What You Should Know About The Largest National Park In Uganda? Murchison falls national park is ranked to be the largest national park in Uganda which covers an expansive total surface area of about 3,840 square kilometers ( 1,480 square kilometers) and this game park is considered to be of the top destinations where tourists can opt to travel to while on their adventurous safari in Africa because it is renowned for its diverse wildlife, it is surrounded with stunning landscapes and for its awe inspiring Murchison falls which act to be among the top attractions found within the park.
History of Murchison falls national park.
Murchison falls national park history is intertwined with the country’s colonial past and discovered by Sir Samuel Baker and the woman named Florence Baker who were the first Europeans that first saw the Murchison falls. And during the colonial rule, this national park was first referred to as Kabelega Falls National Park which was named so after the King of the Bunyoro kingdom and then later it was renamed to Murchison Falls National Park by Sir Roderick Murchison who happened to visit the falls in the mid-1860s. More so, it was then officially established as a national park in 1952 with the main purpose of protecting all the wildlife species in the park.
Geographical features within Murchison national park.
Murchison falls national park is well known to have an incredibly diverse and captivating geography in its surrounding for example; it is bisected by the Victoria Nile that flows from Lake Victoria which is found in the south to the Lake Albert in the North. More so, within this national park the most famous nature wonders is the Murchison falls, which are known to act as one of the main tourist attractions, and tourists always, enjoy seeing the waters flowing and the sound of the falls that happens to be awe-inspiring. And in addition to the falls, Murchison falls national park also boasts vast savanna grasslands, riverine forests, woodlands , rapids, gorges and many others which act diverse natural habitats to a wide range of wildlife species.
Wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison falls national park is a biodiversity hot spot to an incredible array of flora and fauna and the eco system of the parks makes it to be a home to over 144 mammal species that are always available in the park for tourists to see as they move through different areas around the park while searching for food and some of these animals include; African elephants, African lions, Rothschild’s giraffe, leopards, African buffalo, various antelopes such as the Uganda kob, Jackson’s hartebeests and around 51 amphibians. More so, this national park is has a healthy population of hippos and Nile crocodiles which are easily spotted along the Nile River.
Birds.
Murchison Falls National Park is also harbours around 450 bird species hence making it a perfect destination for bird lovers to visit and some of these bird species include; rock prantimcole, giant king fisher, malachite king fisher, Senegal thick knee, Abyssinian ground hornbill, black headed lapwing, Denham’s bustard, yellow fronted tinker bird, long tailed nightjar, long toed lapwing, blue headed coucal, swamp flycatcher, black-billed barbet, Eastern plantain eater, standard winged nightjar, silver bird and many others.
Tourist Activities to do in Murchison falls national parks.
Tourists who opt to visit in Murchison falls national park are always blessed with great opportunities to engage in several activities where they gain new experiences as they create remarkable memories and some of these things to do include; Game drives which is known to be a popular way for one go explore through the savannah grasslands as you get chances to encounter with large populations of the park’s wildlife. More so, this activity is usually done in different sessions for example; in the morning which is considered the best time due to the fact that it is when the animals seem to be too active coming out of their hidings moving around the park searching for food, in the afternoon, evening hence this gives visitors a chance to choose the time they prefer. More so, they embark onto other activities such as; hiking to the falls, bird watching, boat cruises that are best done on the Nile River, wildlife viewing, community visits, guided nature walks, cultural encounters, camping, hot air balloon safaris and many others.
Therefore, Murchison falls National Park is not only seen as the Uganda’s largest national park but one of the most iconic and biodiverse conservation areas with a rich history, stunning geography and incredible wildlife species which makes it one of the top destination for nature and wildlife lovers to visit.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information about what is the first largest national park in the country and then book with our tours and travel companies such as; Achieve Global Safaris who offer the best tour packages while on your safari in Uganda.
