Murchison Falls National Park hosts Open Park Days to 27 September
Published on 09/27/2026 at 14:02 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Murchison Falls National Park hosts Uganda's Open Park Days from 25 to 27 September 2026, giving visitors a current reason to visit the protected area in Masindi. The Uganda Wildlife Authority campaign opened the gates to communities from Masindi and neighbouring districts during the three-day programme.
The event reaches its final day on 27 September 2026, which is also World Tourism Day. The national celebration is scheduled for Mbale, while activities at the park centre on wildlife, the Victoria Nile and access to the falls.
Open Park Days brings communities to the Nile
Open Park Days is spearheaded by the Uganda Wildlife Authority with the Uganda Tourism Board and other partners. The 2026 programme began on 25 September 2026 and ends on 27 September 2026, according to New Vision's report on Open Park Days.
At the park, UWA staff and local leaders helped residents from Masindi join the programme. The campaign also welcomed visitors from Hoima, Pakwach, Nwoya, Kiryandongo and Kikuube, making the event directly relevant to communities around northern Uganda's principal safari landscape.
Entry fees were waived during Open Park Days. Visitors still paid separately for specialised experiences, including boat trips on the Nile, so the fee change affected entry rather than every activity inside the park.
Murchison Falls and the Victoria Nile shape the programme
The park is in Masindi and is Uganda's oldest and largest conservation area, covering 3,840 square kilometres. It was gazetted as a game reserve in 1926 and designated as one of Uganda's first national parks in 1952, according to the Uganda Wildlife Authority's park information.
The Victoria Nile passes through the landscape before entering an 8-metre-wide gorge and plunging 45 metres into the Devil's Cauldron. That physical setting explains why the Open Park Days programme combines game drives, Nile boat trips and hikes to the top of the falls rather than treating the site as a single viewpoint.
Wildlife along the river includes elephants, giraffes and buffaloes, while hippos, Nile crocodiles and aquatic birds are also recorded on the riverbanks. The northern section contains open savannah, Borassus palms and acacia woodland, while woodland and forest patches dominate much of the southern section.
Visiting Murchison Falls National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Open Park Days runs from 25 to 27 September 2026 at Murchison Falls National Park, with the park's entry fees waived during the programme.
- The waiver covers entry rather than specialised activities. Nile boat trips, game drives and hikes to the top of the falls are separate experiences, and the programme does not state that they are included.
- The park is in Uganda's Masindi region, 305 kilometres (190 miles) north of Kampala. UWA lists road access to the southern entrance and flights to Pakuba Airfield as arrival options.
- The terrain includes savannah, woodland, riverbanks and a waterfall gorge. A visit involving the top of the falls or a game drive therefore includes uneven outdoor ground and walking near natural features.
- Uganda's official language is English and its national currency is the Ugandan shilling.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Murchison Falls National Park
When does Open Park Days take place at Murchison Falls National Park?
Open Park Days runs from 25 to 27 September 2026. The final day coincides with World Tourism Day on 27 September 2026.
What is Murchison Falls National Park?
It is Uganda's oldest and largest conservation area, covering 3,840 square kilometres in the Masindi region. The Victoria Nile runs through the park and over Murchison Falls.
Where is Murchison Falls National Park and how do you get there?
The park lies 305 kilometres (190 miles) north of Kampala in Uganda. UWA lists road access to the southern entrance and flights to Pakuba Airfield as arrival options.
