Murchison Falls is a paid park, open 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily — and Uganda Wildlife Authority enforces those hours with no exceptions, so plan to be through the gate before closing. Foreign non-resident adults pay US$45 for a ticket valid 24 hours from entry, with separate fees for activities like the falls launch trip and vehicle entry on top.
Murchison Falls National Park opens its gates at 7:00 AM and closes them at 7:00 PM, every single day, and Uganda Wildlife Authority enforces these hours with "no exceptions." The schedule doesn't shift with the seasons — the park runs the same 7:00 AM–7:00 PM hours in the June–September dry season and the April–May rains alike. There are no days when the park itself is closed.
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| Day | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Sunday | 07:00–19:00 | Day tickets run 24 hours from time of entry; extra time is charged as an extra day. UWA launch trips to the base of the falls depart in daylight windows, commonly around 8–9 AM and 2–3 PM. |
UWA publishes no holiday closures — the 7:00 AM–7:00 PM schedule holds on public and religious holidays just like any other day, and gates shut at 7:00 PM sharp regardless of the date. The one special-day variation on record runs the other way: the authority has piloted free 'Open Park Days' for Ugandans, first held on 17–18 October 2024. If you're relying on the Paraa vehicle ferry rather than the 2021 bridge, note that it follows the same 7:00 AM–7:00 PM window, with scheduled crossings at roughly 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 19:00 when it's in service.
Entry to Murchison Falls National Park costs US$45 per adult foreign non-resident under the UWA Conservation Tariff running July 2024 to June 2026. Foreign residents pay US$35, other African nationals US$30, and East African citizens UGX 25,000. A day ticket lasts 24 hours from entry; children aged 5–15 pay reduced rates and under-5s get in free.
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| Category | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adult — Foreign Non-Resident | US$45 | Category A+ park; ticket valid 24 hours from entry, extra time charged as an extra day |
| Adult — Foreign Resident | US$35 | Valid identification may be requested to confirm resident status |
| Adult — Rest of Africa | US$30 | Nationals of African countries outside East Africa |
| Adult — East African Citizen | UGX 25,000 | East African Community citizens |
| Child (5–15) — Foreign Non-Resident | US$25 | Applies to all visitor categories: US$15 (foreign resident), US$10 (Rest of Africa), UGX 10,000 (EAC) |
| Child under 5 | Free | No entry fee at any category |
| Ugandan pupil/student group | UGX 3,000 | Group rate for Ugandan school groups |
| Vehicle — saloon car | US$40 (foreign-registered) / UGX 20,000 (Ugandan-registered) | Plus a Murchison Falls surcharge of US$10 / UGX 10,000 |
| Vehicle — 4WD or tour-company vehicle | US$150 / UGX 30,000 | |
| Vehicle — bus or lorry | US$200 / UGX 200,000 | |
| Launch trip to the bottom of the falls | US$30 (foreign non-resident) / US$25 (foreign resident) / UGX 30,000 (EAC) | About 2 hours, max 45 passengers; departs in daylight windows, commonly 8–9 AM and 2–3 PM |
| Top of the Falls hike | US$15 (foreign non-resident) / US$10 (foreign resident) / UGX 10,000 (EAC) | About 45 minutes from Baker Point; steep in places |
| Top of the Falls viewpoint (drive-up) | US$10 / UGX 10,000 | The option for anyone who'd rather skip the hike |
| UWA game-drive vehicle | US$30 per person (day) / US$40 per person (night) | Night drives require a mandatory UWA guide and are restricted to guests sleeping inside the park |
| Guided day game drive | US$25 per guide | |
| Self-drive game drive | US$10 per vehicle | |
| Birding / day nature walk | US$25 (foreign non-resident) / US$20 (foreign resident) | |
| Sport fishing | US$50 per day / US$150 for 4 days |
UWA has piloted free 'Open Park Days' for Ugandans, first held on 17–18 October 2024, but there is no regular free-entry schedule — watch UWA announcements for the next dates.
Planning your visit to Murchison Falls National Park? Find tours with free cancellation and skip-the-line options.
View All ToursThe best time to visit Murchison Falls National Park is the June–September dry season, when the murram tracks stay passable and elephants, buffalo and Uganda kob crowd the Nile and waterholes instead of dispersing into thick vegetation. December–February works just as well for game viewing, though January and February push 29–34°C. Both windows book out first — lodge and flight availability tightens considerably, so reserve early.
