3-Day Murchison Falls Luxury Safari
Kampala › Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary › Murchison Falls › Kampala
View itineraryUganda · National park
Murchison Falls Safaris
The whole of the Victoria Nile, squeezed through a gap of about seven metres.
Discover Murchison Falls
A Murchison Falls safari combines Uganda's biggest park with one of Africa's most powerful waterfalls. Here the Victoria Nile forces through a cleft in the rock about seven metres wide and drops some 43 metres into the gorge below. Around it, Murchison Falls National Park covers about 3,840 square kilometres of savannah, woodland and riverine forest.
Most of the wildlife lives on the north bank, where the Buligi tracks run across open grassland towards Lake Albert. Rothschild's giraffe, elephant, buffalo, Uganda kob and Jackson's hartebeest are seen on most drives, and lions hunt the kob herds. On the way north, our three-day safari stops at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to track white rhinos on foot.
- Size
- About 3,840 km², Uganda's largest park
- From Kampala
- About 5–6 hours by road
- Fly in
- Pakuba and Bugungu airstrips
- Big game
- Elephant, giraffe, lion, buffalo, hippo
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- Best months
- Dec–Feb and Jun–Sep
What to do in Murchison Falls
The launch to the foot of the falls
The afternoon launch leaves Paraa for a three-hour cruise upstream, past hippo pods, Nile crocodiles and elephants coming down to drink, until the spray of the falls blocks the way. It is the best way to see the river's wildlife at close range.
See it on day 2
Game drives on the north bank
The first ferry crosses at Paraa at about 7:00. From there the Buligi and Albert Nile tracks cross the grassland where most of the park's giraffe, kob and buffalo graze. Your guide checks the usual lion areas as the morning goes on.
Murchison safaris
The top of the falls
A short path leads to the edge of the gorge, where the noise and the spray show the force of the river better than any photograph. It can be visited by road, or reached on foot from the launch drop-off below.
How many days to spendWildlife you may see in Murchison Falls
Mammals
Elephant, Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo, lion, leopard, hippo, Uganda kob, Jackson's hartebeest, oribi and waterbuck.
Primates
Chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, plus olive baboons, patas monkeys and black-and-white colobus.
Birds
Around 450 species, including the shoebill in the Nile delta, Goliath heron and Abyssinian ground hornbill.
The story of Murchison Falls
The explorer Samuel Baker reached the falls in 1864 and named them after Sir Roderick Murchison, president of the Royal Geographical Society. Winston Churchill visited in 1907, and in 1954 Ernest Hemingway's plane came down near the falls. The area became a national park in 1952.
Below the falls, the Victoria Nile flows west for about 40 kilometres to Lake Albert, forming a broad delta of papyrus and channels. North of the river lie the open grasslands of Buligi; to the south, woodland rises towards Budongo Forest.
When to go
The driest months, December to February and June to September, are the best for game drives: the grass on the north bank is short and animals stay close to the Nile. March to May and October to November bring rain and taller grass, but also green scenery, fewer vehicles and lower lodge rates. The launch cruise runs all year.
- JanDrier
- FebDrier
- MarDrier
- AprWetter
- MayWetter
- JunDrier
- JulDrier
- AugDrier
- SepDrier
- OctWetter
- NovWetter
- DecDrier
Drier, peak seasonWetter, green season
Where we travel in Murchison Falls
Featured Murchison Falls safaris
7-Day Kidepo & Murchison Wilderness Safari
Entebbe › Murchison Falls › Kidepo Valley › Entebbe
View itinerary
10-Day Uganda Primates & Big Game
Entebbe › Murchison Falls › Kibale › Queen Elizabeth › Bwindi › Lake Mburo › Entebbe
View itineraryLuxury lodges in Murchison Falls
Baker's Lodge
Riverside lodge on the south bank of the Victoria Nile, a short drive from the Paraa ferry.
View the lodgeNile Safari Lodge
Raised chalets and a pool above the Nile, where hippos come ashore below in the evening.
Ask about this lodgePlanning your visit
Getting there
The drive from Kampala takes about five to six hours, with Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary a natural stop on the way. Flights from Entebbe land at Pakuba and Bugungu airstrips.
How long to stay
Two nights covers a game drive, the launch to the falls and the top of the falls. A third adds the Nile delta and a second drive. Our guide to how many days to spend explains the options.
Where to stay
The south bank near Paraa is closest to the ferry and the launch, which saves time on every activity.
Combine with
Kidepo Valley in the far north, Kibale's chimpanzees to the south, or Budongo Forest within the conservation area.
Questions travellers ask
How many days do you need at Murchison Falls?
Two nights covers the north bank game drive, the launch cruise and the top of the falls. A third night adds the Nile delta cruise for shoebill and a second game drive.
Can you see the shoebill at Murchison Falls?
Sometimes. The best chance is an early boat trip downstream to the Nile delta, where the papyrus meets Lake Albert. Sightings are not guaranteed, so Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe is the better bet if the shoebill is a priority.
Can we fly to Murchison Falls?
Yes. Scheduled and charter flights from Entebbe land at Pakuba and Bugungu airstrips inside the park, saving most of a day on the road.
Are there rhinos in Murchison Falls?
Not inside the park. Southern white rhinos live at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, on the road from Kampala, where you track them on foot with a ranger.
Where is the best place to stay in Murchison Falls?
On the south bank near Paraa, close to the ferry for game drives and the launch for the falls.
More of Uganda
Bwindi Impenetrable
Steep montane forest in the southwest, home to about half of the world's mountain gorillas. Treks start from Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo.
Discover Bwindi Impenetrable
Kibale Forest
Evergreen forest near Fort Portal with 13 primate species and Uganda's most reliable chimpanzee tracking.
Discover Kibale Forest
Queen Elizabeth
Savannah, crater lakes and the Kazinga Channel between lakes George and Edward. Tree-climbing lions in the Ishasha sector.
Discover Queen Elizabeth
Something made for you
Any trip can be lengthened, upgraded or combined across both countries. Send your dates and the number of travellers, and you'll get a costed plan within a day.