Cultural Encounters at Murchison Falls National Park
Cultural Encounters at Murchison Falls National Park: Murchison falls is along some of Uganda’s beautiful natural features, the park is situated in the northwestern part of the country bisected by the majestic river Nile. The park is gifted with scenic breathtaking landscapes filled with Wildlife.
Murchison falls national park has got different tracking routes established for easy wildlife viewing tourists can see animals such as buffalos, elephants, lions, leopards, water bucks, hartebeests, antelopes giraffes hippopotamus and many more
Murchison falls national park is also one of the country’s birders destination with over 450 bird species, tourists can go for bird watching or even go for unique chimpanzee trekking experience.
Cultural experience
One of the most unique things about Murchison falls national park is that its located in an area surrounded by different ethnical groups like the Acholi people, the Alur and the Banyoro tribes. The Banyoro people dominate the southern part of the park, the Alur people dominate north western areas and the Acholi dominate the north eastern part.
The Alur people have a local guitar made of cowhide and twine they use during their local traditional dances, the performance reveal the true African culture as they use their local instruments for making sound, just relax and listen to African rhythms.
All this different groups have different unique things to offer they have their own cultural customs, values and beliefs.
The most famous of the cultural groups at Murchison falls national park is the Boomu women’s group, his group was formed by a total of about 40 women in order to improve their living standards and raise money to support their children at school.
The Boomu women’s group not only perform traditional dances, they also make locally hand made crafts like weaved baskets, black smith, mats, there are also cooking lessons available where tourists can learn to make their own local food and you can also learn to make this hand made crafts.
The Boomu women’s group also offer comfortable budget accommodation for visitors with campfires set up every night. The word Boomu is derived from a local word to mean “together” referring to the togetherness of the group.
Tourist can also visit Mubako village and be able to see real African architectural village, the villagers perform thrilling local traditional dances and they also have a small crafts shop where you can acquire souvenirs to take back home to your loved ones or for remembrance.
Getting to Mubako can be done on foot with a local guide who will tell you ancient stories of this community.
Which ever cultural center you visit you will learn a lot about peoples ways of lives and you can also be part by engaging in their day to day activities.
When visiting Murchison falls for a cultural encounter the best place to sleep is at Boomu women’s camp but there are also other lodges like Geolodges Nile safari lodge, Rest chili camp, Sambiya river lodge, Yebo safari lodge, UWA campsite and Murchison safari lodge.
For cultural encounters at Murchison falls, tourists can visit all year round.
Murchison falls is a 5-6 hours drive from Kampala.
