Victoria Nile in Murchison Falls National Park
Victoria Nile in Murchison Falls National Park : The Victoria Nile is among the attractions found in Murchison falls national park located in north western Uganda. Murchison falls national park is crossed by the Victoria Nile which divided the park into the northern section and southern section. The Murchison falls which are a major attraction at this destination are also formed at a point where the Victoria Nile passes through a narrow gorge forming the powerful falls.
The Victoria Nile flows from the Murchison falls up to the Albertine Nile and along the way, different wildlife species can be seen including many hippos, buffalos, Nile crocodiles, elephants among others which can be seen during a Uganda safari.
Many bird species can also be spotted by the Victoria Nile as well as other parts of Murchison falls national park which is among the oldest and largest national parks in Uganda. Murchison falls national park with Karuma wildlife reserve and Bugungu wildlife reserve form the Murchison falls conservation area.
Activities
The Victoria Nile is the location where boat safaris can be done as well as delta experience and bird watching can be done during safaris in Murchison falls national park among other activities which include the following;
- Boat safaris on the Victoria Nile
Boat safaris on the Victoria Nile involve taking a boat from the southern banks to the bottom of the Murchison falls.
The activity takes about 2 hours and the boat rides on the Victoria Nile can be done in the morning and in the afternoon. Boat rides in Murchison falls national park cost 30 USD for foreign nonresidents and East Africans are charged 30,000 UGX.
This boat safari on the Victoria Nile provides an up-close view of wildlife such as elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and various bird species.
- Delta boat cruise
The Nile delta boat cruise during tours in Murchison falls national park passes through the delta where the Victoria Nile flows into the Albertine Nile.
The activity also involves searching for bird species including the rare Shoebill stork among other bird species. Nile delta boat rides take about 4 to 5 hours and it costs about 55 USD per person. The delta boat ride follows a 20 kilometers distance and starts from Paraa.
Delta Nile boat cruises in Murchison Falls National Park involves taking a scheduled boat ride on the Victoria Nile which starts in the morning around 07:00 am. They can be done as a full day activity or a short excursion during safaris in Murchison Falls National Park.
- Bird watching
Bird watching is another activity which takes place during Uganda tours and different water birds can be seen.
Some of the bird species which can be seen during Uganda wildlife tours include the Giant Kingfisher, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Black Headed Lapwing and many others and Murchison falls national park is also home to bird species like Grey-crowned Crane, Bluff-bellied Warblers, Goliath Heron, Black-headed Batis, Black-headed Gonolek, Chestnut-crowned Sparrow-weaver, Long-toed Plover, Nightjars, White-backed Night Heron among others.
Over 460 bird species can be seen around Murchison falls national park including water birds, savannah birds among others.
- Wildlife viewing
By the shores of the Victoria Nile during tours in Murchison falls national park, different wildlife species can be seen including elephants, hippos, buffalos, giraffes, antelopes among others.
The best time to see the wildlife species during tours on the Victoria Nile is during the dry season when the animals gather by the water shores to drink making them easier to see during safaris in Murchison falls national park.
The wildlife species can be spotted during boat rides on the Victoria Nile and also around the surrounding savannah plains and woodlands found in Murchison falls national park.
- Viewing of the top of the falls
Tourists can enjoy the viewing of the top of the Murchison falls experience during tours around the Victoria Nile.
This activity allows tourists to enjoy seeing the magnificent Murchison falls and also hear the sounds of the water as it passes through the narrow gorge and flows about 45 meters below forming the Devil’s Cauldron.
Getting to the point of viewing the waterfalls can be done by driving to the starting point or by a short hike through a trail that faces the Murchison falls.
- Hiking to the top of the falls
Hiking to the top of the Murchison falls is another experience which can be enjoyed during tours along the Victoria Nile and this experience offers views of the national park attractions including the Victoria Nile and its surroundings.
Attractions around the Victoria Nile
Some of the attractions around the Victoria Nile in Murchison falls national park include the following;
- Murchison falls
The Murchison Falls are formed as a result of the Victoria Nile through a narrow gorge of about 7 meters, creating a thunderous roar and the powerful waterfalls which flow from the gorge for about 43 meters.
- Wildlife species
Wildlife species found in Murchison Falls National Park include elephants, buffalos, hippos, Nile crocodiles which can be seen in the Park
Other wildlife species found around Murchison Falls National Park include hartebeests, bushbucks, lions, leopards, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, hyenas, waterbucks, dik dik, oribi as well as chimpanzee, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, olive baboons among other primates in Budongo forest
- Bird species
Tourists can also see many bird species around the Victoria Nile during tours in Murchison falls national park.
Best time for tours on Victoria Nile
Tours can be done at different times of the year in places like the Victoria Nile and the best time to visit is during the dry season around January, February, June, July, August and September and also around December when wildlife species can be seen by the water shores.
The best time for bird watching around the Victoria Nile is during months of March to May and also around November.
