Did you know it is possible to visit Murchison Falls National Park in just a day? Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s oldest and largest safari park, spanning an area of 3,893 square kilometers.
It is home to a wide variety of mammals such as elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, rhinoceroses, lions, leopards, hippopotamuses, and many other species of wildlife.
Its main attraction is the Murchison Falls, known as the world’s most explosive waterfall.
Murchison Falls National Park is located in Masindi District, approximately 3-4 hours away from Kampala by road and just 1 hour away by flight.
1 Day Murchison Falls Tour Overview
Since you are visiting for just a day, this tour requires an early departure. Depending on your budget and preference, you can choose between flights or road transfer.
Flights take approximately 1 hour, while travel by road takes 3 to 4 hours. You will have a packed lunch in the wild, depending on your arrival time.
Option 1 – Transfer by Flight
Morning flights depart at 8:00 AM. If you catch one, you will arrive at Murchison Falls before 9:00 AM.
You can embark on a game viewing drive until midday, have lunch at one of the lodges inside the park, proceed for an afternoon boat ride, and conclude with an evening game drive before departing the national park.
During your visits, you may see animals such as elephants, warthogs, oribi, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, numerous bird species, and more.
You will return to Kampala late in the evening and check into your safari lodge for an overnight stay.
Please note that departing on the same day is not feasible unless your flight is scheduled after midnight.
Traveling by flight allows for more time to engage in activities compared to traveling by road.
A flight enables you to enjoy a cruise to the base of the falls. Remember, you can only transfer by flight and return by road.
Option 2 – Transfer by Road
A road trip requires an extremely early departure. You need to be on the road by 6:00 AM to arrive at the park by 10:00 AM.
Upon reaching Masindi, you will first visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking before proceeding to hike to the top of Murchison Falls.
After hiking, you will embark on a game drive and exit the park before dusk to return to Kampala.
During the game drive, you will have the opportunity to spot elephants, warthogs, oribi, giraffes, buffaloes, lions, hippopotamuses, and various other wildlife.
The return journey to Kampala by road takes an additional 3 to 4 hours.
