Big 5 safari in Murchison Falls National Park
Big 5 safari in Murchison Falls National Park : The big 5 safari in Murchison falls national park is a wildlife tour in search of elephants, lions, leopards and buffalos. Murchison falls national park is located in the north western part of Uganda and is a safari destination where only four of the big 5 can be seen during Uganda safaris. The only location in Uganda where rhinos can be seen is at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola district.
Apart from the big 5 animals, Murchison falls national park is home to wildlife species like hyenas, warthogs, hippos, dik dik, waterbucks, impalas, kudu, Uganda kobs, reedbucks, hartebeests, elands and many others which can be seen in different parts of the national park during safaris.
Below is detailed information on four of the big 5 that are found in Murchison falls national park;
- Elephants
Elephants are a common sight in Murchison falls national park during big 5 safaris around the destination and can be spotted around the water shores of the Victoria Nile, in the savannah plains and also the forested parts of the destination.
During safaris in Murchison falls national park, elephants can be seen as they feed or move in their herds around the park. The elephants are herbivores in nature and because of their giant size, they stand out from the open plains in the national park making them easy to see during safaris.
Some of the lodges in Murchison falls national park are good locations to see the elephants which sometimes roam close to the lodges.
- Buffalos
Among the big five animals in Murchison falls national park, buffalos can also be easily sighted during safaris at the destination.
Buffalos can be seen in the savannah plains, by the shores of the Victoria Nile during boat safaris and in many other parts of Murchison falls national park. Solitary buffalos and also herds of buffalos can be seen during wildlife safaris around the park.
The buffalos are also considered to be the most dangerous animals despite their calm nature and are known to strike if they are disturbed.
- Lions
During wildlife safaris in Murchison falls national park, tourists can see lions around the savannah plains as part of the predator experience at the destination.
Lions in Murchison falls national park can be seen as they hunt their prey, rest in the shade of the trees among other locations in the national park. The best time to spot the lions is in the morning when they are very active and can be spotted during wildlife safaris in the national park.
Watching the lions as they hunt their prey such as antelopes is part of the exciting experience that tourists can enjoy during their safaris in Murchison falls national park.
- Leopards
Leopards are the most difficult of the big five to see during safaris around Murchison falls national park because of their ability to camouflage and solitary nature.
They are also good climbers and can be seen as they rest in the tree branches around Murchison falls national park. Leopards are known for their carnivorous nature and they are good at hunting their prey and can carry their prey up in the trees where they eat without worrying about other predators disturbing them.
Amidst the savannah plains in Murchison falls national park, tourists can also catch leopards sightings during their big five safaris in Uganda. They can be seen during day and also during the night since they are also nocturnal wildlife species.
Safari activities to do in Murchison falls national park
There are many safari activities for tourists to engage in as they explore Murchison falls national park and they include the following;
- Game drives
During the search for the big five around Murchison falls national park, tourists can take part in morning or afternoon game drives around the destination.
Game drives are a popular activity which is carried out in Murchison falls national park and many wildlife species can be seen during the activity such as elephants, lions, antelopes, giraffes, buffalos, warthogs among others.
Tourists can explore different game viewing tracks in Murchison falls national park such as the Buligi track, Victoria track, the Albert track among others during the game drives around the destination. It is important to drive within the speed limit and also respect the wildlife species and not overcrowd them during the game drives.
- Boat safaris
Tourists visiting Murchison falls national park during their big five safaris can also enjoy boat rides to the bottom of the falls.
The boat safaris in Murchison falls national park can be done in the morning and afternoon and some of the big five which can be spotted during this activity include elephants and buffalos by the shores of the Victoria Nile.
Different bird species can also be seen during the boat safaris to the bottom of the Murchison falls.
- Guided nature walks
Another activity in Murchison falls national park during which tourists can enjoy seeing some of the big five is guided nature walks.
Tourists move with ranger guides while exploring the park on foot and can encounter different wildlife species in Murchison falls national park such as buffalos, giraffes, antelopes among others during their safaris.
- Hiking to the top of the falls
The top of the falls hike is another activity to do when visiting the Murchison falls national park for safari.
During this experience, tourists can follow different trails to the viewing point where they can see the rest of the national park and also get close to the Murchison falls.
Other activities done in Murchison falls national park include bird watching, chimpanzee tracking in Budongo forest, viewing of the falls among others.
Best time for big five tours in Murchison falls national park
The dry season is considered the best time for the big five safaris in Murchison falls national park and it is experienced around June to October and also in December to February when numerous wildlife species can ne seen in the savannah plains of the destination.
Big five safaris in Murchison falls national park can however be done in any other month of the year including the rainy season.
How to get to Murchison falls national park
Tourists can access Murchison falls national park by driving from Kampala to Masindi to the park for about 5 hours or fly to the airstrips in the national park such as Pakuba airfield, Bugungu airstrip and Chobe airstrip.