Visit Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park

Visit Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park: Lake Mburo National Park is only one of several parks in Uganda that you should not miss when on Uganda safari. Lake Mburo National Park, although Uganda’s smallest savannah national park, has a lot to offer visitors. The national park has a radius of around 370 square kilometers, and marshes cover nearly 20% of the area. The park is located between 1,220 and 1,828 meters above sea level.

Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda was established in 1933 as a restricted hunting field. Subsequently, in 1963, it was designated as a game reserve. It was later designated a national park in 1983.

The national park is located in the Mbarara region in southern Uganda, around 240 kilometers from Kampala city center. The park is now maintained by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, a government entity that also oversees the country’s other 11 national parks.

The park is an amazing safari location with 5 lakes, a beautifully curving topography, lush green hills, and both seasonal and permanent wetlands. Because there are no elephants to feed on, the national park is covered with savannah woods.

You will have the opportunity to see the breath-taking savannah vegetation, rocky ridges, wooded savannah forests, patches of papyrus swamp, and narrow bands of riparian woodland which is quite dominant around the lake areas in the national park while exploring the western part of Lake Mburo national park. You will also be able to witness dense shrubs, rocky outcrops, acacia savannah flora, and a diversity of plant species.

The national park is thought to have gotten its name from a mythology about two brothers named Kigarama and Mburo, after whom the park is named. According to history, these two brothers from the Ankole Kingdom dwelt in the national park’s valleys. Kigarama had a terrifying dream one dark night in which a torrent filled the entire valley and murdered him and his brother, Mburo. Kigarama, shaken as he was, determined to warn Mburo and persuade him to leave his valley home.

Sadly, his cautions seemed to fall on deaf ears, as Mburo ignored whatever Kigarama said. According to legend, the valley did actually flood, generating the modern Lake Mburo. Because of this old folk legend, the lake was named Mburo, and the surrounding hills were named Kigarama in honor of the two brothers.

Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda is home to around 69 animal species and over 313 bird species. Antelopes, impalas, Sitatunga, waterbucks, reedbucks, crocodiles, hippos, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, and the yellow papyrus gonolek are among the spectacular animal species that you are likely to witness at the national park.

If you are a bird enthusiast, Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda is the ideal location for your birding trip. The national park is home to a variety of bird species, including the emerald spotted wood dove, crested francolin, brown parrot, uncommon white-winged warbler, and rare shoebill stork, to name a few.

You may also see the ‘cassia tree,’ a popular and distinctive tourist attraction at Lake Mburo National Park. This tree is thought to have significant aphrodisiac properties and is commonly utilized as a herbal cure by the natives.

What to do during your visit to Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park.

Game Drive Safaris.

The national park provides guests with one-of-a-kind game-driving experiences. Guests may choose between a morning game drive, which begins at 6 a.m. every day, and an evening game drive, which begins at 6 p.m. every day. Evening or night game drives at Lake Mburo National Park are perfect for spotting the park’s nocturnal wildlife such as leopards, potto, and bush babies, among others.

Sport Fishing

Sport fishing activities are available in Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda during your stay. Sport fishing tours in Lake Mburo National Park is possible in any of the park’s five lakes. There are roughly six distinct fish species that may be caught in Lake Mburo national park, including tilapia, lungfish, haplochromines, catfish, and mudfish, to name a few. The park also hosts yearly sport fishing contests, which draw visitors from all over the world.

Horseback Riding.

You may also ride your horse around the national park. Mihingo Lodge provides horseback riding excursions in Lake Mburo National Park, which typically last 2 to 5 hours depending on your riding skill.

Apart from horseback riding, the park also provides hiking and guided nature tours to tourists. This gives you the opportunity to go around the park. You will be escorted by a knowledgeable park guide. Nature hikes and trekking activities in the park last around two hours and begin at 7 a.m. every day.

Boat Trips on Lake Mburo.

A trip to Uganda’s Lake Mburo national park is never complete without a boat ride on the lake. A boat ride on Lake Mburo will allow you to explore the lake’s eastern sides, where you will have a good chance of seeing spectacular birds such as the highly sought-after shoebill stork and the uncommon fin-foot, to name a few. The park’s launch trips run two hours and may be taken in the morning or afternoon.

Biking/Cycling and Community Cultural Tours.

Biking or cycling and community culture excursions are two more activities available during your visit to the national park. Community cultural trips in the national park will allow you to learn about some of Uganda’s diverse ethnic traditions. You will be able to see several unique and intriguing ethnic groups that reside around the national park while on a cultural excursion to Lake Mburo, such as the Banyankore, Bairu, and Bahima.

Where to Stay during your visit to Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park.

If you want to spend a night or two at Lake Mburo National Park, you may stay at the following lodges: Mihingo Safari Lodge, Rwonyo Rest Camp, Mburo Safari Lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Ssana Community Lodge, and Eagles’ Nest, among others.

How to Get to Lake Mburo National Park.

Finally, Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda is accessible by road and air. By car, the journey from Kampala to the park takes roughly 3½ hours. The national park is also accessible through Ishaka and Mbarara from Queen Elizabeth National Park, making it a handy location to visit following a chimpanzee and wildlife safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park.

You can also fly to the Lake Mburo National Park. Aerolink, for example, operates domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport to Lake Mburo National Park. Depending on the aircraft route, air transfers to the national park might take anywhere from 1½ to 2 hours.