternoon than the Uganda wildlife Authority boats to get the greatest light. The boats traverse a length of the Nile with a captivating African ambience flanked by Borassus palms, acacia bush, and mahogany stands on their route to the falls.
A boat safari along the paraa section provides great game watching. Hundreds of hippos, some of Africa’s largest crocodiles, and small herds of buffalo, waterbuck, kob, giraffe, bushbuck, and black-and-white colobus can be seen on this boat safari. Elephants are commonly seen roaming in the water, often just a few meters off the boat. Guests who are lucky may even spot a lion or leopard. The bird life on the papyrus-lined riverbank is spectacular, with the grand prize being the shoebill. This is seen less frequently here than on the delta cruise but is a distinct possibility during the dry
Chimpanzee Trekking in Budongo
The forest is situated on the Southern part of Murchison falls national park which is one of Uganda’s top protected and conservation. The Forest in Budongo area part of MFNP is well known by adventurous travelers for its chimpanzee trekking in Uganda.
Here visitors are able to move on foot into the heart of a tropical rainforest looking for some of the habituated chimpanzees and once found you will have a chance to spend one hour with them in their natural habitat.
Kaniyo Pabidi section of the forest is home to various groups of chimpanzees that are habituated for tourism and conservation purposes. The forest is characterized and mixed between trees and savanna with a variety of wild fruits which feeds the chimpanzees and other monkeys. There is also a fair amount of mahogany trees and ironwood trees a perfect mix for chimpanzee nests
