Lake Mburo National Park is a compact wildlife 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 is home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck.
Together with 13 other lakes in the area, Lake Mburo National Park 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, 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 National Park covers 260 kms; it is situated in Mbarara District, with an altitude range from of 1220m to 1828m above sea level. The park is named after the lake which lies in this territory.
Wildlife
This little safari park hosts a variety of animals, that is to say 68 mammal species, including the newly introduced Giraffes, a large number of impalas, antelope the origin of “Kampala’s” name, Uganda Kobs, zebras, Ankole cattle, buffaloes, topis, leopards, spotted hyenas, waterbucks, warthogs, oribi, bushbucks, duikers.
There are 315 bird species, including red faced barbet, crested crane, shoebill stork, and papyrus yellow warbler. The vegetation is dominated by an open Savannah of Acacia trees, Olea and Boscia.
Activities in Lake Mburo National Park
The famous boat cruise on Lake Mburo, to see crocodiles, hippos, cormorants, fish eagle, pelicans, herons and many birds’ species. Game drives along the Park to see the animals the Impala, Zebra, Kazuma or Lakeside tracks).
Nature walk-foot safaris and bird watching Horse biking, cycling and visit to communities and cultural sites like the Igongo cultural centre which provide good stopover to tourists.
Recommended Lake Mburo Safari: 3 Days Lake Mburo Wildlife Tour
How to get there
Lake Mburo National Park lies between the towns of Masaka and Mbarara in western Uganda, 228km from Kampala – about 3½ hrs drive. Two gates enter the park from the Mbarara road.
Approaching from Kampala, the turning to Nshara gate is 13kms past Lyantonde. The junction for Sanga gate is at Sanga trading centre, 27kms past Lyantonde. Both junctions are clearly signposted. It is about 20 minutes drive from either gate to Rwonyo.