The 3,840km2 Murchison Falls National Park is one of Uganda's oldest protected areas. The 5072km2 expanse of Murchison Falls National Park and the contiguous Karuma and Bugungu Wildlife Reserves are managed collectively as the Murchison Falls Conservation Area. At Murchison Falls, the Nile explodes through an 6m wide gorge and plunges 45m into the 'Devil's Cauldron'
The boat trip along the Nile to Murchison Falls is one of East Africa's top wildlife spectacles. The 3 hour return trip passes a wealth of riverside wildlife on the way, including resident hippos and crocodiles and visiting elephants, buffalo, etc.
Top of the falls: Visitors should be sure to visit the Top of the falls viewpoint to see hear, and feel the Nile thunder through a 6m-wide gorge. The site can be reached by vehicle but it is more rewarding to disembark from the launch to climb up to the Top of the Falls through Fajao Gorge (a ranger escort is required for this walk).
Delta boat cruises: Boats also run downriver from Paraa to explore the Nile Delta where a maze of channels threads between wetland islands that choke the river's exit into Lake Albert. These are rich in waterbirds, most notably the shoebill. This iconic rarity is best sighted in the delta during the December-February and June-September dry seasons.
Sport Fishing: The river below Murchison Falls provides an exciting challenge for anglers with the record for Nile perch landed with rod and line standing at a hefty 108kg.
Game drives: Game drives can be done any time buts are most rewarding if done during early morning hours and late in the afternoon. You will spend 2-3 hours roaming the park in search of your safari favorites. Expect to see elephant, buffalo, antelopes and giraffe and keep your fingers crossed for lion, leopard and more besides.
Birding: Birding activities overlap with the wildlife viewing locations described above. Highlights include easy sightings of resident and waterbirds on the cruise to the Falls, thrilling shoebill sightings in the Nile delta during the dry season from January to March; and careful searches for rare and restricted range forest species in Kaniyo Pabidi Forest.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: The 70km2 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is home to Uganda's only wild rhinos. It also makes for one of the best stopovers on your way to Murchison Falls National Park. Track rhinos on foot and support this important step towards the eventual reintroduction of rhinos to protected areas. The site is also rich in bird life and other mammals. Ziwa lies close to the Kampala-Gulu road, 5km before the turning to Masindi.