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| Period | Crowd Level | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning (07:00–10:00) | Moderate | Gates open at 7:00 AM sharp and wildlife is most active at dawn, so serious wildlife watchers should be first onto the Buligi tracks — this is also when the 8–9 AM launch trip to the base of the falls departs from Paraa. |
| Midday (11:00–13:00) | High | Boats, viewpoints and lodge areas around Paraa are busiest and the heat peaks, so use these hours for the Top of the Falls viewpoint, lunch, or a rest before the afternoon game drive. |
| Afternoon (14:00–15:00) | Moderate | The second launch window (around 2–3 PM) suits families and anyone who prefers a warmer, brighter cruise upriver to Baker Point beneath the falls. |
| Late afternoon (16:00–18:00) | Low | Animals get active again as the light softens and most day-trippers have left, making this the photographer's hour on the game tracks before the park closes at 7:00 PM. |
| Evening (18:00–19:00) | Low | Head for the exit — UWA enforces the 7:00 PM closing time with no exceptions, though guests sleeping inside the park can join a UWA-guided night game drive (US$40 per person) after dark. |
Three days is the ideal visit — enough for game drives on the Buligi tracks, the launch trip to the base of the falls, the Top of the Falls viewpoint and an Albert Delta cruise. Two days covers the core highlights; a guided game drive (US$25 per guide) finds animals faster than self-driving (US$10 per vehicle), which matters when time is tight. One long day works from Kampala at 4–5 hours each way, while chimpanzee trekking in Budongo's Kaniyo Pabidi justifies a fourth.
Park gates open at 7:00 AM and shut at 7:00 PM with, in UWA's own words, no exceptions. Leave Kampala by mid-morning — the drive to the Kichumbanyobo gate runs 4–5 hours, longer in rain. Your ticket covers 24 hours from entry, so an early start costs you nothing.
Entry and activity fees are payable at the gates or reservations office via Airtel Money, MTN MoMo, POS, bank transfer, or UWA's online portal. Keep every receipt — rangers verify them at checkpoints. Chimpanzee permits for Budongo's Kaniyo Pabidi block are the one thing you must arrange in advance.
Foreign-registered saloon cars pay US$40 plus a US$10 park surcharge on top of per-person fees; Ugandan-registered ones pay UGX 20,000 plus UGX 10,000. Tour-company 4WDs run US$150. Add it all up before comparing packages, because the vehicle line can exceed what two adults pay to enter.
Take the launch from Paraa (about 2 hours, US$30 for foreign non-residents) to Baker Point, then hike 45 minutes up to the Top of the Falls viewpoint and have a 4x4 meet you on the south-bank road. One outing, the falls from below and above. Launches depart in two windows — around 8–9 AM and 2–3 PM.
June–September and December–February are the productive windows: thin vegetation, passable tracks, wildlife crowded around the Nile. April, May, October, and November bring mud, slippery rocks at the falls, and scattered animals — the trade-off is quieter lodges and good birding. January and February hit 29–34°C, so save game drives for dawn and late afternoon on the Buligi tracks.
Under the UWA Conservation Tariff running July 2024 to June 2026, foreign non-resident adults pay US$45 and children aged 5–15 pay US$25, while foreign residents pay US$35 and US$15 respectively. East African citizens pay UGX 25,000 per adult and UGX 10,000 per child, and under-5s enter free. Ugandan pupil and student groups pay just UGX 3,000 each.
The park operates 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily, and UWA states there are no exceptions to these hours. Time your drives and river crossings so you're out before the 7:00 PM gate closing — you won't get an extension.
A day ticket is valid for 24 hours from the time you enter, and any time beyond that is charged as an extra day. Pay at the UWA gates or reservations office using mobile money (Airtel Money or MTN MoMo), POS machines, bank transfer, or the online portal, and hold onto every receipt — officials verify them.
Foreign-registered saloon cars pay US$40 plus a US$10 Murchison Falls surcharge, while Ugandan-registered saloons pay UGX 20,000 plus UGX 10,000. Tour-company vehicles and 4WDs are charged US$150 (UGX 30,000 for Ugandan registration), and buses and lorries pay US$200 or UGX 200,000. These fees sit on top of the per-person entrance charges.
The UWA launch trip from Paraa costs US$30 for foreign non-residents, US$25 for foreign residents, and UGX 30,000 for East African citizens, running about 2 hours with a maximum of 45 passengers. Departures fall in daylight windows, commonly around 8–9 AM and 2–3 PM. The Top of the Falls hike is US$15 for non-residents, or pay US$10 to view the falls from the top by road.
The ferry now runs only during bridge maintenance or exceptional water levels, since the Paraa bridge opened in 2021 as the normal crossing. When in service it operates 7:00 AM–7:00 PM on scheduled crossings roughly every 1–2 hours, charging light vehicles UGX 20,000 one way and passengers UGX 5,000, with a maximum of eight vehicles per trip.
Three days is the sweet spot — game drives on the Buligi tracks, the launch trip to the base of the falls, the Top of the Falls viewpoint, and an Albert Delta cruise. Two days covers the core highlights, and one long day is possible from Kampala but means 4–5 hours of driving each way. Add a fourth day for chimpanzee trekking in Budongo's Kaniyo Pabidi, which requires a permit arranged in advance.
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