Lake Mburo

Because poaching is almost done, this park has a lot of animals within its boundaries. It is the only park in Uganda where impalas live. During game drives, you will see plains zebra, one of the largest antelopes in Africa the land, lots of bushbuck, Defassa waterbuck, topi, common duiker, warthogs, and smaller mammals like dwarf mongoose and marsh mongoose.

These 3 days experience takes you to the southwestern part of the country where you find the smallest national park in Uganda. This Park is the closest park to both Kampala and Entebbe. If you are planning for wildlife safari in Uganda, birding safari or want to game viewing then Lake Mburo National Park should be a possible destination for you. The Park covers an area of about 260 square kilometres consisting of rolling hills, savanna grassland, rocky outcrops, valleys, acacia woodlands, swamps and lakes. Lake Mburo National Park is thought to be an extension of Tanzania’s Serengeti plains. Lake Mburo National Park is located approximately 240 kilometres from Kampala and only 30 Kilometres from Mbarara – the biggest town in Western Uganda. Since lake mburo national park harbours 68 mammal species though it does not have elephants and lions. The fact that there are no lions, it gives a chance to the tourist to freely move close to the animals and have a close impact with them. Lake Mburo has incredible biodiversity and landscape that is different from other parks in Uganda. Fourteen lakes are found within the park and each is surrounded by vast wetlands allowing over 300 species of birds to thrive. Some of the birds that are seen in this park include rare shoebill, stork, African fin foot, pelican, heron among others.

Tourists should also expect to see hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, bush pigs, hyenas, waterbucks, Eland, Topis, reedbucks, sitatunga, zebras, vervet monkeys, side-striped jackals, white-tailed mongoose, otters, baboons and an amazing collection of birds. Lake Mburo is the best park for spotting leopards.

After an absence of years, lions can be found again, but you need a lot of luck to see them. Leopard and spotted hyena are also residents of the national park. Lots of birds can be found too during a game drive in the park. In the papyrus swamps, the mysterious shoebill breeds and the shores of Lake Mburo belong to the best places in Uganda to see the African finfoot. So, don’t forget to take a boat trip to the lake.

Lake Mburo national park has got thrilling activities that keep its visitors always on the desire for more.  Some of the most common tourism activities at Lake Mburo include; Game drive in the park, a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, birding bird watching, Nature walks, unique horse riding to view wildlife, fishing, cultural tours, and cycling among others.  Park Can be accessed in two gates,  namely Sanga gate accessible when one is driving from Kampala side and Nshara gate accessible when one is coming from Mbarara side.

Brief itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to lake Mburo and Afternoon game drive.

Day 2: Morning game drive – Afternoon boat cruise – Night game drive.

Day 3: Activity of your choice (Biking safari, Quad biking safari, Quad biking safari, Village Walk, Nature walk, horseback safari).

FULL ITINERARY

Day 1: Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park - Game drive

Our company Guide/Driver will pick you up from your hotel after taking your breakfast in the morning you may go for a brief city tour of Kampala – After which, you will start the 4-hour journey to the Southern part of Uganda to Lake Mburo National Park.

Expect a stopover at the equator crossing to take photos as you stand in different parts of the earth’s hemisphere. You will then continue through several stretches of papyrus swamps, rain forests and several farms of the long horned Ankole cattle. You will have lunch at Igongo cultural centre. You will be taken to your hotel for check-in and refreshment. After check-in and relaxation, the Driver will take you for the first game drive to see giraffes, Buffaloes, bush babies, zebras, Elands, antelopes and many of the park animals along the Kigambira loop trail. This could be in the evening or afternoon.

Dinner and overnight will be at Lake mburo safari Lodge (luxury),Rwakobo Rock lodge(midrange)or Eagles nest lodge for budget travelers.

Day 2: Morning Game drive – Afternoon Boat cruise – Night Game drive

After your early morning breakfast, you will go for an early morning game drive along the Kazuma track. The Kazuma track offers amazing views of the park including the rolling hills and all the five lakes. The game drive will involve exploring the deeper parts of the park for encounters with Zebras, Eland, water bucks, bush bucks, warthogs, impalas, Klipspringer and many other mammals. This morning game drive will allow you to sport the night creatures and predators like hyenas, leopards and jackals.

After the morning game drive, you will go back to your lodge for lunch, refreshments and relaxation. The Driver will take you for an afternoon boat ride close to the shores of Lake Mburo. Birders will be able to spot countless birds on the shores of the lake including the African fin foot, African grey hornbill, Brown Parrot, Common Scimitar bill, Crested Francolin, fish eagles, herons, Nubian Woodpecker, papyrus bush strike, pelicans, shoe bill stork, weaver birds, white winged warbler and Yellow breasted Apalis.

Dinner and overnight will be at Lake mburo safari Lodge (luxury),Rwakobo Rock lodge(midrange)or Eagles nest lodge for budget travelers.

Day 3: Nature walk, village walk, quad biking safari, horseback safari and transfer to Kampala with a stop at the equator.

On your last day you will have breakfast in the morning and head for another exciting experience with the wildlife in the park. You have a choice on what activity to take part in. You can choose to go for a walking safari, birding, fishing, cycling, quad biking or a safari on a horse back. Lake Mburo is the only park where one can take part in a horseback safari, a quad biking safari, a mountain bike or walking safari.

The salt lick area is the best place to go for a guided nature walk. Zebras, Impalas and other park animals go to lick salt here. A hidden wooden platform has been constructed where visitors can go and watch as park animals visit the salt mine. In case that is not the choice of you of fun activity you can traverse the park using a quad bike, mountain bike or on horseback.

The horseback safari is an exciting one for it allows you to get closer to the park animals as they are less alerted by the presence of horses. You need a game ranger to lead you for these activities because he knows where to find the animals. For sport fishing you need your own fishing rod If. The permit for fishing needs to be got from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Those who are interested in a rewarding cultural experience can opt for the village walk which goes up to the Enyemembwa center. Here you will encounter the local Banyankore herdsmen with their

unique long horned Ankole cows. The Banyankore are cattle keepers with most of their customs and traditions centred around their cattle. You can visit one of the homes and learn how to milk a cow or go out grazing in the savanna.

After this final day of exploring the park, you will be taken back to the hotel for lunch before embarking on the Journey back to Kampala or the airport in Entebbe.