Lake Mburo National Park rests on 260 sq. km being the smallest of the Uganda’s savanna National Parks. Its mosaic habitat, dry hillside, rocky outcrops, bushes thickets, open and wooded savanna forests, lakes and swamps are home to a surprising diversity of plants and animals.
Lake Mburo is situated in Mbarara district. It is about 3.5 hours drive from Kampala. Lake Mburo is the best place in the country to see the gigantic eland antelope, as well as zebra, topi, impala, and several acacia-associated birds.
The numerous lakes within the park attract lots of aquatic life such as hippos, crocodiles and a variety of water birds, while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek.
The park is very unique place for its richness in biodiversity. It has about 68 different species of mammals. The common ones are zebras, impalas, and buffaloes, topis and elands that are herbivores and leopards, hyenas and jackals that are predators. The park also has more than 315 different species of birds including the rare shoebill stork, papyrus yellow warbler, African fin foot, saddle billed stork, brown chested wattled plover, curruther’s cisticola, tabora cisticola, great snipe, Abyssinian ground hornbill and white winged warbler. Every part of it is alive with a variety, interest and colour.
Mburo’s Diversity and Tour activities
Birdlife Mburo
Mburo is endowed with 313 different bird species including the White-winged Warbler and the rare Shoebill stork .Other species to spot out include the Blue-napped Mousebird, Lilac-breasted Roller,African-grey Hornbill, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola a drive towards Rwonyo camp may reveal;.Coqui Francolin, Rednecked spurfowl, Black Bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African-wattled Plover Rufous napped and Flappet larks, Rufuos chested Swallow ,Yellow-throated Long claw and Southern Red Bishop,Crested Francolin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away bird, Rednecked Spur, common Quails, Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe.
Flora and Fauna
Lake Mburo National Park is famous for its richness in biodiversity. It has about 68 different species of mammals. The common ones are zebras, impalas, and buffaloes, topis and elands that are herbivores and leopards, hyenas and jackals that are predators. The park also has more than 315 different species of birds including the rare shoebill stork, papyrus yellow warbler, African fin foot, saddle billed stork, brown chested wattled plover, curruther’s cisticola, tabora cisticola, great snipe, abyssinian ground hornbill and white winged warbler.
Acacia species, Olea species and Boscia species dominate the woody vegetation of Lake Mburo.
Game Drives
The Park has a number of tourist tracks that are used for game drives. The Kazuma track passes through wooded grassland where black-bellied buatards often patrol the area. For visitors to experience a real exposure of Lake Mburo National Park, they should climb Kazuma hill, which is high enough to enable them see what they could have missed. The five lakes within the park and the rolling hills become more visible and attractive therefore it is better seen than read.
Impala track exposes the tourists to a diverse species of animals. Impala is the most common species viewed along this track although one may sight a number of waterbucks, warthogs, topis and zebras.
Zebra track leads to harems of burchell’s zebra (Equus burchelli) with other species like bushbucks, oribi and reedbucks. The zebra track leads to the junction of Roroko track, a drive through a wetland basin and thick acacia shrub and woodland with olive trees and eurphorbia species. Kopjes (rock outcrops) found along the Roroko track, are home to elusive klipsringers to which the rock is the habitat.
Nature / Forest walks
The walk provides an opportunity to visitor to admire attractive nature insight. In Rubanga forest offers a variety of habitats for birdlife thus making it very attractive for birding activity.
With 40 species of birds identified in Rubanga, of which five are forest birds. Other common species are the Grey-backed cameroptera, harrier hawk, green pigeon, narina trogn, and double-toothed barbet.
Boat Cruises
A lot can be viewed and enjoyed during the boat cruise , the crocodiles, Hippopotamuses and birds like Pelicans, Black Crake, Heron, Cormorant, Fish Eagle. The boat ride takes 2 hours maximum, however arrangements can be made for an extra time with management at an extra affordable cost.
Contact us to know more about the tourist activities you can do in Lake Mburo National Park.
Accommodation
Mihingo safari lodge, the luxurious facility located within the park with high class services and facilities. A more luxury accommodation is provided at the Mantana Luxury Tented Camp, Rwakobo Safari Lodge, Lake Mburo Safari Lodge, Arcadia cottages and Eagles Nest Lake Mburo are ideal and budget friendly safari lodges for your comfort and relaxation
Access
Lake Mburo National Park is found in Mbarara district, 3.5 hours drive from Kampala on Mbarara Kampala highway. Turn left at 13 km (Akageti) past Lyantonde, which then brings you to Sanga gate. Both junctions have clearly labeled signposts. It is 13 km from Sanga trading center of Sanga gate, 5 km from the main road to Nshara gate and about 20 minutes drive from Rwonyo Park Head Quarters.