Explore Lake Mburo National Park with a variety of attractions including wildlife, birds, & lakes. This guides entails the park’s geographical location, size, activities, accommodation –lodges/camps, and how to get there. Geographically, Lake Mburo National Park lies in Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District in Western Uganda. This Park is extensively a savanna Protected Area and is 240 km from the vibrant Kampala city. It is also accessible from Mbarara city in just 30 km and is among the ideal places to visit in the Western circuit.
Lake Mburo National Park started as a Controlled Hunting Area in 1933 and became a Reserve in 1963. The reserve was later upgraded to a National Park in 1983, and today, this charming conservation area extends up to 370 sq.km. Lake Mburo National Park is set at an altitude of 1220-1828m. Known as Whispers of the Wild, Lake Mburo National Park is an enriching destination with biodiversity, unique cultures, and unmatched beauty.
Lake Mburo is known for its hidden wonders worth exploring on an Uganda tour. The park features a vast wetland system that extends to 50km and also has an extensive savanna grassland. About 20% of the park is dominated by wetlands, and along its borders, there are 5 Lakes. These are among the signature habitats of most of Lake Mburo National Park’s wildlife and birdlife.
The Wildlife of Lake Mburo
Lake Mburo National Park supports a total of about 68 mammal species, 350 bird species, and other species. On Lake Mburo safari, expect to explore diverse wildlife including leopards, impalas, crocodiles, zebras, Klipspringers, hyenas, duikers, topis, side-stripped jackals, impalas, mongoose, bush pigs, and hyenas. Other wildlife that are likely to come across include Defassa waterbucks, reedbucks, Rothschild giraffes, duikers, warthogs, and sitatungas.
The birds
Lake Mburo National Park is known for its abundant birdlife. The park supports diversity of birds, including lakeshore species and others. The birds of Lake Mburo National Park include double-toothed barbets, lilac-breasted rollers, black-throated barbets, Pied kingfishers, martial eagle, African wattled lapwing, bare-faced go-away birds, white-winged tits, Western tinker birds, African paradise flycatchers, African open bills, and rufous-bellied herons. Other birds of Lake Mburo National Park include European bee-eaters, shoebill storks, papyrus yellow warblers, banded snake eagles, laughing doves, cinnamon-chested bee-eaters, green wood-hoopoe, booted eagles, pelicans, pennant-winged nightjars, red-chested sunbird, palm nut vultures, African emerald cuckoos, bat hawks, and Southern red-bishops.
Experiences/Activities in Lake Mburo National Park
Game drives/wildlife viewing
Game drives in Lake Mburo National Park reward nature lovers with a unique opportunity to witness the diversity of wildlife. In a 4×4 car, expect to enjoy a guided game viewing session full of lasting memories. You can watch diverse animals as they roam across the landscapes of Lake Mburo National Park. Among the wildlife to find are buffaloes, zebras, hyenas, giraffes, leopards, and bird species. Available game tracks to visit include Kazuma, Kigambira, and the Zebra wildlife track.
Birding excursions
Go birding in Lake Mburo National Park, explore acacia and aquatic bird species. The ideal spots for bird-watching in Lake Mburo include black-bellied bustards, blue-breasted kingfishers, black-throated bustards, hairy-breasted barbet, mosque swallow, brown chested lapwing, kingfishers, and shoebill storks. The best sites for birders to explore on a birding tour include Rubanga Forest, Warukiri, and Miriti Swamp.
Bush/nature walks
Nature walks offer a rare opportunity for you to explore wildlife in habitats hardly reached in a safari car. You embark on a guided walk with an experienced guide. You immerse yourself into the wilderness while you keep eyes on some of the species. The prominent sites to consider for birding include Salt Lick Trail, Kazuma, and Rubanga.
Sport fishing
Sport fishing tours are excellent for anglers on a Uganda safari in Lake Mburo National Park. If you want to catch some of the amazing fish species, then this is the right experience. Come with your fishing gear and ensure that the permit is booked early. Lake Mburo is known for fish catch like catfish, lung, tilapia, and mudfish.
Launch tours
Go boat/launch cruise excursion and explore the diversity of aquatic life. Expect to enjoy 2-3 hours on a guided boat tour. During Lake Mburo boat safaris, you can enjoy sights of the hippos, crocodiles, and water birds (including fish eagles, black crakes, shoebill storks, pelicans, and herons).
Cycling tours
Visitors can also embark on the exciting cycling experience, a unique opportunity to explore Lake Mburo National Park. Expect to observe a range of species, including impalas, birds, zebras, giraffes, elands, and others during the guided cycling excursions.
Horseback riding
Horseback rides offer amazing insights into Lake Mburo National Park. Visitors get a chance to navigate via enriching trails while viewing some of the interesting animals, especially antelopes and birds.
When to visit
Expect to embark on a safari to Lake Mburo National Park at any time of the year although the most preferred period is the peak dry season. A visitor can opt to travel during the long dry season, which is June to September, or book a trip in the short dry season from December to February. It is also possible to book a wildlife tour during the wet or rainy season (off-peak months), and you can explore the best of Lake Mburo National Park.
Where to Stay (in & around Lake Mburo)
The available lodging alternatives to consider booking for an overnight stay in and around Lake Mburo National Park range from budget, midrange, and luxury. The accommodation facilities include Lake Mburo Luxury Tented Camp, Mburo Eagles Nest, Mihingo Lodge, Kigambira Safari Lodge, Hyena Hill Lodge, and Rwakobo Rock. You can also stay in Lake Safari Lodge, Rwonyo Rest Camp, Arcadia Cottages, and others.
Getting to Lake Mburo for a Trip
Plan how to get to Lake Mburo National Park to begin your vacation. The possible access options include road and air. By road travel, you can enjoy a 4 to 5-hour drive through the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara route. Access the Park via the Sanga Trading Center/Nshara gate. Using a domestic flight, you can set off from the Entebbe International Airport to Mbarara Airstrip, where you can drive for 30km to reach the park.
In conclusion, Lake Mburo National Park offers unforgettable wildlife encounters, more so abundant zebra and impalas/antelopes. Book a tour to Lake Mburo to enjoy sights of diverse savanna species of animals.