At the northernmost point of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the Bunyoro escarpment meets the Acholi land plains, is the Murchison Falls National Park. The park is the largest protected area in Uganda, spanning 3,893 km2. It is a portion of the much larger Murchison Falls Protected Area (5,072 km2), which also encompasses the nearby wildlife reserves of Karuma and Bugungu.
The Victoria Nile, which flows through the heart of the park at Murchison Falls, plunges 40 meters over the wall of the rift valley after racing down 80 km of whitewater rapids. The Falls become a wide stream that travels 55 km to Lake Albert across the floor of the rift valley. One of the most remarkable wildlife shows in Uganda can be found along this section of the river. Elephants, giraffes, and buffalo are frequent visitors, and the Nile crocodile and hippo are long-term residents.
