Sunday: Murchison Falls

The ferry took us back across to the south side of the park where we drove for 15 to 20 km to the site of the falls.  The power of moving water is amazing to witness and we were not disappointed here.  For $10 American or 5000 Ugandan shillings (price for Ugandans only) a guide will lead you on a short hike where you can view both sets of falls.  The falls on the right, from this vantage point, were the original falls, made by nature.  The falls on the left we formed in 1962 by flood waters which made the river reroute.  We were told it was named Freedom Falls as this was the year that Uganda declared its independence.   


Murchison Falls is located in the Victoria Nile, which flows across northern Uganda from Lake Victoria to the north end of Lake Albert in the western branch of the East African Rift Valley.  This amazing river eventually ends in Egypt, the same Nile which we hear so much about while studying Ancient Times.  At the top of Murchison Falls, the Nile forces its way through a gap in the rocks, 7 metres wide, and drops 43 metres, then flows westward into Lake Albert. The outlet of Lake Victoria sends around 300 cubic metres per second of water over the falls.  Murchison Falls was named after Sir Roderick Murchison, of the Royal Geographical Society and was also the site of a plane crash carrying Ernest Hemingway in 1954 .


After viewing the falls we had a delicious boxed lunch, enough to feed all of us, the guides and even the three park rangers!  We set out for Ggaba once again and believe it or not we had another flat tire on the way home.  Needless to say we were glad to see our hotel when we pulled in at 10:30 p.m.

Murchison Falls, Uganda

Sarah joined us on our safari.  It was her first and she enjoyed all of the views!

At this point the mist from the falls feels like a light shower.  Can you see the double rainbow?