Practical questions
Murchison Falls National Park: frequently asked questions
The things people actually ask before booking Murchison, answered with the current official figures and with the contradictions left visible.
How much does it cost to enter Murchison Falls?
Foreign non-residents pay $45 per person per 24 hours, foreign residents $35, other African nationals $30 and East African citizens UGX 25,000. Children aged 5 to 15 pay less and under-fives are free. Murchison is the only park in UWA's Category A+ band, so it is the most expensive park entrance in Uganda. Vehicles are charged separately and this park adds a surcharge no other park charges: $10 extra on foreign-registered vehicles and UGX 10,000 extra on Ugandan-registered ones.
Which boat trip should I book?
There are two and they go in opposite directions from the same jetty at Paraa. Upriver takes you to the foot of the falls past hippo, crocodile and drinking elephant, costs $30 for foreign non-residents and is the signature trip. Downriver takes you into the Nile delta, which is the shoebill trip and a calmer, birdier outing. If a listing just says boat trip, ask which one it means before you pay, because a lot of visitors book one expecting the other.
How long does the launch to the falls take?
UWA gives two different answers. Its tariff says approximately two hours and its park brochure says a three-hour return trip. Private lodges run their own boats on their own timings alongside UWA's, which is why quoted durations vary so much online. Plan for two and a half to three hours and do not schedule anything tight afterwards. Boats carry a maximum of 45 people, and a small boat has a minimum charge of US$120, which is eight fares.
Is the Top of the Falls hike the same as the viewpoint?
No, and they are priced differently. Hiking to the Top of the Falls means climbing up through Fajao gorge from the river with a ranger escort, at $15 for foreign non-residents and $10 for foreign residents. Viewing the Top of the Falls means driving to the viewpoint, at $10 for everyone. The best way to do it is to take the launch upriver, get off at the base, walk up through the gorge and have your vehicle meet you at the top.
Can I self-drive in Murchison?
Yes. A self game drive with no guide costs $10 per vehicle. That said, a UWA ranger guide for a day drive costs $25 charged per guide rather than per person, so for a full vehicle it is close to free value and the guides know where the lions are. If you are bringing a vehicle, rent it inside Uganda: a foreign-registered 4x4 pays $160 a day here while a Ugandan-registered one pays UGX 40,000, about $11.
How do I pay, and can I still hold a booking?
Payment is cashless. The tariff lists MTN MoMo Pay, Airtel Money Pay, card machines, bank transfer and an online portal, and no longer lists cash in dollars, pounds or euros. Since 1 March 2026 the old seven-day reservation window has been suspended, so permits can only be secured with payment in full at the moment of booking. Book through reservations@wildlife.go.ug or the toll-free line 0800 100 960; UWA's booking and refund web pages were empty when we last checked.
Will I see lions and giraffe?
Giraffe, almost certainly. About 2,250 Nubian giraffe live here, the largest population anywhere in the world, and they are concentrated on the northern bank where the main game circuits run. Lions are likely rather than guaranteed: the 2022 national survey put 240 in this park against 291 in the whole country, so your odds are better here than anywhere else in Uganda, and better still on the Buligi and delta tracks. Leopard is a matter of luck despite a density among the highest in Africa.
When is the best time to come?
UWA recommends December to late February and June to September, when animals concentrate around water. February gives the shortest grass and the clearest viewing of the year. If birds are your priority, January to March is both the best birding and the quietest visitor period. Avoid April, May, October and November if roads worry you, because the murram tracks degrade badly in the rains.
Can I track chimpanzees at Murchison?
Not inside the national park. The habituated group is at Kaniyo Pabidi in the Budongo Central Forest Reserve, which is managed by the National Forestry Authority rather than UWA and sold by a private concessionaire. That is why chimpanzee tracking appears nowhere in UWA's Murchison tariff, which prices it only for Kibale and Kyambura.
The concessionaire's published rates for foreign non-residents are $120 in low season and $130 in high season, with a habituation experience at $230. The minimum age at Budongo is 15, which is higher than UWA's rule of 12 elsewhere. Two other Budongo chimpanzee communities, Sonso and Waibira, are long-running research groups and are closed to visitors.
How many days do I need?
Three nights is the sensible target. That gives you two or three game drives on the Buligi circuits, the launch to the falls with the gorge climb, and a delta cruise, without rushing any of them. Two nights works if you skip the delta. Add a fourth night if you want a Budongo forest morning or serious birding, because the park's three birding areas barely overlap.
Do I need to check a health or travel advisory before I go?
Yes, and closer to departure than you would for most safari destinations. Uganda's health advisories moved during 2026, and the UK Foreign Office logged an update to its Uganda health page after the Ministry of Health announced an Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak. We are deliberately not printing a status here, because a status printed once is a status that goes stale.
Read the source instead. The UK Foreign Office page for Uganda and the Ugandan Ministry of Health are the two to check, and check them in the week you fly rather than the month you book. Yellow fever vaccination is a separate and standing requirement for entry to Uganda.