The Murchison Falls | Untamed Uganda Safaris

The Murchison Falls formed along the Victoria Nile are the world’s most powerful waterfalls and a major highlight on any Uganda safari. The roaring falls lie at the heart of Uganda’s biggest reserve of Murchison Falls National Park from which it derives its name. Murchison Falls are formed where the mighty Victoria Nile crushes through a 6m crack in the Bunyoro escarpment rock tumbling into a 40m canyon before it flows gently into Lake Albert.

Murchison Falls were named in 1864 by Samuel Baker, an English explorer in honor of Sir Roderick Murchison then president of the Royal Geographic Society. On estimate, over 300 cubic meters of water per second crushes through the narrow gorge with an equally excess volume spilling over a secondary rocky ledge 30m north of Murchison Falls to create the second set of waterfalls.

The second set of waterfalls were formed in 1962 following a heavy rainfall season that led to a record rise in water levels leading the Nile to burst its banks. They were named Uhuru meaning freedom to coincide with Uganda’s independence the same year in 1962.

Murchison Falls National Park — *A look into the Devil’s Cauldron at the Murchison Falls*

How to view the Murchison Falls

Murchison Falls is a bucket-list attraction and a major highlight to all visitors while on tour to this Uganda’s biggest national park. The falls are observed from two observation points that differ in viewing angle, thrill and expereince. And with time allowing, visitors are encouraged to undertake these two viewing options for a 360-degrees panoramic expereince.

Viewing The Murchison Falls from the Top of the Falls Point

The Top of the Falls viewing point lies on the on the southern banks of the Victoria Nile and is accessed following the main Para-Kicumbanyobo Gate road, turning off at a well signposted junction some 50km from the main gate or 40 km from Para landing. From this junction, the falls will be 12km away. Arriving at the falls car parking, a foot trail leads downhill to the waterfalls head to offer you stunning views of the wide voluminous Nile as it races into the narrow cleft in the escarpment wall. The foot trail continues on to the top of the ridge allowing you to feel and appreciate the roar as the Nile explodes through a 40m long canyon to quietly flow into Lake Albert.

On top of the fenced viewpoint, one gets glances of the Uhuru falls north of the Murchison Falls. A longer footpath from the car parking leads down to the Baker’s point down at the river and offers all-round views of the Murchison Falls and the wider Uhuru Falls that are separated by a lushly forested hill rock. The path returns through the main viewing point on top of the falls with views deep into the narrow canyon where the Nile crashes through with a sheer force creating the world’s most powerful waterfalls.

Viewing the Murchison Falls while on a Boat Cruise Safari

A better way to view the mighty Murchison Falls is to take a scheduled Nile River boat trip that heads up to the base of the falls. The 3-hr all-round boat safari sets off from Paraa landing to follow upstream the Victoria Nile whose banks team with a diversity of wildlife from hippos, oversized Nile crocodiles, buffalo, giraffe, elephants and more. Birdlife here is excellent with a variety of waders and thousands of Red-throated Bee-eaters that nest in the hanging sand cliffs.

The boat docks about 500m from the bottom of the falls allowing you frontal views of the roaring Murchison Falls as it crushes through the canyon. There’s a beautiful footpath near the docking point that leads on to the top of the falls offering the panoramic views of both falls.