Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is one of the smaller Ugandan national parks at 370 square kilometres, and the smallest Savannah national park overall. There are 5 lakes that fall within the parks boundaries, Lake Mburo being the largest and most prominent.

Lake Mburo National Park is located in Kiruhura District in the Western Region of Uganda.

Lake Mburo National Park brings a great deal of fishing interest, with 6 species of fish to be caught and Tilapia being the most common. The best spot to fish is at Mazinga but visitors planning to fish here should bring their own equipment and make sure to obtain a permit from Uganda wildlife Authority.

It is worth noting that this park is the only place where you can spot impalas in Uganda, and one of the few places that Eland can also be found. Other prominent species that you can find would be: Waterbuck, Burchell’s zebra, leopard (which are mostly found at night), oribi, hippo and crocodile.

Herds of buffalo can be seen roaming the area and sometimes sitatunga, which are highly adapted, will be found in the marshland.

As for birds, you can see the Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, papyrus yellow warbler, mosque swallow, greater painted-snipe, blue-headed coucal, african scops owl, hairy-breasted barbet and many others.

Animal Life

Due to the varying terrain, Lake Mburo sports wildlife that congregates in various environments. Zebras, hippos, warthog, African buffalo, jackal, African leopard, waterbuck, Oribi, sitatunga, Bushbuck.

Unique sighting: – Impala

Some of the more interesting bird sights to see include the Rufous-bellied Heron, bateleur, Coqui Francolin, grey crowned crane, black-bellied bustard, brown-chested lapwing, emerald-spotted wood-dove, brown parrot, red-headed lovebird, Ross’s turaco, bare-faced go-away-bird, green wood-hoopoe.

You may also encounter common scimitarbill, white-headed barbet, red-faced barbet, nubian woodpecker, red-shouldered cuckoo-shrike, long-tailed cisticola, yellow-breasted apalis, white-winged tit, finfoot, green pigeon, shoebill stork, harrier hawk, narina trogon, grey-backed cameroptera and the double-toothed barbet.

Activities and Culture

Wildlife Game Drives

Game Drives through the Park allow you to see many animals and birds.

Lake Mburo is the only park in Uganda with Impala Antelopes, the only park in Western Uganda where you find Burchell Zebra.

Game drives are occasionally rewarded with with leopards and lions.

The scenery is of rolling hills, lakes and swamps, where the Tanzanian Savannah meets Uganda in a most scenic fashion.

Boat safaris on Lake Mburo

There are buffaloes, antelopes, zebras and also 3 kinds of otters found in and around the lake itself.

In the way of birds, you can see Malachite Kingfishers, Pied Kingfishers, African Fish Eagles, Rufous Long-tailed Starlings, Hammerkops, Pelicans, Herons, Cormorants and even the rare and elusive Shoebill Stork.

A boat cruise on Lake Mburo will allow you to see both crocodiles and hippos up close.

Igongo Cultural Centre

Leaving the park, about 4 kilometers from Sanga Gate is Igongo Cultural Center, a historical showplace for the Banyakitara, who inhabit the Western Uganda and include the Banyankole, Bakiga, Batooro and Banyoro tribes.

The cultural center has several traditional grass huts on display and guides will talk you through the more traditional ways of life.

There is also the museum where you learn more of the ways of the local cultures. To top this off, there is local food that you can eat in the restaurant such as a local delicacy; roasted goat.

Birding

Over 350 species of birds are found here. Birders will find the swampy valleys of Warukiri and Miriti, and roadsides between Rwonyo camp and the jetty to be excellent areas to spot birds, maybe even spot rare Shoebill stork.

There are also ideally situated viewing platforms at the salt lick, in Miriti Valley and in Rubanga Forest.

Rubanga Forest

In order to explore Rubanga Forest with its closed canopy, arrangements have to be made with Uganda Wildlife Authority Personnel.

Over 40 species of birds have been recorded in the forest, 5 of them specialties found in few other places.

Visiting the Equator

Tourists like to take a picture with the sign here. There are experiments taking place, many of which are manipulated illusions, but are still plenty of fun to watch.

There are also Curio and Souvenir Shops that you can visit here too.

Night Game Drives

Spot the creatures of the night, the leopards and lions that prowl for prey in the darkness.

You can even spot bush babies or porcupines – among the creatures that come out only at night. The drive is normally about 2 to 2.5 hours in length after you have dinner at your lodge.

Spotlights are sparingly used to point out various animals that you would otherwise miss.

Fishing

There are 5 lakes within Lake Mburo National Park, the largest being Lake Mburo itself where most of the fishing is done.

You can fish and later arrange to have the fish prepared for you if you stay at certain lodges.

There are six species of fish to be found here, tilapia being the fish of choice and most commonly fished. The designated fishing spot is at Mazinga, which is a safe area where you don’t have to worry about crocodiles and hippos.

Nature Walks

What sets Lake Mburo Park apart from other places is that Nature walks can be taken anywhere within the park with an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority Guide at your side.

On an early morning guided walk you often encounter hyena and hippo returning from grazing during the night.

Take the trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond, and from this vantage point there is a great view of nine of the regional lakes found in the area.

Horseback Riding Safaris

Lake Mburo National Park is the only park in Uganda where once can do a game drive from the back of a horse. Horseback Riding Safaris can last from one to three hours.

In recent times even overnight horseback riding safaris have been offered with tenting and meals in the wild.

Salt Lick

You can take a guided walk with a ranger to the salt lick and observe animals licking the salty soil found there.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority has erected a wooden platform hideaway where visitor can stand and observe the animals below.

Bicycling Safaris

These are guided bike rides that start from hour to as long as you desire. There are many more challenging choices for the avid Mountain Biker because the terrain of Lake Mburo is rather varied.