Lake Mburo National Park – Things to Do and See
Top Things to Do and See at Lake Mburo Park – the closest Wildlife Park to Kampala
Things to do and See at Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda, the closest Savannah Wildlife Park to Kampala and the only Savanna Park in Western Uganda where Giraffes and Zebras roam.
Lake Mburo National Park is the perfect wildlife park for those on business in Kampala who only have a few days to see some wildlife. The Park is also ideal for a night and provides a break from the long drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla Park.
Lake Mburo Park is the only National Park where you can hike throughout the Park. Additionally, you can venture through the Park on a bike or even take a horseback safari both inside and outside of the Park. There are no other national parks in Uganda where that is possible.
Visitors find Lake Mburo National Park a unique, one-of-a-kind place. At 370 square km, Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest Savannah Park in
Uganda. Yet, its extensive wetlands, open savannahs, rolling acacia tree-studded hills, idyllic lakeshores, and various habitats garner a place among Ugandan Parks.
Many visitors to Uganda want to taste the African Wild but only have a few days available during their time in Uganda. Lake Mburo Park is perfect for them since it is the closest Wildlife Park to Kampala.
You can not only drive to Lake Mburo but also take a short flight from Entebbe International Airport to the Park and maximize your time there, eliminating four hours of drive time.
Get a Taste of African Wild at Lake Mburo National Park on a Midrange or Luxury Safari for those on a short stay in Uganda.
There are many Things to Do and See at Lake Mburo National Park. Take a look and find the activities that suit you.
The Top Things to Do and See at Lake Mburo Park
Wildlife Game Drives:
Game Drives through the Park allow you to see many animals and birds. Be sure that an Uganda Wildlife Authority Ranger is on board the vehicle to point out the various species of birds and mammals you might otherwise miss.
Lake Mburo is Uganda’s only Park to see the giant eland, impala, and klipspringer. The Park is home to the largest zebra population in Uganda, estimated at 5,000, and probably contains the highest concentration of leopards found anywhere in Uganda. Buffalo, Hippos, Waterbuck, Topi, and warthog are also ubiquitous. Reedbuck and oribi can likewise be spotted in the open valleys: hyenas, Genets, bush pigs, and white-tailed mongooses. The latter is often seen on night game drives.
The Nubian (Rothschild) Giraffes were translocated from Murchison Falls National Park and are thriving in Mburo National Park because the Park is well-suited. You will see them on game drives, hikes, bike rides, or horseback.
On a game drive, you will pass through various landscape features, including acacia woodland, wetlands, grassy hillsides, rock outcrops, and seasonally flooded valley floors. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to roam the Park, searching for wildlife such as the thriving Giraffes who have adapted well to the Park.
Night Game Drives:
Nocturnal Game Drives in Lake Mburo National Park take place after sunset, and these are some memorable activities one can do here. Spot the creatures of the night, such as leopards. Lake Mburo Park is one of the best places in Uganda to see Leopards, and there is nothing like seeing a leopard on the hunt.
You can even spot Bush Babies, Porcupines – all the things that move at night. The drive usually is about 2 1/2 hours in length after you have dinner at your lodge.
Spotlights point out various animals that, without them, might miss.
A Night Game Drive at Lake Mburo will be one of the highlights of your time here and will be about two hours long. The best nocturnal game drives are offered by the Luxury Mihingo Lodge, which overlooks the Park.
Boat Ride on Lake Mburo:
A boat ride on Lake Mburo gets you in touch with the flora and fauna of the lake. Many animals come to the river along the bank, especially during the dry season.
Lake Mburo’s surface and life on its shore are constantly changing, and it is a delight to take a boat safari and experience the lake’s moods. You will see numerous hippos, some crocs, and many African fish eagles. The lake is among the best places to spot the rarely seen African finfoot and white-backed heron, amongst many other water birds.
A boat safari on Lake Mburo will allow you to see crocodiles and hippos up close in their natural habitat, a significant attraction in the Park.
