Murchison Falls National Park

The falls themselves

You can view the falls two ways. A boat cruise takes you to the base, where the noise and the spray put you close enough to feel the drop rather than just see it. A footpath from near Sambiya River Lodge takes you to the top, a two-hour round trip with a viewpoint over both Murchison and Uhuru Falls. Go in the afternoon for the light.

What you'll see on a game drive

Murchison holds 76 mammal species, including four of the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo. Add reticulated giraffe, Uganda kob, Jackson's hartebeest, waterbuck, oribi, and four monkey species, spread across 3,840 square kilometers of savanna.

Three tracks cover the northern bank: Albert, Victoria, and Buligi. The northern bank carries more wildlife than the south, so if you're staying south of the river, plan an early ferry crossing. Game drives run 3 to 4 hours, best at 6:30 a.m. or 4 p.m., when predators are working and grazers are out.

Birds along the river

The park has confirmed 451 bird species, with 19 more reported but unverified. The shoebill draws the most attention, and the Nile Delta, where the Victoria Nile meets Lake Albert, is your best chance at one. Look also for the Goliath heron, the grey crowned crane, giant and malachite kingfishers, and the Abyssinian ground-hornbill.

Forest primates nearby

Kaniyo Pabidi, 8 kilometers past Kichumba gate, holds habituated chimpanzees, blue monkeys, black-and-white colobus, and olive baboons, and it's one of the few places in Africa to see the chocolate-backed kingfisher and Ituri batis. Rabongo Forest, a 4-square-kilometer pocket further south, adds medicinal plants and its own bird population to the mix.

When to go

Dry season, June to August and December to February, gives you the clearest game viewing. Rain is part of any rainforest visit in Uganda, so pack for it regardless of season.