Best way to Experience Lake Mburo National Park & Activities

Lake Mburo National Park is located in Western Uganda and the closest park to and this makes it the smallest savannah park in Uganda underlaid by pre-Cambrian granitic rocks and sandy soils.

Animals in Lake Mburo National Park

The area was initially a settlement for the Banyankole/Bahima pastoralists. Lake Mburo National Park was first gazetted in 1933 as a hunting area and later it was elevated to a game reserve in 1963. In 1983, it was upgraded to a national park. Lake Mburo National Park is one of the parks in Uganda where the local communities co-exist with the animals.

Lake Mburo National Park is an ideal destination for tourists who wish to make stopovers while transferring from Kampala to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or to Kibale Forest National Park.

Nature Walk/Walking safari

Lake Mburo National Park is the only park in Uganda that offers walking safaris within the park. The guided walks can be taken anywhere in the park with an armed game ranger and get a close encounter with the animals. The walk trails are rich in bird species. The viewing platform in Lake Mburo is also an excellent place to see a wide variety of animals.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority rangers will guide through the whole world of Lake Mburo National park and view the fourteen lakes of the park. Under the instruction of the local guides, you can also do eland tracking during the walk.

Boat cruise

A boat cruise is one of the popular activities in Lake Mburo National Park that unveils you to good sightings of hippos, crocodiles, buffalos, waterbucks and it is also worth looking out for the water birds like African fish eagle, African finfoot, marabou stork, pied kingfisher, and various egrets and herons. Some bird species like Narina trogon and Ross’s turaco may be seen on the lakeside. All seasons are favorable for a visitor to do the boat cruise, but the best time is during the dry season.

Birding

African Fish Eagle / African Sea Eagle
(Haliaeetus Vocifer) Perched, in a majestic pose. Lake Mburo, Uganda

Lake Mburo National Park is one of the best birding destinations in Uganda with a variety of bird species. Birds can be spotted on a nature walk, game drive, or boat cruise, and some of these include; Coqui Francolin, Black-bellied Bustard, Red-faced Barbet, Dusky Lark, Crested Barbet, Brown-chested Lapwing, and others. Rubanga forest is also an ideal place for bird spotting.

Game drive

Lake Mburo National Park has both day and night game drives. Game drives can be done in several tracks in the park passing through the savannah. Some of the tracks have a high concentration of wild animals compared to the others. Depending on the track you decide to use, you can see animals like klipspringers, Burchell’s zebra, impalas, eland, buffalos, elephants, giraffes, waterbucks.

Night game drives are taken in the company of an armed game ranger in searches of nocturnal animals like hyenas, bush babies, and leopards.

Igongo Cultural Centre and Museum

Igongo cultural center is a fine museum that should be visited on your Lake Mburo National Park safari. The museum exhibits the culture of Ankole and Bakiga. There are displays in the museum showcasing the history and culture of Banyankole and Bakiga with their different ways of living, dressing, musical instruments, and agricultural practices.

Cattle grazing experience

Lake Mburo national park has local people called Banyankole and Bahima who settled in the area having large numbers of cattle grazing around. Cattle grazing experience gives the tourist a beautiful moment to interact with local people and find out more about the characteristics of Ankle long-horned cattle. These long-horned cattle have a local name called “Inyambo”.

Cultural experience

Visiting Lake Mburo National Park, you get an opportunity to encounter the local people who live within the park and explore their culture by participating in some activities like animal grazing, preparing local meals, and getting entertained by the traditional local dancers.

Sportfishing

One requires a fishing permit in order to participate in the fishing experience done on the different lakes in Lake Mburo National Park. Some of the fish species that can be caught include; tilapia, mudfish, and lungfish.

Bicycle tours

Cycling in Lake Mburo National Park is an adventurous activity that is taken in flat areas and hilly areas of the park in the company of an armed game ranger who ensures the safety of the cyclists. The experience grants you a chance to get close to the wildlife including Burchell’s zebras, elands, impalas, hippos, elephants and you may spot some bird species as you cycle through the savannah grasslands.

Horseback riding

Horseback riding is a unique way to explore the park exposing you to amazing scenery and several animal species like impalas, elands, Burchell’s zebras, topis, waterbucks, and many more.