Lake Mburo National Park - Facts & Safari Guide

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Lake Mburo National Park is within a 4-hour drive from Uganda’s capital, Kampala, and a perfect place for viewing wildlife on foot. The dominant lake’s shores are forest-fringed with rolling hills on all sides and is scenically similar to Kenya‘s more celebrated Lake Naivasha.

So, you don’t need to think so hard about how to find your way to this hidden capital of impalas. In this guide, therefore, we have shared every important detail to help you plan an unforgettable safari in Lake Mburo National Park.

Lake Mburo National Park at a Glance
Wildlife in Lake Mburo National Park
Activities in Lake Mburo National Park
Best time to Visit Lake Mburo National Park
Getting to Lake Mburo National Park
Where to stay in Lake Mburo National Park
Ready for an adventure?

Lake Mburo National Park at a Glance

Lake Mburo National Park is a small (although not the smallest) savannah wildlife park located in Western Uganda, 30 km (19 mi) east of Mbarara and 240 km (150 mi) west of Kampala. It was first gazetted in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and awarded national park status in 1983.

Lake Mburo National Park’s strategic location, not far from the highway that connects Kampala to wildlife parks of the western circuit, makes it a perfect stop for long drives to these parks.

The 260-square-kilometer park is the only protected area in southwestern Uganda known to host zebras. It is also the only home of impalas, slender mongooses, giant bush rats, and large herds of giraffes in Uganda.

A diverse mosaic of habitats, including rich acacia-woodland, grassy valleys, seasonal wetlands, and permanent wetlands are home to an abundance of wildlife. A vast expanse of the park is covered by woodland since there are no elephants to tame the vegetation.

Wildlife in Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park boasts a diversity of animal species that concentrate in various situations. These include large herds of zebras, impalas, elands, buffalos, oribis, Defassa waterbucks, topis, sitatunga, reedbucks, and hippos. Predators include leopards, hyenas, genets, civets, jackals, and serval cats. Since 2015, Mburo has been home to 15 endangered Rothschild’s giraffes.

Lake Mburo is home to the highest concentration of leopards ever recorded. It is a perfect leopard habitat and the presence of thousands of impalas is the reason why this predator does thrive here.

Leopards, bushpigs (widespread but rarely seen), jennet cats, white-tailed mongooses and hyenas are usually sighted during night game drives. The bushbaby (long-tailed galago) is notable around Mihingo Lodge. This is one of the only reserves in Africa where you can spot this very shy nocturnal primate up close.

Birds

Lake Mburo’s wide variety of habitats host over 315 species of birds and is the best place to see acacia-associated birds. Rwonyo is a good zone to see the mosque swallow, black-bellied bustard, bare-faced go-away bird and Ruppell’s starling, African finfoot and white-backed heron.

One is able to sermon the rarely seen papyrus gonolek using a recorded bird call and appears at the edge of the papyrus. The prehistoric shoebill stork and gray-crowned cranes usually breed and raise their fluffy chicks in swampy areas of the valleys in wet seasons.

African fish eagles, Ross’s turaco, Narina trogon, African green pigeons, and the bare-faced go-away bird are usually seen around Mihingo Lodge.

Activities in Lake Mburo National Park

1. Game drives

The finely knit tracks are deliberately designed to allow access to the wildest spots of the park. So, expect to have game drives as the prime activity on a typical wildlife safari in Lake Mburo National Park. Game drives offer visitors excellent opportunities to sight some of the park’s wildlife species and spectacular landscape.

They are led by armed ranger guides who help identify the different species of animal and birds and ensure the activity goes as planned. Morning game drives usually start at 6:30 a.m., while afternoon game drives start at around 3:00 p.m., both lasting up to 4 hours.

2. Night game drives

Lake Mburo is one of the few parks where night game drives are offered to visitors. From underneath the cover of the night comes some of the park’s most sought-after wildlife. The game drives start at 7:00 p.m. and last up to 3 hours under the watchful eye of expert ranger guides.

Expect to spot nocturnal residents such as spotted hyenas, leopards, genets, porcupines, bushbabies, and more. Spotlights are normally used to assist in identifying some of the sometimes hard-to-see wildlife.

3. Boat cruise

A boat cruise is another rewarding activity while on a safari in Lake Mburo National Park. It helps visitors unlock the wonders this remarkable park has to offer especially during the dry season when most residents rush to the lake shores to get a drink.

Daily trips depart every 2 hours allowing visitors to relax while observing wildlife up-close than they would in a safari vehicle.

