Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is located a 3-hour drive from the capital, Kampala. The park can be reached within 6 hours from the southwest Gorilla trekking forest. It is often a relaxing end to a Ugandan Lake Mburo National Park has unique wildlife.

With a total size of around 260 square kilometers, Lake Mburo is Uganda’s smallest game park, yet it is nonetheless home to a variety of natural wonders. This is the only protected area in western Uganda that is home to impalas, zebras, giraffes, and elands.

What makes Lake Mburo so unique is that this is the only park in Uganda where you can do a walking safari, or you could also do a horse ride.

What you should not miss is the boat cruise on Lake Mburo. The slogan of Lake Mburo National Park is “Whispers of the Wild”. Indeed, the sighing of wind in the grasses and trees brings peace to the city-worn soul. If you live in Kampala, then Lake Mburo is also a great place for a weekend getaway.

Activities in Lake Mburo

Walking Safari

Put on your comfortable walking shoes, a backpack, and bring plenty of water!

During the walking safari in Lake Mburo National Park, you will walk in search of wild animals in the park under the guidance of an experienced ranger. Giraffes, Zebras, buffalos, hyenas, and beautiful antelope species come to greet you up close. This is a unique experience that is only possible at a limited number of locations in Uganda.

cycling tours

Cycling tours in Lake Mburo National Park offer a unique opportunity to move amongst the wild animals and enjoy the consistently beautiful view.

It is perfect for the sporty traveler! The cycling tour is challenging due to the height differences in Lake Mburo National Park.

Do you have doubts about your physical condition in combination with this excursion? The travel specialists will be happy to offer you further information in a personal conversation.

 Horseback Safari

The horseback safari is a thrilling adventure for both beginners and advanced riders.

There is no better way to get close to the beautiful wildlife of Lake Mburo National Park than with another animal, which is why you can get really close to the animals during the horse riding safari. Please note that for this excursion, a maximum weight of 90 kilograms applies per person. The extension can only be booked in advance or on-site through your guide.

 Day Game Drive

There are several beautiful drives to tour in the park, either heading out yourself with a map or with a guide. Research Track is one of our favorite drives where you are likely to see buffalo wallowing in the mud, Zebra, Impala, Topi, bushbuck, reedbuck, Oribi, and Warthog.

For spectacular views, park at the bottom of Kazuma Lookout and walk up to the top; from here, the view is stunning and you can see 5 lakes, including Lake Mburo. For some 4 x 4 driving during the rainy season, the Eland track is the most challenging.

Night game drives

The night safari in Lake Mburo National Park starts when it starts to get dark, before your dinner starts. A professional ranger, who lives in the park, will accompany you.

He or she will look for night-dwelling creatures with a large lamp. Of course, help during spotting is always welcome.

A night safari is special because of the chance to see animals that are not or hardly active during the day, such as leopards, genets, bush babies, spotted hyenas, and porcupines.

 Boat Cruise On Lake Mburo

Lake Mburo National Park also takes to the water in Lake Mburo on a 2-hour boat cruise, which allows you the chance to watch hippos and crocodiles, hear the iconic call of the African fish eagle, and seek out exciting wetland birds. Private cruises can also be organized.

 Bird Watching

Birding in Lake Mburo National Park can be done on a game drive, a boat cruise, or a nature walk.

Cultural Visits

You can take a walk or a bike ride over to a traditional Bahima Banyankole homestead to learn about their cultural traditions and their way of life.

Activities include learning about the Ankole long-horned cattle with a chance to try your hand at milking, understanding the ghee-making process, tasting milk, and much more.

This adventure includes a nature walk or bike ride across grazing land, where wildlife and livestock mingle together, to the homestead and back again. Alternatively, you can ride a mountain bike to a nearby fishing village and see how the people live.

Attractions In Lake Mburo

Wildlife

Over 68 species of mammals live in Lake Mburo National Park. The park is the only one in Uganda Wildlife Safaris with impalas, klipspringers, and the gigantic Eland antelopes.

The beautiful Plains Zebras, which are found in only one other Ugandan park, Kipedo Valley National Park, live here in large numbers, estimated at 5,000. Lake Mburo also possibly contains the highest concentration of leopards found anywhere in Uganda.

The mighty African buffalo is also easy to see in the open savanna and near water sources. The lakes support about 300 hippos and a heap of Nile crocodiles. Three other species frolic in the lakes’ waters: Congo clawless, Cape clawless, and the spotted-neck otter.

A group of Rothschild’s Giraffes was brought into the park in 2015, thus improving the diversity of wildlife in the park. It is also home to the vervet monkey, olive baboon, and bush baby. Other animals that inhabit the park include warthog, bushbuck, topi, oribi, Bohor reedbuck, Statunga, spotted hyena, genet, and bush pig.

Birds

There are over 300 bird species recorded in the park, many of which are associated with the acacia and water habitats in the park.

Lake Mburo has given many birders their first exciting glimpse of the elusive African Finfoot with its bright red, big feet, or the sighting of the Brown-chested lapwing that arrives in November to hang out on the zebra trails.

The park’s woodlands support the near-threatened Red-faced barbet.

There is also an opportunity to watch the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork, standing still at the water’s edge. Lake Mburo National Park has some of Uganda’s highest concentration of raptors (35 species), including the African Fish Eagle, Lappet-faced Vulture, Brown Snake Eagle, Bateleur, and African Harrier Hawk.

Other bird species with names that roll off the tongue include the:

• Green-winged pytilia
• Papyrus yellow warbler
• African paradise flycatcher
• Black-headed Gonolek
• Rufus-bellied heron
• Ross’s Turaco
• Narina trogon
• Lilac-breasted Roller
• Green Wood Hoopoe
• Common Scimitarbill
• Coqui Francolin
• White-backed heron

Where To Stay In Lake Mburo National Park

Keen on touring Lake Mburo National Park for your next safari? The park offers a variety of accommodation options available inside and outside the national park boundaries, from budget, mid-range to luxury options. The best places to stay include:

 Mhingo lodge-Luxury

Kigambira Safari Lodge – Semi luxury

Rwakobo Rock – Midrange

Eagles Nest Mburo – Budget

Leopard Rest Camp – Budget