These roaring waterfalls located on the magnificent Victoria Nile are some of the best and most amazing tourist attractions worth seeing while on Safari in Uganda. The name ‘Karuma’ Falls was derived from a local tale that the stones which break the calmly flowing waters of the Nile to form this waterfall were arranged that way by a traditional spirit – Karuma. The spectacular Karuma Falls are situated close to the Murchison Falls national park along the park’s eastern border; this is Uganda’s largest and most visited National Park. It is only one hour drive from Gulu district. The area surrounding these waterfalls offers great views of wildlife which include animals like giraffes, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, lions, leopards, baboons, monkeys and elephants in addition to a wide range of birds.
The Karuma Falls consist of a cascading series of naturally interlocking rock formations down to the bottom of the Victoria Nile. Consequently, these cause the waters of the great Nile to swell, causing the water to flow with a ‘white foam’. The waterfalls are found at a place where the Masindi-Gulu highway crosses over the river Nile, approximately 110 km northeast of Masindi and 70 km south of Gulu. Both of these districts are connected by a Karuma Bridge which was built in 1963 for helping cotton farmers in the west Nile transport their produce. This bridge passes across the waterfall
It a supposed that John Speke one of the first explorers in Uganda during his quest for the true source of the river Nile ( the longest River in the World ) walked past it, and therefore it is one of the very important landmarks as far as Uganda’s ancient history is concerned. On these Karuma falls is a 750 Megawatts hydropower station -the Karuma Power Station, this was opened up by the Ugandan government in partnership with foreign partners.
Several Years ago, these falls and the nearby area were labeled as a dangerous zone because the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels would staged a number of attacks in this particular area. These malicious rebels used to hide in the nearby bushes, and then attack passenger vehicles including private cars and public buses using this road. On the Bright side, in 2007 the Ugandan army drew away those rebels pushing them further in to DR Congo rainforests so today this area was declared extremely safe.
Getting to the Karuma Falls:
When Traveling from Kampala city using public transport, board buses going to Gulu. 
These you will find in the Baganda Bus Park terminal found at Nakivubo in the city center. Alternatively, you can organize private transport through your tour travel company and we here at AA Safaris will certainly take you there and organize a tour for you to see these beautiful falls on your Safari in Uganda.
Where to stay:
There are several accommodation options here ranging from the luxury to the budget accommodation; some found inside Murchison Falls National Park. Some of the Budget accommodation includes Red chilli Rest Camp Karuma Falls Campsite,and luxury accommodation includes Paraa Safari lodge and Chobe Safari Lodge
