Murchison Falls National park in the north-west of the country is Uganda’s largest national park, and together with adjoining wildlife reserves forms a vast wilderness covering over 5 000 km2. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife, forest primates and 450 bird species.

The mighty Nile, the longest river in the world, flows through the heart of the park for a distance of 120 km, on its 6 500 km journey from Lake Victoria to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. The park’s centrepiece is the explosive, 40-metre high Murchison Falls where the Nile is forced through an 8-metre gap in the Rift Valley escarpment. Downstream, the Nile flows quietly towards Lake Albert which it enters through a large papyrus delta. It is this peaceful 40 km stretch of river which provides the park’s prime wildlife spectacle.

Chimpanzee tracking in nearby Budongo Forest is available, and definitely worthwhile spending an extra day for, and bird-watchers will be delighted by the variety of localised species including Shoebill. For the fishermen, there is the challenge of catching the massive Nile Perch.

Enjoy game drives in Murchison Falls National Park, as well as a memorable boat cruise up the Nile River to the foot of the Falls. The immense force of the water and the views of the Falls are spectacular from the close-up viewing points. Enhance your park experience by combining river voyages with a safari. Travel by boat to the Nile Delta and return with a game drive through the game-rich Buligi area. Drive to the top of the falls and hike down to the bottom of Fajao Gorge, before returning to Baker’s Lodge by boat.

We operate our own fleet of river boats—varying in size for different activities such as game viewing, birdwatching and fishing. We can organise private dinners, luncheons, breakfasts and snacks on board the boat. Baker’s Lodge is a great base for those keen on fishing for Nile Perch. We operate with a strict catch and release policy.

Our fleet of water-craft run scheduled and private trips daily, direct from our private lodge jetty to the park’s centerpiece – the stunning Murchison Falls in Fajao Gorge. An approximate 3 hours on the water offers excellent safari viewing to and from the falls, the boats offering the opportunity to witness up-close the teeming hippo and crocodile populations on the river as well as a plethora of animals and birdlife on the river banks. The cruise can be combined with a safari drive, a hike up the side of the falls, or a sunset cruise.

The Victoria Nile delta, a 17 km voyage downstream from Baker’s Lodge, is home to rare wetland birds including shoebill and papyrus endemic species. Morning cruises offer a visual spectacle of mist rising off the mirror calm-water as our craft navigate the papyrus channels of the delta. Scheduled and private delta cruises depart from the lodge with a “breakfast on board” option offered in the mornings (subject to minimum numbers).

The Nile River at Murchison is famous for its exciting sport fishing. Large, strong Nile Perch living in the turbulent waters below the falls as well as several species of cat fish are fished and a variety of smaller species which are generally used as live bait for the larger fish. Fishing is conducted on a strict “catch-and-release” system and can be done with our experienced local fishing guides; from the shore or from our boats which are ideally sized and equipped to cope with the conditions and accessing the remote riverside pools.