Let one of the trained tour guides or rangers guide you through Murchison Falls National Park on a guided nature walk —a great way to learn about the biodiversity within the park. You can also learn about bush – plants and animals that inhabit the park as well as learning from local Indigenous people.
There are affordable discovery activities for everyone. Please note that guided tours have limited numbers to ensure a great experience for everyone.
A Hike to the Top of the Falls
The Hike to the top of the Murchison Falls is one of the must do activities for tourists visiting the Murchison Falls National park. The Murchison Falls, the most powerful waterfalls in the world is also known as Kabalega Falls-named after the former King of Bunyoro – Kitara Kingdom, Omukama Chwa Kabalega II. Hiking to the Top of the Murchison falls is one of the most magnificent tourist activities within Murchison Falls National Park and is part of the incredible Sir Samuel and Florence Baker trail. You will start at the point where Sir Samuel Baker- a popular explore stood on a large rock (and you will stand on it before hiking) to decree Murchison Falls as the most beautiful waterfalls in 1864.
Hiking from the bottom to the top of the Murchison Falls lasts from 45 minutes to 90 minutes (depending on the size of the group) and starts after a fabulous 2 hour boat ride along the Nile River at the bottom of the Murchison Falls that rewards you with abundant wildlife-mostly Hippos and Crocodile on the shores of the River and some of the breathtaking bird species such as the Pink-backed pelicans and the African fish eagles. As you climb upwards, you will feel relaxed and refreshed by the misty spray from the Nile and roaring sounds of the waterfalls as it pours down at about 43 meters through what is referred as the “Devil’s Cauldron”. The most fascinating think about this hike is that it is the most exhilarating hike in Uganda yet abit strenuous (it’s one of the hardest hikes but manageable).
The moment you arrive at the starting point (at the bottom of the waterfalls), you will meet the ranger guides who will be waiting for you. As you hike upwards in the company of these experienced ranger guides, you will go through the same trail used by Winston Churchill at the time he visited the National park. Much as the path was not clear in the past as it is now, the strength of the Nile River through the narrow gorge pouring down is just as strong as it was in the past.
The top of the magnificent Murchison waterfalls will eventually welcome you with the breathtaking waters of the Nile and its roaring sounds. It is such mind-blowing and if you indulge in a short hike South-wards on the top of the waterfalls, you will be rewarded with the spectacular views of the sister waterfalls-Uhuru (freedom or Independence) waterfalls which offer such a magical view. The Uhuru waterfalls were formed as a result of break of the water from the Murchison Falls, hence leading to the formation of a secondary waterfalls and it is believed that it happened during the time Uganda got Independence in 1962, hence the name Uhuru. Before the formation of Uhuru waterfalls, Murchison falls was unbelievably stronger than it is today.
Your arrival at the top will make you forget all the challenges you endured while climbing. The top of the waterfalls where the water flow more gently and tranquilly, is where Alice Lakwena was believed to have spent 40 days meditating with the wild animals and what she believed were spirits before she formed the Holy Spirit Movement that protested against the Government forces and marched towards Kampala-Uganda’s Capital City.
This site is such a memorable and historical site where former Uganda presidents once visited. For instance the late Idi Amin Dada spent some quality time at the spot, the late Dr Apollo Milton Obote had plans of constructing a Hudro-Electic Power plant, and unfortunately he was overthrown before the plan could be implemented. The Top of the Murchison waterfalls rewards tourists with beautiful bird species, especially the ones that call the shores of the Nile River home.
In conclusion, when you visit the Murchison Falls National Park, make an effort to climb to the top of the Murchison Falls that will reward you will the eye-popping views of the waters of the waterfalls, several bird and wildlife species among others.