Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls, at the heart of Uganda's largest national park, is often called one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world: the Nile, some 300 cubic metres a second from Lake Victoria, is forced through a gap in the rocks only seven metres wide and drops 43 metres before flowing on west into Lake Albert. Samuel and Florence Baker were the first Europeans to report it, and Baker named it after Roderick Murchison of the Royal Geographical Society; it is also called Kabalega Falls. The surrounding park, split by the Nile, teems with wildlife, elephants, giraffes, lions and hippos, best explored on game drives and a boat cruise up the Nile to the foot of the thundering falls.

Highlights

• The falls - the Nile forced through a narrow gorge in a thunderous blast.
• The Nile boat cruise - the trip up the river to the foot of the falls.
• The wildlife - the elephants, giraffes, lions and hippos.
• The top of the falls - the viewpoint at the roaring bottleneck.

When to go

The drier seasons, June to September and December to February, are best for wildlife viewing and access; the falls thunder year-round, and the boat cruise to their foot, followed by the walk to the top of the gorge, is the classic experience.

Practical notes

It is in the north, so reaching it is a long drive or a flight from Kampala. The wildlife, while good, is less dense than in the great East African parks, so it is about the combination of the spectacular falls and the safari. The boat cruise to the foot of the falls and the view from the top of the roaring bottleneck, where the whole Nile is squeezed through, are genuinely awesome.

Nearby

The Ziwa rhino sanctuary, the Budongo forest and the wider north are within reach.

Key facts