Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park Uganda

Lying in one part of Uganda covered in extensive acacia woodland, Mburo has markedly different fauna to other parks and reserves. Lake Mburo is the best place in Uganda to see the gigantic Eland Antelope, as well as Zebra, topi, impala, leopard, and many species of birds. The five lakes within the park attract hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of water birds, while the swamps hide the papyrus specialists such as the Sitatunga and the papyrus Gonolek. Lake Mburo is the closest National park to Kampala and offers a refreshing stopover when traveling to or from the western parks and reserves.

Size of Lake Mburo national park

At a glance, the size of Lake Mburo national park is 370 kilometers squared and an attitude that is in the range of 1220 meters to 1828 meters above sea level. The land is covered with wetlands, beautiful landscapes, and also still the habitats in Lake Mburo national park comprise about 20% of the park’s surface. Lake Mburo national park is underlined by the great ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which are dated back more than even 500 million years and these have made the park very strong and also impossible to break because of the strong foundation that it has, which comprises of the great strong rocks.

Location of Lake Mburo national park

Lake Mburo National Park is located in Kiruhura District in the Western Region of Uganda, about 30 km (19 mi) east of Mbarara and about 240 km (150 mi) by road west of Kampala.

How to get to Lake Mburo national park

Lake Mburo national park is located 5-6 hours from Kampala along the Masaka-Mbarara road, turning left at Sanga or Akageti trading center where you will be heading to the park entrance gate which is about 30 minutes but those interested in air transfer can fly into Mbarara airstrip and arrange an hour transfer to Lake Mburo national park.

Things to do in Lake Mburo national park

Game drives

Lake Mburo hosts 68 mammal and 350 bird species in high concentration. With a growing giraffe family and a healthy hippo population, you just might be surprised at all the wildlife this little park packs in.

Night game drives

Lake Mburo national park is so far one of the best places for clients to search for nocturnal wildlife in the park such as the elusive leopard, porcupine, white-tailed mongoose, and not the forgetting the sounds of wild animals like hyenas, zebras, buffalos, and bush babies.

Walking safaris

The Park is open to all visitors who intend to do guided nature walking safaris and is usually conducted along with an armed park ranger guide. From Rwonyo the park center, the guided walks take you to the salt lick presumably the best places for numerous At the salt licks, wildlife/ animals parade themselves to enjoy the taste of the salty licks made up of water and soil.

Boat safaris

Another rewarding activity one ought to look for, when they are in Lake Mburo national park is a boat cruise. The cruise on the lake equally guarantees one a view of the amazing flora and fauna at the national park alongside wildlife such as crocodiles, hippos, and bird species such as African fish eagles, pelican, kingfishers, herons, cormorants, rare African finfoot, and hammerkops. It’s also realized that during the dry seasons, some wildlife also in frequent habitats o the water areas some of which include buffaloes and antelopes.

Horse riding

Lake national park is the ability for one to carry out a game viewing exercise while riding a horse. The fascinating activity gives the park a distinction from the rest of the country’s national park as horse riding while viewing wildlife can only be done at Lake Mburo national park the activity is done at Mihingo lodge under the guidance of trained staff in conjunction with the park rangers.

Biking tours

Biking tours are permitted in the park with ranger guides and is one of the best activities to do while visiting Lake Mburo national park and one can imagine being near giraffes, Zebras or impalas on a bike.

Community visits

The people living near the park are largely cattle keepers and you can arrange visits to visit to interact with some family members and see how they live their lives near the park

Rubanga forest

Rubanga forest is yet another relevant feature and attraction situated with the confines of Lake Mburo national park, as part of the wide network of the ecosystem that the park holds. Forest exploration is also one of the many arrays of activities that any of the visitors to this small but interesting park can engage in.

Birding safaris

The large variety of habitats in Lake Mburo National Park supports over 350 bird species including rare, but regularly seen species like African finfoot and white-backed heron. If you are able to call the papyrus Gonolek using a recorded bird call, it will come to the edge of the papyrus, and otherwise, this papyrus endemic species is rarely seen. If you are lucky you might see a shoebill and in the rainy season, the grey crowned cranes breed and raise their fluffy chicks in the swampy areas of the valleys.

When to visit Lake Mburo national park

The park can be visited any time of the year. Game viewing is spectacular all year round and the access roads are perfect. It is a smooth tarmac road all the way from Kampala and a well maintained graded Maram road takes you within and across the park.

During the dry seasons of June to September and December to February, animals gather around the water points especially the lake and swamps so they are easily located and seen in numbers. Many of them also visit the water holes near the various lodges so you see them from everywhere. When it comes to the wet seasons of November to December and March to May, larger numbers can be seen in open valleys and grazing fields as the grass blossoms.

Where to stay in Lake Mburo national park

The park has a range of mid-range, budget to luxury accommodation from which one can choose. There are also campsites available.

Luxury option

Mihingo lodge

Mihingo is a luxurious, family-owned lodge in a magical setting adjacent to Lake Mburo National Park. Perched high on a rocky kopje, whose pre-Cambrian granite boulders were formed over 500 million years ago, it has spectacular views over a vast savannah landscape. Designed to blend in with its fragile surroundings, this environmentally friendly lodge offers comfort, relaxation, and the experience of being at one with nature.

An infinity pool overlooks the valley below where buffalo, eland, impala, warthogs, bushbuck, and zebra can be seen at the waterhole. On the rocks, you may have the rare chance of seeing the resident family of Klipspringers.

Mid-range option

Rwakobo rock

Rwakobo Rock is a peaceful and secluded retreat where you can breathe in the essence of wild Uganda. The 8 comfortable and spacious cottages are dotted around the hill, all very private and offering great sunset views. The main dining area overlooks an expanse of rock that adjoins the park. Set in the pristine Ankole ranchlands surrounding Lake Mburo National Park; whether you want to sit back, sip on an ice-cold drink in a hammock or head out into Lake Mburo National Park for a day of exciting exploration, there is something for everyone here.

Rwakobo is nestled on a scenic outcrop with breath-taking views. Animals such as zebra, warthog, impala, and bushbuck abound around the lodge and often congregate at the water hole beneath the dining area. At night the sounds of the bush come to life and allow your imagination to run wild.

Budget option

Eagles nest

Accommodation with a view! Located on a high hill bordering Lake Mburo National Park, this tented camp has not only one of the best views in Uganda; it is also the ultimate African canvas experience.

Every safari tent has its own veranda, overlooking the park. The bathrooms are real bush-experiences: we fill the shower upon your request and the toilet is a new eco-friendly invention. For dinner, we prepare a wood fire and use the big African Potjies. The real Africa feeling!