Lake Mburo National Park is a compact gem, located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is the smallest of Uganda’s savannah national parks which date back more than 500 million years. It is home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck.
Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savanna, Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lake
The park has a variety of animals such as zebra, hippopotamus, impala, warthog, common eland, African buffalo, jackal, African leopard, and over three hundred (300) bird species. At 260 square kilometers. The park has accommodation of different types, Budget, midrange and Luxury.
By working closely with UWA and tribal locals, the park is an example of how wildlife and locals can successfully co-exist. The park offers ranger-guided tours to watering holes for wildlife spotting in the park and birding trips near the lake.
Facilities include multiple restaurants close to the lake and tent/accommodation facilities to stay in the park. Expect to go on boat safaris, horseback rides, and guided ranger tours if you stay in the park. This park is a birding paradise so take your binoculars and camera for a unique Ugandan experience.
Things to Do in Lake Mburo National Park
Popular Activities to do in Lake Mburo National Park include, game drive, night game drives, boat cruise at Lake Mburo, horseback riding, bird watching and squad biking. The activities are many to keep you busy and the enjoying in the park.
The Acacia woodland, the many lakes, lots of wildlife, woody gorges as well as the rocky ranges are a sneak at that this national park is. It’s not only the sights and sounds that is offered and the experience that will stay with you for ages. This is an experience that can fit in a two day safari or three day tour. It’s the smallest park in Uganda with 260 square kilometer acreage yet conveniently accessible and located close to many other sites that are worth visiting like the Igongo Cultural center and the equator. Get organized and set out to this picturesque site as your choice destination. Below are the five activities for you to do at Lake Mburo National Park.
The game drives as well as wildlife viewing; the park is home to 69 mammal species among which are antelopes, Common Duiker, Defassa Waterbuck, Bofor, Impalas, Buffalos, Bush pigs, Giraffes, Eland, and Zebras. You will adventure the wild by hiking having a horse back safaris, bike riding through the rocky rough terrain or days as well as the nocturnal game drive. The beauty about the many means that are available to adventure wildlife at the park is that the adventure is not only how you see it but also what you see.
The biking safari is a challenging thrill for the cyclists because of the un even terrain and the horse back safari is also a welcome break from the sound of running engines. Along the nocturnal drive, there is a chance to see porcupines, bush babies and the leopards! It’s also advised that you use an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority game ranger to be able to point out the birds or mammals you might miss.
Bird watching; with over 350 bird species that are found here, birding is a must activity. The park is the smallest savannah park in Uganda but has variety of birds that are easy to see. You have got opportunities for forest birds, savanna birds and water birds on Lake Mburo. The common birds found here include; Red-winged Francolin, Blue-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, Blue Quails, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-breasted and Shining-blue Kingfishers, Lilac-breasted Roller, African-grey Hornbill, Grey Woodpeckers. Wing-snapping Cisticolas, Red-necked spurfowl, Black-bellied Bustard, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufous-chested Swallow ,Yellow-throated Longclaw, Black-winged Bishop, Chubb’s & Carruther’s Cisticolas, the Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, Black Crake, Common Squacco, Striated, Black-headed, Herons, Great White and Pink-backed Pelicans, African Fish Eagle etc. Warukiri, Miriti, the Rubanga Forest as well as the platform above the salt lick have been acclaimed as being the best birding spots at Lake Mburo National Park.
The Guided nature walks; the park has got tracks to trend on a nature walk provided you walk in the company of an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority guide. With the hilly terrain of the park, a walk to the hilltops to get a panoramic view of the park is one of the nature walk trails available. In case taken in the morning, you will have a chance of seeing the hyenas heading back to their dens, the colorful birds and butterflies flying fleetingly all over the park.
About the morning nature walk, viewing the animals at the salt lick is also ideal for one hour experience.
There is a safe platform from which to view and take photos without disrupting the animals into running away from sight. You can also head to and through Rubanga forest but this will require prior notice to the Uganda Wildlife Authority personnel. This forest comes alive with 40 bird species and tree species like the Fig, Palm, Acacia and Markhamia trees, a reward to a birder and botanist.
With the boat cruise, you can get in to the water and the hippos dunking themselves in the lake to escape the heat at high noon, the zebras, antelopes as well as buffaloes coming for the refreshments during the dry season are also the sights that await you while on the boat cruise. Just being so close to these animals in their habitants is one of the best experiences a boat ride can give.
Always remember to carry your binoculars and the bird book because of the water birds in this particular activity. The most common birds include; the African Fin foot and the beautiful Malachite kingfisher as well as the kingfisher fishing. There is also fishing and the park has got 5 lakes in total but Lake Mburo is the largest of them all. The safari to the park would be incomplete without a fishing tour or experience. There is Mazinga that has been set aside as the designated fishing spot because its crocodile and hippo free. For the lovers of sport fishing, it can be done here with a license. The tilapia is a local favorite and one likely to be your catch among the 6 fish species in the lake. You could have your tilapia prepared for you at your place of residence while at the park.
Where to Stay in Lake Mburo National Park
Where to sleep in the park include, Mihinga lodge, Lake Mburo safari lodge, Rwakobo rock, Acadia cottages, Lake Mburo Eagles Nest , leopard camp and many more. The park is on the highway and can be combined with other destinations like Bwindi National park, Mgahinga, Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation and even Rwanda for other sightseeing.