Murchison Falls national park fees 2024 -2025
Murchison Falls national park fees 2024 -2025 : Murchison Falls national park locally known as Kabalenga national park is one of the most visited parks in Uganda famously known as Murchison Falls, the park is the oldest and largest safari park in Uganda located in the northern part of the Albertine Rift Valley, 305 kilometers north of Kampala in Masindi District.
Murchison Falls national park is part of the Murchison Falls Conservation Area comprising of Bugungu, Karuma wildlife reserve and the Murchison Falls national park itself. The park was first gazetted as a wildlife reserve in 1926 purposely to protect the wildlife in the area, the park hosts 76 different mammal species and 451 bird species.
Murchison Falls national park is under the administration of Uganda Widllife Authority which is tasked with drafting fees for the park, below are the park fees for Murchison Falls national park 2022 -2024.
PARK ENTRANCE FEES
| Category | Foreign Non- Residents (FNR) | Foreign Residents
(FR) |
East Africa Community (EAC) |
| US$ | US$ | UGX | |
| Adults | 45 | 35 | 25,000 |
| Children | 25 | 15 | 10,000 |
| Students | 3,000 | ||
| Tertiary, institutions and universities | 5,000 | ||
| Uganda Wildlife – clubs | 2,000 |
Note:
Entrance fees are charged per person and valid for 24 hours
ANNUAL PARK ENTRANCE FEES
| Category | Foreign Residents
(FR) |
East Africa Community (EAC) |
| US$ | US$ | |
| Individual | 350 | 350,000 |
| Couple | 600 | 500,000 |
| Family (maximum 4 children) | 800 | 600,000 |
| Annual Corporation Pass (10 pax) | 1,500 | 2,500,000 |
| Safari Guide | 200,000 | |
| Taxi Driver | 150,000 | |
| Tour Company Driver | free |
Note
Annual park fees in Murchison Falls national park applies in the following incidences
- Applies to all and only foreign residents living in Uganda and East Africa countries, vehicle entrance is paid separately
- Not valid for package activities such as gorilla and chimp tracking, mountaineering, hiking and others
- To qualify for annual passes, Foreign residents require a work permit valid for one year
- Safari guides – is an individual who guides guests through nature weather by vehicle, canoe, boat horseback or on foot while explaining some of the remarkable secrets hidden within the natural environment of Uganda.
- Tour Company driver – is an individual from a recognised Ugandan tour company who drives tourists to park.
VEHICLE, BOAT, AIRCRAFT, ENTRY AND LANDING FEES
Vehicles, boats and air crafts operating in Murchison Falls national park are charged a fee which is designated basing on the type of the vehicle, boat and aircraft and their carrying capacity.
| CLASSIFICATION
|
FOREIGN | UGANDAN
REGISTERED |
| US$ | UGX | |
| Saloon Cars | 40 | 20,000 |
| Minibuses, Omni-buses | 50 | 30,000 |
| Pick-ups | 50 | 30,000 |
| Tour Company vehicles and 4-wheel drive | 150 | 30,000 |
| Over Landers | 150 | 100,000 |
| Buses and Lorries | 200 | 200,000 |
| Construction equipment | 350 | 500,000 |
| School Buses | – | 50,000 |
| Delivery Vehicle per entry | – | 20,000 |
| Boats up to 15 seater | 100 | 250,000 |
| Launches over 15 seaters | 200 | 350,000 |
| MFIFT boats up to15 seater | 50 | 50,000 |
| MFIFT boats over 15 seater | 100 | 150,000 |
| Parking fees for boats per day | 10,000 |
Note
- Vehicle and boat entry fees are valid for 24 hours except for concessionaire visitor vehicles which are charged per trip in the park
- Vehicle entrance fees are charged in USD for foreign registered vehicles and UGX for Uganda registered vehicles.
- Rescue vehicles are charged the same rate as other vehicles
- Executive Director motorcycles, trailers, vehicles with inflammable goods, livestock, produce, poles, timber, sand, market merchandise, heavy trucks, roll loaders and others are prohibited to enter Murchison Falls national park.
AIRCRAFTS LANDING FEES (PER LANDING)
All aircrafts landing in Murchison Falls national park’s airstrips are charged a fee designated depending on the type of the aircraft and the sitting capacity.
| Classification | FR | EAC |
| US$ | UGX | |
| Gliders, Microlights | 10 | 20,000 |
| Up to 3 seater | 20 | 40,000 |
| 4-6 seater | 30 | 60,000 |
| 7-14 seater | 40 | 80,000 |
| 15-20 seater | 50 | 100,000 |
| 21 seats and above | 60 | 120,000 |
| Helicopter | 125 | 250,000 |
| Parking fees per day | 10,000 |
Note:
- landing fees exclude entry fees payable by passengers
- pilotes enroute do not pay entry fees, if they spend less than 2 hours in the park
LAUNCH CRUISE/CANOE/MOTOR BOATS
| STATUS | Foreign Non Residents (FNR) | FOREIGN RESIDENTS (FR) | East Africa Community (EAC) |
| US$ | US$ | UGX | |
| Launch cruise, canoe safari and boat cruiser | 30 | 25 | 30,000 |
| School per person | NA | NA | 15,000 |
Note:
- Launch Cruise takes a maximum of 45 people
- A boat trip takes approximately 2 hours
- Maximum boat charge is USD 120 for foreign Non Residents and Foreign Residents and UGX 120,000/- for EAC for minimum of 4 persons.
