Lake Mburo

Destination

About Lake Mburo

Wetland habitats comprise 20% of the park’s surface

The parks’ precarious past has seen wildlife virtually eliminated several times: firstly, in various attempts to rid the region of tsetse flies, then to make way for ranches, and finally as a result of subsistence poaching.

20% of the park’s entrance fee is used to fund local community projects such as building clinics and schools.

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 and underlain by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back more than 500 million years. It’s a home to 350 bird species as well as zebras, impalas, elands, buffalos, waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena 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, this supports the healthy population of Buffalos, Wathhog, bushpig and hippopotamus. 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 lakes.

Lake Mburo is notably blessed with over 315 bird species and probably the best place to view acacia-associated birds, Rwonyo is a good zone to see the mosque swallow, black bellied bustard, bare-faced-go away bird and Rappel’s starling. A handful of birds is recorded essentially the southern ground hornbill and black throated bar.

UWA is Uganda’s Government agency respons ible for the management and protection of Wildlife in and outside protected areas. The agency is supervised by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.

Activities

There are various exciting and mind blowing activities done at Lake Mburo

Activities include:

Nature Walks

Nature walks in Lake Mburo National Park are unlike any other. Often accessible every day of the week, tourists are led by one of UWA’s expert ranger guides bringing them a lot closer to the wonders of the wild. A safari on foot presents a whole new perspective and appreciation of the wild. It is an opportunity to see the calmness of the wildlife away from the conventional safari jeep. Our most popular walks lead through the Eland track where you can expect to see large herds of eland and our healthy population of Giraffes and plenty of other wildlife. Other walks are towards the salt lick at Rwonyo ,Rubanga forest, and along the shores of the lake. Nature walks begin between 6:30 am and 7:00 am and last about 2 hours or more depending on your interests.

Day Game Drives

Our finely-knit trail of game drive tracks is deliberately designed to immerse you in the wildest spots of this compact gem. During the game drives, you will be able to enjoy the park’s various landscapes and vegetation. Some of the wildlife to expect includes giraffes, zebras, impalas, klipspringers, buffalo, hyenas, mongooses, oribis, reedbucks, and more.

Night Game Drives

Lake Mburo National Park is one of the few national parks where we offer night game drives. From underneath the cover of the night come some of the park’s most sought-after wildlife. Accompanied by our ranger guides the game drives start at 7:00 pm and last up to 3 hours. Some of the wildlife to expect to see include nocturnal celebrities like the leopard as well as spotted hyenas, genets, bush babies, porcupines, and more. Your ranger guide may use a spotlight to assist in identifying some of this sometimes hard-to-see wildlife.

Boat Cruises

We operate daily boat trip schedules on Lake Mburo, the water body after which the park is named. Launch trips depart every 2 hours and last up to 2 hours allowing guests to relax while viewing wildlife much closer than they would in a safari jeep. Some of the wildlife to expect includes hippos, crocodiles, as well as plenty of water birds like the African fish eagle, several types of kingfishers, and the only place to see the African fin foot.

Birding

Lake Mburo National Park is a famous birding spot with over 350 bird species in this rather small protected area. Birding adventures can be enjoyed in the car, on a boat, or even more exciting on foot. Birds are not hard to find and some of the species that top the list include the White-winged Warbler, Papyrus gonolek, Red-faced Barbet, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Verreaux’s eagle, Saddle-billed stork, and the only place to spot the African fin foot.

Horseback Safaris

Offered by one of our concessionaires, horseback safaris in a national park are an incredible way to experience the African wilderness. Riding one of the well-trained horses close to herds of buffalo, zebras, antelopes and other wildlife is as unique as it sounds. Two guides will often accompany tourists.

Cycling Safaris

Cycling safaris are customized to the interests and abilities of various tourists. Trips can range from 1 hour to as long as you can ride although the cooler hours of the day, especially in the early mornings. Abundant wildlife is often found in flat valleys which not only make visibility easier but cycling strenuous. We assign a ranger guide to lead the escapade and to ensure the safety of the tourist.

Accomodation

Mburo safari Lodge

Mburo safari lodge is a luxury eco-friendly lodge situated in the eastern regions of Lake Mburo National Park just a few miles from Nshara gate, this lodge found in a very accessible area and offer stylish, luxurious and comfortable accommodation facilities and other service you need as a tourist.

Mburo Safaris lodge offers luxurious and comfortable accommodation through the main lodge, cottages and honeymoon house, all the accommodation facilities in the lodge are established on a raised wooden platform with grass thatched roofs. Each room of either a cottage or main lodge is equipped with clean private en-suite bathrooms with hot showers and toilets, also each of the rooms have private balconies, handcrafted wooden furniture, walk ways to the private balcony, wardrobes, comfortable king sized beds with mosquito nets and some cottages have full kitchens.

All cottages are situated in a private area consisting of glass doors which leads to a screened porch, because of the high level of privacy you can draw your curtains open in the morning to enjoy an early morning sun rise.

Rwakobo rock Lodge

Rwakobo rock lodge is a breathtaking mid-range accommodation facility offering accommodation, meals and other services to tourist in Lake Mburo national park a spectacular tourist destination which frequently visited by any tourists. Rwakobo is one of the eco-friendly facilities situated on the out skirts of Lake Mburo national Park, the lodge is situated on Rwakobo rock a magnificent scenic out crop surrounded by an extension of savannah landscape.

Rwakobo rock is located 1.5 kilometers from Nshara gate of Lake Mburo national park, getting to the lodge is a very adventurous expedition itself as you encounter herds of Ankole cattle grazing and roaming in Nshara ranch a government owned ranch. Being close to Lake Mburo national park makes Rwakobo rock lodge a perfect accommodation facility for you while on your Safari in Lake Mburo national park.