Review by Georgie Higginson (Ku Tunza Travel)

‘Upon rounding the corner in our canoes, a magnificent sight burst upon us….Rushing through a gap that clift the rock exactly before us, the river, contracted from a grand stream, was pent up in a narrow gorge scarcely fifty yards (50m) in width. Roaring furiously through the rock bound pass, it plunged in a single leap of about 120 feet (40m) perpendicular into a dark abyss below’
Samuel Baker, Murchison Falls, April 1864

The magnificent Murchison Falls, situated in the middle of Murchison Falls National Park, can be reached either by foot or by boat – although personally it’s best to try and do both. Whatever mode of transport your breath will escape you as you stand motionless taking in this incredible view. The sheer volume of white water pushed through a narrow gorge is mesmerizing, if not frightening. The plumes of spray burst upwards, coating everything in a thin mist. From the viewpoint at the very top of the Falls it’s like staring out across a mighty ocean, with dark swells and boils of angry water bubbling to the surface. White horses crash alongside the rocks before being swept over and down into the frothy pool below.

The welcoming atmosphere at Mediterraneo begins with a host or hostess greeting you at the door and finding you a table. Once seated, fresh grissini (breadsticks) and Focaccia (bread) come directly to the table along with olive oil and vinegar before you are presented with the menu. The personnel are extremely friendly and the service impeccable.The décor at Mediterraneo goes a long way to setting the mood of the restaurant. Unlike their counterparts in Kenya which have that rather eclectic décor that Italian restaurants seem to possess (Very woodsy, with empty wine bottles strewn around as decoration, making them warm and cosy), Mediterraneo-Kampala is more elegant with art deco style interior. There is an indoor and outdoor terrace section - which I prefer, complete with tall columns giving you the feeling you are dining in Rome. The pizza oven is also outside adding to the ambience. Murchison Falls were named by the first European visitors Samuel and Florence Baker in 1864, who

named the Falls after Sir Roderick Murchison, the then President of the Royal Geographical Society. The couple apparently had little time to appreciate the Falls as a hippopotamus attacked their little boat, tipping them into the river. Fortunately for them they were swept safely to the bank, which is just as well as the area they were paddling through remains home to hundreds of crocodiles!

What is quite interesting to see is the sketch of the Falls drawn by Baker in his book, The Albert Nyanza. The sketch seems to resemble Uhuru Falls (meaning Freedom) which is the second overflow falls slightly north of the existing, and more well known, Murchison Falls. In the drawing and true to life Uhuru appears to have a much wider chasm than that of Murchison, but it seems not to matter as the legend of the falls was born more than 140 years ago.

At the top of the Falls there remains a curious concrete post, perched on the edge of a rock that is washed continuously by the fast moving water. This is what remains as a memorial to Sir Winston Churchill’s ‘ten pound bridge’. Churchill visited the Falls in 1907 and commented that, “Ten pounds would throw an iron bridge across the river at this point”. Funnily enough a footbridge was actually built at that spot in 1960 only for it to be lost overnight during the great flood of 1962.

To see get a true feeling for the Falls I would recommend taking the afternoon boat launch from either the south or north bank of Murchison Falls National Park. The boat meanders for 2 hours up the Nile, hugging the bank on the north side giving you ample opportunity to capture on camera the large pods of hippos and herds of buffalo. Elephant can be watched snatching at the tall spiky grass, or lowering their trunks gently into the cool waters. Beautiful birds such as the Pied Kingfisher, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Goliath Heron, Saddle billed Stork, and if you’re exceptionally lucky, the infamous Shoebill Stork, will hover, take flight or move with grace through river beds buzzing with insects.

Depending on the boat you travel in you’ll get a better view of the Falls from the top deck. You can gauge the distance of how far away you are from Murchison by the flotsam and jetsam swirling around in the gentle current and soon after you round the final bend where ahead stands the mighty Falls. The boat continues to make its way closer and closer to the mouth of the Falls, with the captain wedging the bow in-between two rocks for stability. This allows for great photos and for those individuals wanting to climb up the Falls this is where you are met by your guide at the waters edge.

The return boat journey takes 1 hour - pretty much the same amount of time as it does to complete the guided walk to the top of the Falls. The walk takes you along a dirt path, over boulders and rocks and out onto viewpoints where local fisherman sit patiently in the afternoon sun. Gradually the path twists upwards and a series of wide concrete steps take you higher and higher. The most impressive viewpoint, Bakers point, sees you turning 180 degrees from up high to look down onto the Nile, capturing both Murchison and Uhuru Falls. Rounding the point and covered by spray you’ll walk slowly down the hill to the top of the falls, where there is easy access for vehicles and a lovely campsite. Here you’ll notice the small concrete post, a reminder of the good and the great who have visited before you.