Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is one of the amazing wildlife safari parks you shouldn’t miss exploring on a Uganda tour. Known for its compact size and easier access from Kampala Capital City, Lake Mburo National Park is a hidden gem. Lake Mburo National Park is a savanna wildlife park located in western Uganda, Kiruhura District. Adjacent to it are other districts: Mbarara city, Lyantonde, and Isingiro. Lake Mburo Game Park can easily be accessed on the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara route in just 4 to 5 hours of driving.

The present Lake Mburo National Park was declared a National Park in 1983. It was a designated controlled hunting area in 1933, and later became a Game Reserve in 1963. This Park lies in an area mostly dominated by the Bahima, who depend on cattle keeping as pastoralists. Lake Mburo National Park covers a small area of 260 sq. km and lies at an altitude of 1220 to 1828m. Over 20% of the Park’s surface is largely composed of wetland habitats where a diversity of wildlife lives.

Lake Mburo National Park is one of Uganda’s smallest savanna wildlife parks. Regardless of its compact size, the Park holds a diversity of unique attractions worth exploring on a Uganda wildlife tour.

The wildlife (mammals & reptiles)

At Lake Mburo National Park, expect to find abundant wildlife species, accounting for over 69 mammal species. They include buffaloes, elands, zebras, leopards, topis, reedbucks, Defassa waterbucks, klipspringers, hippos, warthogs, jackals, vervet monkeys, and baboons. The Park also features several crocodiles that reside in most of the lakes and wetlands.

The birds

Lake Mburo National Park is inhabited by over 350 species of birds. They include pied kingfishers, African fin-foot, elusive shoebill storks, red-faced barbets, African scops owl, papyrus yellow warbles, Abyssinian ground hornbill, African wattled lapwing, saddle-billed storks, white-winged warblers, carruthers’s cisticola, papyrus gonoleks, yellow-throated tinker-birds, broad-billed rollers, cinnamon-chested bee-eaters, western tinker bird, lilac-breasted rollers, white-throated bee-eaters, European bee-eaters, blue-cheeked bee-eaters, purple heron, Senegal lapwing, rufous-bellied heron, brown-chested lapwing, black stork, little egrets, intermediate egret, long-tailed cormorant, crowned lapwing, spur-winged lapwing, woolly-necked storks, tawny eagle, lesser spotted eagle, lizard buzzard, banded snake-eagle, African cuckoos, African emerald cuckoos, Diederik cuckoo, brown parrot, and booted eagle.

Lake Mburo National Park is also inhabited by birds such as giant kingfishers, malachite kingfishers, palm-nut vultures, harrier hawks, bat hawks, striped kingfishers, common quails, woodland kingfishers, African pygmy kingfishers, lappet-faced vultures, mourning collared dove, green pigeon, black-shouldered nightjars, red-eyed dove, pennant-winged nightjars, Namaqua dove, square-tailed nightjars, and more.

Rubanga Forest

The lush Rubanga Forest is an incredible birding spot in Lake Mburo National Park. It has about 40 bird species, including grey-backed camaroptera, harrier hawks, double-toothed barbet, green pigeon, and others.

The salt lick

While on a tour in Lake Mburo, don’t miss visiting the Salt Lick. The Salt Lick is accessible on a guided walk, and you can expect to find a diversity of wildlife as they converge here to lick the salty soil.

Top 8 Activities/things to do in Lake Mburo NP

Game drive with Lake Mburo expert

Lake Mburo National Park offers excellent game drive experiences in its vast savanna plains. Using a 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, guests have a great encounter with wildlife, including buffaloes, leopards, hyenas, plus antelope families. Visitors can go for the morning, afternoon, or late evening/night game drive.

Boat cruise tours

Boat or launch cruise tours offer tourists a chance to explore the park’s diverse aquatic species. The boat tours are offered along the scenic Lake Mburo, where you can enjoy sights of hippos, crocodiles, and birds.

Sport fishing

Anglers on a trip in Lake Mburo National Park aren’t left out. Sport fishing is offered at Mazinga spot, where you can catch some of the amazing fish species, including tilapia. Over 6 fish species live in Lake Mburo.

Bird-watching

A birding tour in Lake Mburo Park gets birders a chance to spot birds such as the ring-necked dove, handsome francolins, red-winged francolins, Namaqua dove, square-tailed nightjars, swamp nightjar, shoebill storks, Narina trogon, African crake, pennant-winged nightjars, black scimitar bill, African emerald cuckoos, long-tailed cisticola, booted eagle, banded snake-eagle, tawny eagle, African cuckoos, and broad-billed roller.

Horseback riding

To adventure seekers on the Lake Mburo tour, don’t miss the opportunity to try horseback riding. This is an amazing excursion, a great chance for you to enjoy wildlife on horseback. Lake Mburo National Park is among the very few East African parks where horseback rides can be conducted.

Walking tours

With the experienced park ranger guide present, visitors can embark on a successful guided nature walking excursion. You explore unique sites like the Salt Licks and forests as you spot some of the wildlife while appreciating the breathtaking views on the hillside of the park.

Cycling tours

Explore Lake Mburo National Park uniquely using a bicycle. Cycling tours in Lake Mburo allow you to explore a variety of wildlife, including zebras, antelopes, and others.

Cultural visits

A visit to some of the Ankole or Bahima communities adjacent to Lake Mburo should be a must-do for inspirational and authentic cultural experiences. Expect to explore more about the unique traditions and cultures in the Ankole area.

When to travel to Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda

Lake Mburo National Park enjoys excellent weather conditions, making it an all-year-round destination. However, the dry season is the ideal period to explore the park’s unique attractions and engage in varied experiences. The longest dry spell in Lake Mburo starts from June to September, and the last phase is recorded around December to February. It is also possible to organize a wildlife tour to Lake Mburo National Park in the wet or rainy months of the year, that is, from March to May or October to November.

Popular Accommodation Options

The key accommodation options present in and around Lake Mburo National Park range from budget to luxury. They include Mihingo Lodge, Kigarama Wilderness Lodge, Hyena Hill Lodge, Rwakobo Rock, Lake Mburo Safari Lodge, Lake Mburo Camp, & Mantana Tented Camp. Other options; Eagle’s Nest Lodge, Rwonyo Rest Camp, and more.

Getting to Lake Mburo National Park for a Uganda Tour

By road, visitors can safely drive from Kampala via the Masaka-Mbarara route to reach Lake Mburo National Park. This route takes only 4-5 hours to reach the Park, and preferably, you should embark on a road trip using a 4×4 tourist vehicle. You can also take a domestic flight from the Entebbe Airport to Mbarara Airstrip and drive to the Park. The access gates to Lake Mburo Game Park include Sanga and Nshara gates.