Murchison Falls is Uganda's largest national park and the one place in the country where you can combine a classic savannah game drive with a boat cruise to the base of a genuinely dramatic waterfall — the Nile compressed into a 7-metre gap and blasting through it.
What to do
- Morning game drive on the northern bank for lions, giraffe, and elephant
- Launch cruise to the base of the falls, with hippos and crocodiles along the way
- Optional hike to the top of the falls for the view straight down into the gorge
Most itineraries pair Murchison with Kibale (chimpanzee tracking) or Budongo Forest on the way in or out, since it sits a comfortable drive from both. Budget and mid-range lodges cluster along the southern bank near Paraa, with a few luxury tented options overlooking the river itself.