Boat cruises in Murchison falls national park
Bot cruises are one of the must do activities in Murchison falls national park while on a safari in Uganda. The boat cruise can be to the bottom of the falls or it can be to the Nile delta west of Paraa. The boat cruise on River Nile in Murchison falls national park is one of the exciting activities done using a boat in the morning or evening.
The boat cruise gives you an opportunity to enjoy the cool breeze on the waters of the longest river in Africa. During the boat cruise to the Nile delta or bottom of the falls, one is able to encounter water animals such as hippos, crocodiles, and aquatic birds such as shoebill stork, African jacana, grey crowned crane, papyrus gonocleck ad much more.
The boat cruise in Murchison falls national park also enables tourists to see different park animals on the shores of the river, especially in the dry season. These animals include buffaloes, elephants, duikers, hartebeests, giant forest hogs, Uganda kobs, elephants, monkeys, and much more. The boat cruises can be done by any person as long as they have permission from the park authorities.
Boat cruises in Murchison falls national park
The bottom of the falls boat cruise
The bottom of the falls boat cruise attracts the highest number of tourists because it takes them to the powerful falls. The bottom of the falls boat cruise starts from Paraa dock and goes eastwards up to the bottom of the falls. It’s a 2-3 hour activity that is guided by well-trained guides who have each and every information about the falls.
While on the boat cruise, you will be able to learn how these falls got their name from the first explorer to discover them and how the water is able to produce loud sound. On the boat cruise to the bottom of the falls, you will be able to see crocodiles and hippos all over the waters, aquatic birds such as papyrus gonoleck, grey crowned crane, African jacana, and the shoe bill among others.
Tourists on a boat cruise to the bottom of the falls will also be able to see park animals around the shores, especially in the dry season. These come to drink water or graze on the fresh vegetation, these animals include buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, oribis, bushbucks, and lions among others. At the bottom of the falls, some tourists who would wish to hike to the top of the falls can use a trail here through the forest to the top of falls where they will see the waterfall into a narrow gorge to the bottom of the falls as well as a rainbow that is always on the water.
Nile delta boat cruise.
The Nile delta boat cruise in Murchison falls national park takes you 20kms downstream from Paraa. It’s a 3-hour boat cruise that takes you through Buligi area to the Albert delta point. The Nile delta boat cruise gives tourists an opportunity to encounter several wild animals of the park, birds, and aquatic animals.
During the Nile delta boat cruise, tourists will be able to encounter hippos, and crocodiles in the waters, birds in the vegetation along the river, and these include grey crowned crane, papyrus gonoleck, shoe bill stork, African jacana, blue headed coucal, Abyssinian ground hornbill, and much more. Most of the park animals are along the river banks grazing on fresh vegetation or drinking water in the dry season.
How much are boat cruises in Murchison falls national park
For tourists to be part of the boat cruise in Murchison falls national park, they should get permission from the authorities at the park headquarters. A ticket is given to those that want to be part of boat cruises at a fee of $30 for foreign non-residents and foreign residents while East African citizens pay UGX30,000.
Tourists that are visiting Murchison falls national park for a boat cruise on River Nile should note that the boat cruise fee doesn’t include the park entrance fee which is $45 for foreign non-residents, $35 for foreign residents while East African citizens its UGX250,000
The best time for the boat cruises in Murchison falls national park
The boat cruises in Murchison falls national park can be done all throughout the year however there are months that are better than the rest. The dry season is the best to visit Murchison falls national park and this occurs from June to September and December to February. These months are good because they are characterized by little or no rainfall which leaves the water levers normal, the vegetation in the park is dry forcing animals to graze near the water sources which gives you clear views and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Tourists can still visit Murchison falls national park for boat cruises in the rainy season because the park will be open. Those that visit Murchison in the low season will be able enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities but they should come knowing the months are characterized by too much rainfall that makes the water levels to rise which sometimes delays the boat cruise, there is plenty of food for animals in the park therefore expect to see a few animals along the River Nile and the roads to the park are in poor conditions.
