Murchison Falls National Park was established in 1952 and covers a surface area of 3893 km2, it falls under the umbrella of Murchison Falls Conservation Area [MFCA] which comprises Murchison Falls National Park, Bugunga and Karuma Falls wildlife reserves. Most Uganda Safaris include a visit to Murchison Falls National Park which is Uganda’s oldest and largest national park.
The park is located in the northern region of the Albertine Rift Valley in the Masindi district of western Uganda situated 300km by road northwest of Kampala. The Murchison Falls also known as Kabarega Falls is where the Nile bursts through the narrow gorge and spreads down to a placid stream flowing into Lake Albert. Hippos, crocodiles and water bucks throng the banks of the stream.
Murchison Falls National Park has got a spectacular view of the huge waterfalls roaring and finding their way within the small slit of 7 meters or 23 feet wide between the rocks and this is the connection point of the Bunyoro escarpment and Acholi plains. Also in the park adjacent to the Masindi-Gulu highway are the magnificent Karuma Falls.
Wildlife mainly includes; elephants, buffalos, lions, giraffes, chimpanzees and many others. Vegetation is commonly savannah, woodland and riverine forest.
In Murchison there are four of the big five; buffalos, lions, elephants and leopards are mostly seen in the northern part.
Boat rides are usually arranged and operate from Paraa to the foot of Murchison Falls, they always take 3 hours which gives you a clear view of the hippos, crocodiles and wildlife that is always close to the falls.