Expect to spot hippos, crocodiles, zebras, antelopes as well as plenty of water birds like the African fish eagle, several types of kingfishers, blue-headed weavers, cormorants, green-necked doves, hammerkops, herons, pelicans, Rufous long-tailed starlings and shoebill storks.

4. Birding

Lake Mburo has increasingly become an avid birders’ paradise, with visitors frequently storming this rather small, protected area. The park hosts over 300 bird species, some of which are endemic to Lake Mburo.

Birding adventures can be enjoyed on game drives, boat cruise, or even more excitingly on foot at some of the most distinct bird viewing points, like the salt lick area, Lubanga forest, swampy valleys of Mariti, Rwonyo camp, and at the roadsides.

Birds are not hard to find, and some of the most notable species that top the list are the white-winged warbler, papyrus gonolek, red-faced barbet, Abyssinian ground hornbill, verreaux’s eagle, Saddle-billed stork, kingfishers, African Fish Eagles, Nubian Woodpecker, White Parrot, Red-shouldered Tit, Black Bellied Bustard, Yellow Breasted Apalis, Long-tailed Cisticola, and the African finfoot.

5. Nature walk

A safari on foot reveals a whole new perspective and understanding of the wild. Nature walks offer the opportunity to see the calmness of wildlife away from the conventional safari vehicle. Visitors are led by expert ranger guides and brought a lot closer to the wild.

The most popular walks lead through the Eland track where you can expect to see large herds of eland, a healthy population of giraffes, and plenty of other wildlife. Other walks are conducted at the salt lick in Rwonyo, in Rubanga forest, and along the shores of the lake. Nature walks normally start between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and last about 2 hours or more, depending on your interests.

6. Horseback safaris

Horseback safaris are another unique way of viewing wildlife and experiencing the wilderness. They are offered by Mihingo Lodge and you’ll be riding one of the well-trained horses close to herds of buffalo, zebras, antelopes, and other wildlife. Two armed ranger guides usually accompany visitors and the excursion takes 1-3 hours as you explore the beauty of the park.

7. Sport fishing

Fishing is yet another activity carried out at Lake Mburo. The park’s five lakes offer excellent opportunities for fishing adventures. Although anglers are likely to catch several other fish species, tilapia remains the most common. Visitors going to carry out the activity are advised to carry their own fishing gear.

8. Cycling safaris

Cycling safaris are customized to the interests and abilities of various visitors. 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, are more favorable.

Abundant wildlife is often found in flat valleys, which not only make visibility easier but also make cycling less strenuous. A ranger guide is usually assigned to lead the escapade and ensure the safety of the visitors.

9. Community/cultural visits

Lake Mburo sits in the heart of Ankole region. These human settlements have lived adjacent to the wildlife reserve for several years. As a result, community and cultural tours have come up, fusing and becoming fantastic additions to the contemporary wildlife safari.

Visitors can embark on an Ankole farm walk and experience the life of the Banyankole, including traditional hand milking of the famous Ankole long-horned cattle.

Best time to Visit Lake Mburo National Park

The best time to visit Lake Mburo is during the dry season of June to August and December to January, as most travelers would rather avoid the high chances of drenching in the rain during the wet seasons. Wildlife viewing is excellent and animals are mostly concentrated around waterholes, making it easy to spot them.

The wet seasons of March to May and September to November also offer excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Bird watching is also excellent at this time of year, with many migratory and endemic birds.

Getting to Lake Mburo National Park

By Road

Lake Mburo National Park is the closest of all Uganda’s national parks to the capital, Kampala. The park is mainly accessed by road over a 228-kilometer (about 3 ½ hour) trip. From Kampala, travelers can access the park through two gates.

The first branch off on the left leads to the Nshara Gate at about 5 kilometers driving distance. The second is at Sanga Trading Center, about 13 kilometers driving distance from the park’s Sanga Gate. The gates are only 2 kilometers from the park’s headquarters in Rwonyo.

By Air

There are no scheduled flights to Lake Mburo National Park. Visitors usually charter flights from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Mbarara Airstrip through one of the domestic carriers and then transfer by road to the park for a short distance. The flight is approximately 1½ hours.

Where to stay in Lake Mburo National Park

Accommodation in Lake Mburo ranges from budget, mid-range, to luxury categories. This great diversity offers accommodation options for all travelers within the park, irrespective of their safari budget. Visitors are able to find accommodation within the game park and in nearby towns like Mbarara and Lyantonde.

There are 3 public campsites at the Rwonyo park headquarters and luxury hotels like Manatana Luxury tented camp and Mihingo Lodge.