When to visit Murchison falls National park

When to visit Murchison falls National park : Murchison Falls national park is one of the great safari national parks in Africa offering some of the best African safari experiences including game viewing safari. Also, the park is one of the most popular safari destination in Uganda due to its abundance of wildlife, birdlife, scenery and several other factors.

Although Murchison Falls national park is a great Uganda safari destination, the safari experience you will get is impacted by the time of the year you choose to visit this great Uganda safari destination.

This article intends to offer you a deeper insight into the Murchison Falls National Park’s seasons and the best time to visit for a safari experience.

ABOUT MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Murchison Falls National Park is the largest national park in Uganda covering an area of 3,840 square kilometers and straddling through districts of Buliisa, Nwoya, Kiryandongo and Masindi.

Murchison Falls National park is also the oldest national park in Uganda gazetted in 1952, the park is found in northwestern Uganda and is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area together with Karuma Falls and Bugugu Wildlife Reserves.

The Murchison Conservation Area hosts the largest number of crocodiles and Rothschild giraffe in Uganda, the park is also a lion conservation unit with 76 species of mammals and over 445 bird species.

Murchison Falls National park is famously known for Murchison Falls the most powerful falls in the world, this formed by the River Nile which flows through the park dividing it into two and as it squeezes through a narrow gorge of 8 meters.

Brief summary about when to visit

The best time to visit: December to February
Peak season: June To September
Low season: March to May, October and November
Best weather conditions: June and July
Worst Weather conditions: April and May, August and October

WHEN IS THE DRY SEASON?

The dry season in Murchison Falls National park falls between December to February and then again from June to September. During this time, there is plenty of sunshine and rarely any rain throughout the day.

Murchison Falls National Park has equatorial climate, so it’s hot all year round. The temperatures range between 25-32°C during the day and drops down to 18°C at night.

WHEN IS TH E WET SEASON?

The Wet seson in Murchison Falls National Park falls between July and November and again from March to May. During this time the landscape of the park is at its most beautiful.

Murchison Falls National park lies in a very dry part of Uganda, so it is rare for the rain to interrupt your safari. However, the surrounding rounds (leading to the park) could be hard to navigate through during this time of the year.

murchison falls park seasons

Note: if you are planning to visit Murchison Falls National Park during the wet season months, you are advised to use a 4X4 wheel vehicle.

In the wet season, animals tend to hide away and shelter, though you will still see some.

If you are visiting Murchison Falls National Park for chimpanzee trekking, the ground may be wet and slippery, so sturdy boots are essential.

Higher rainfall is more like in April, May and August through October.

HIGH AND LOW SEASON IN MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

The high season in Murchison Falls national park falls between June to September, in these months there is little to no rain and lower temperatures. This tends to be a peak game viewing safaris and gorilla trekking adventures in Uganda so there is a lot of travelers.

During June and July, there is high competition for accommodation, so we recommend you book a lodge a few months in advance of your Murchison Falls safari/Trip.

The low season in Murchison Falls National park is March through to May and October to November. In these months you are likely to experience heavy rainfalls in Murchison Falls National park, due to bad weather, some lodges may be closed.

The low season offers less competition for accommodation and in return lodges are available and you can book last minute, also rates for accommodation are low. So if you are planning to travel for a safari on a low budget, low season is your best time.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE WILDLIFE?

The best to visit Murchison Falls National Park for spotting wildlife on game viewing safaris is December to February. In this period, the vegetation cover is thin which makes spotting of wildlife easy, also animals congregate at remaining water holes which makes it easy to see them in big numbers.

For chimpanzee trekking in Murchison Falls National Park, the best months is October through to January. This is because the vegetation cover is short and the fruits in the forests are starting to ripen which makes the chimpanzees to come out of hiding to feed on the fruits.

If you are interested in Bird watching in Murchison Falls National Park, the best time to visit is during the wet season. March is the best month to spot bird species in Murchison Falls National Park.

WHEN THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MURCHISON FALLS NATIONAL PARK

Murchison Falls National Park is considered to be an all year round safari destination, however December through February is considered the best time to visit the park. June to September is another great period of the year to visit the park.

Throughout these months, there is little rainfall which means the tracks leading you to wildlife during game drives are dry and very accessible. Also the dry season attracts animals to the remaining water sources so it is easier to spot them while on game drives.