Activity Fees
| STATUS | Foreign Non Residents (FNR) | FOREIGN RESIDENTS (FR) | East Africa Community (EAC) | ||
| US$ | US$ | UGX | |||
| Self game drives (PRIVATE) | 10 | 10 | 10,000 | ||
| Guided game drives (private) | Day per vehicle | 20 | 15 | 20,000 | |
| Night per person | 30 | 20 | 50,000 | ||
| UWA game drive vehicle | Day per person | 30 | 25 | 30,000 | |
| Night per person | 40 | 35 | 40,000 | ||
| UWA game drive truck / executive buses | Hire truck for game drive | 30 | 30 | 30,000 | |
| General hire of truck per day includes drive and excludes fuel | 800,000 | ||||
| General hire of excutive buses per day includes driver, excludes fuel | 800,000
|
||||
| Birding | 30 | 25 | 20,000 | ||
| Day nature walk | 15 | 10 | 10,000 | ||
| Night nature walk | 40 | 20 | 15,000 | ||
| Top of fall walk | 15 | 10 | 10,000 | ||
| Viewing Top of the falls | 10 | 10 | 10,000 | ||
| Viewing Top of the Falls | Tertiary institutions/Universities | N/A | N/A | 5,000 | |
| Secondary students | N/A | N/A | 2,000 | ||
| Wildlife clubs and pupils | FREE | ||||
| White water rating | 50 | 50 | 50,000 | ||
Note
- The fees are per person
- Activity fees exclude entrance fees and other activities
- A minimum charge of a vehicle for a game drive is an equivalent of 3 people
- Only pre-registered vehicles are authorized to take part in game drives
- While on night game drives, it is mandatory to use UWA guides.
SPORT FISHING
Murchison Falls national park is one of the few destinations in Uganda where sport fishing is allowed, this activity is charged as follows
| 1 DAY US$ | 4 DAY US$ | |
| Sport fishing | 50 | 150 |
| Annual fishing permit | 300 | |
ACCOMMODATION
In Murchison Falls national park there are accommodation facilities for visitors and these are dormitories and campsites, the accommodation options are charged as follows
| Dormitory | Type | UGX |
| Adult | 25,000 | |
| Students (within a group) | 5,000 | |
| Children | 10,000 |
CAMPSITES
| Category A – Wilderness Camping: Maximum 16 persons | US$ 40 |
| Category B – Private-advance booking: Maximum 20 persons including non-paying workers | US$ 30 |
| Category C – Public: with pit latrine/firewood/rubbish pit/ water/fireplace/thatched shelter with security inclusive (UGX) | 20,000 |
| Students (UGX) | 3,000 |
Note:
- Category of students include primarily and secondary school students
- Campsite fees are exclusive local tax levy
- For camping prior booking is required
- Camping chargers are per person per night
COMMERCIAL FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Commercial filming and photography in Murchison Falls national park is allowed and the following rates are charged.
- All filming fees to be charged at 40% of the activity
- Filming fees with a drone will be charged at 50%
FINES AND PENELTIES
| OFFENCE | PENALTY |
| Off-tracking driving fine | $ 150 (per Person in the Vehicle, to be incurred by the driver) |
| Over Speeding | UGX 100,000 per incident |
| Animal Accident fee (Road kill) | $ 500 |
| Fine for Late Reschedule (Chimps) | 25% of the Permit Fee |
| Littering in the Park | UGX 100,000 per incident |
| Hooting in the Park | UGX 100,000 per incident |
| Sitting on Top of the Vehicle | $ 100 per incident |
| Default on Tariffs | $ 150 |
RESEARCH FEES STRUCTURE
| CATEGORY | LTR
(USD) |
FNSR
(USD) |
FSR
(US) |
FRA/V
(USD) |
UNSR
(UGX) |
UPHDS
(UGX) |
UMSCS |
| Application | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 50,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Monthly Research | 250 | 250 | 250 | 150 | 100,000 | 50,000 | |
| Report/ security deposit | 300 | 300 | 300 | – | 200,000 | 100,000 |
Note: Application Fees and Research fees are non-refundable
OTHER CATEGORIES
- Uganda Research Assistants are free
- Foreign research assistants /Volunteers shall also be charged park entrance up to 10 days at a discount of 50%.
- Foreign students on field short courses with valid Identity cards shall be charged park entrance up to 10 days at a discount of 50%.
RESEARCHER’S ACCOMMODATION
- Camping: UGX 200,000 per month for a group of up to ten
- Extra persons will be charged UGX 70,000 per
- Protected Areas with Vacant Staff Houses will be rented at UGX 200,000 per room per Person per month for East African Researchers and US$ 150 per room per month by Non-East African
- Water and electricity will be paid separately
Ranger Guide Fees: See “Guides for Game Drives”.
