The Murchison Falls that occur along the Victoria Nile are the world’s most powerful waterfalls and a major highlight on any safari to Murchison Falls National Park that derives its name from these roaring falls. The falls are the most spectacular natural feature along the over 6500km course of river Nile to the Mediterranean Sea. Also known as Kabalega Falls, the Murchison Falls occur where the Victoria Nile explodes through a 6m wide gorge cut through the Bunyoro escarpment rock before it flows gently into Lake Albert.
The waterfalls were named in 1864 by Samuel Baker an English explorer after Sir Roderick Murchison then president of the Royal Geographic Society. On estimate, over 300 cubic meters of water/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 another set of waterfalls.
These 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.
Viewing The Murchison Falls from the Top of the Falls Point
Visitors to Murchison Falls National Park are able to view the mighty falls from the southern banks of the Nile, 12km off the junction on Para-Kicumbanyobo main road. Arriving at the 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 on a Boat Cruise Safari
A better way to view the mighty Murchison Falls Nile is to take a scheduled boat trip that heads up to the base of the falls. The 3hr 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 along 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 foot path near the docking point that leads on to the top of the falls offering the panoramic views of both falls.