Set inside Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest and oldest national park, the falls mark the point where the Victoria Nile begins its long journey north toward Sudan and eventually Egypt. The Nile being the longest river in the world.
I finally made it to Murchison Falls, and wow — it’s one of those places that completely lives up to the hype. The Nile here isn’t just a river; it’s raw, unstoppable power. It’s forced through a narrow 7-metre gap in solid rock, plunging 43 metres below in a thunderous roar that shakes the air and leaves a fine mist hanging everywhere. Standing at the top, you feel both tiny and completely alive. The view from above is breathtaking — the river roaring through the gorge, surrounded by the vast park, feels like standing at the edge of the world.
Fun/Mind Blowing Facts.
The Nile travels 6,650 km and Murchison Falls is the most violent section.
At peak flow, one Olympic swimming pool of water passes every 3 seconds.
Ernest Hemingway survived two plane crashes nearby in 1954.
The Nile has two sources: the Blue Nile – Lake Tana in Ethiopia and the White Nile – Lake Victoria (border of Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya).
After soaking in the view from above, I took the boat trip to see the falls from a completely different angle. The river starts gently, winding through papyrus swamps and open savannah, but the wildlife is already in full swing. Hippos bubble lazily at the surface, crocodiles lounge on sandbanks, and elephants occasionally wander down to drink. Birds of every color dart overhead, and I kept my camera ready for every surprise moment.
As we neared the base of the falls, the river grew louder and more impatient. Then, suddenly, the Nile squeezed through the rocks with such force that spray drenched the bow, and I couldn’t stop grinning at the sheer energy of it all. There’s a perfect balance of calm and chaos — the river is serene one minute, explosive the next.
Between the dramatic gorge, the wildlife along the Nile, and the sheer spectacle of the falls, it was an experience I’ll never forget. Murchison Falls isn’t just a destination — it’s an unforgettable collision of nature, adventure, and awe.
THE SIR SAMUEL AND LADY FLORENCE BAKER HISTORICAL TRAIL
EXPLORATION ABOLISHING THE SLAVE-TRADE
Sir Samuel White Baker, (8 June 1821 – 30 December 1893) was a British explorer, officer, engineer and writer.
Lady Florence Baker was his second wife.
He had saved her, from a slave market in Central Europe and instead of staying at home, she insisted in joining her husband on his exploits in Africa.
Sir Samuel Baker served as the Governor-General of the Equatorial Nile Basin (today’s South Sudan and Northern Uganda) from 1869 until 1873, which he established as the Province of Equatoria.
He is mostly remembered as the first European to view Lake Albert which he named after the recently deceased Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria. Sir Samuel White Baker is also remembered for his efforts to abolish the slave trade.
In March 1864 Sir Samuel Baker and Lady Florence Baker approached the mouth of the Victoria Nile in two long dug-out canoes propelled by local oarsmen. It had taken them 12 days to make the journey along the shoreline of Lake Albert. Sam writes “The chief of Magungo assured me that the broad channel of dead water at my feet was positively the brawling river that I had crossed below the Karuma Falls. The guide and locals laughed at my unbelief, and declared that it was dead water for a considerable distance from the junction with the lake, but that a great waterfall rushed down from a mountain, and that beyond that fall the river was merely a succession of cataracts throughout the entire distance of about six days’ march to the Karuma Falls.
I had promised Speke that I would explore most thoroughly the doubtful portion of the river that he had been forced to neglect from Karuma Falls to the lake. I was myself confused at the dead water junction, and, although I knew that the locals must be right, as it was their own river, I was determined to sacrifice every other wish in order to fulfil my promise, and thus to settle the Nile question absolutely.”
As they paddled up river “The roar of the waterfall was extremely loud, and after sharp pulling for a couple of hours, during which time the stream increased, we arrived at a point where the river made a slight turn. Upon rounding the corner, a magnificent sight burst suddenly upon us. On either side the river were beautifully wooded cliffs rising abruptly to a height of about 300 feet; rocks were jutting out from the intensely green foliage; and rushing through a gap that cleft the rock exactly before us, the river, contracted from a grand stream, was pent up in a narrow gorge of scarcely fifty yards in width; roaring furiously through the rock-bound pass, it plunged in one leap of about 120 feet perpendicular into a dark abyss below. The fall of water was snow white, which had a superb effect as it contrasted with the dark cliffs that walled the river, while the graceful palms of the tropics and wild plantains perfected the beauty of the view.
This was the greatest waterfall of the Nile, and, in honour of the distinguished President of the Royal Geographical Society, I named it the Murchison Falls.”