Birding in Lake Mburo National Park:
Lake Mburo National Park is a Birder’s Paradise, and it is one of the best places for birding in Uganda, with over 350 species. Birders will find the swampy valleys of Warukiri and Miriti and the roadsides between Rwonyo camp and the jetty to be significant areas for birding, and one may spot the rare shoebill Stork here.
There are also ideally situated viewing platforms at the salt lick, Miriti Valley, and Rubanga Forest.
Species observed at these locations 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, Common Scimitarbill, White-headed Barbet, Red-faced Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Long-tailed Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, White-winged Tit and Finfoot among others.
Nature Walks- Hiking in Lake Mburo National Park:
What sets Lake Mburo Park apart from others 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, hyenas often return to their dens after a night of being on the prowl. At the same time, you can often see hippos returning from grazing during the night and returning to Lake Mburo to keep fresh during the day and protect their sensitive skin from the sun.
You often see Zebras, Giraffes, Eland, Topi, other antelopes, and buffaloes on a nature walk. Birds, butterflies.
Take the Trail to the top of the hills and see Lake Mburo and beyond. From this vantage point, you have a great view of 9 of the regional lakes found in the area.
Horseback Riding Safaris:
Lake Mburo National Park is the only Park in Uganda where one can do a game drive from the back of a horse, which is one of the best ways to view the wildlife in the Park. Mihingo Lodge has a stable and trained staff that takes you out on horseback riding the Safari of Lake Mburo.
Horseback Riding Safaris can last from one hour to three. Recently, even overnight horseback riding safaris have been offered with tenting and meals in the wild.
On a horseback riding safari, the only sounds you hear are those of the African Wild and your horse. There is no engine sound, and neither is there any pollution, no engine smoke – it is the fresh air and you.
This particular activity is quickly done if you stay at Mihingo Safari Lodge.
Bicycling Safaris- Lake Mburo:
Mountain Biking Safari Rides are another fun way to explore and discover Lake Mburo and the surrounding area. These are guided bike rides from an hour to as long as possible.
Ride among the antelopes, zebras, and buffaloes in the flat areas of the Park. There are many more challenging choices for the avid Mountain Biker because the terrain of Lake Mburo is slightly varied.
It is a great way to get into Nature out of the safari vehicle. We can include Lake Mburo in your bike safari of Uganda, where we bring bikes for you to enjoy wherever possible.
There is nothing like hitting the trails of Lake Mburo and surrounding areas on a bike.
The Enyemebwa Culture-Conservation-Education Centre:
The famous Ankole Cow is threatened to become extinct, and the Uganda Ankole Conservation has teamed up with Uganda Wildlife Association to keep that from happening. The Ankole Cow is becoming a Tourist Attraction through their joint efforts.
The Enyemebwa Culture, Conservation, and Education Centre is a joint project of the Ankole Cow Conservation Association (ACCA) and the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. The Centre is located just inside the gate of Lake Mburo National Park. It was established to help conserve the Ankole cow, retain the breed’s cultural practices and traditional knowledge, and ensure that the Ankole Cow thrives in the wildlife-rich landscape surrounding Mburo National Park.
This is a ‘not to be missed destination for visitors to Uganda when visiting Western Uganda. It showcases the culture and lifestyle of the traditional Ankole pastoralist. It lets visitors mingle with these beautiful cows, watching the calves being milked, the milk turned into ghee (butter), and the cows watered during the day.
Igongo Cultural Centre:
Leaving the Park, just about 4 kilometers from Sanga Gate, is Igongo Cultural Centre, a historical showplace for the Banyakitara, who inhabit Western Uganda and include Banyankole, Bakiga, Batooro, and Banyoro.
With the Bayankole, the Ankole Cow was king and queen and considered the cow of Kings both in Western Uganda and Rwanda,
The cultural center has several traditional grass huts on display, and guides will explain how life used to be and, in some cases, still is. There is also the museum where you learn more about the ways of the local cultures.
There is also local food that you can eat in the restaurant, and some tremendous roasted goat is offered here. It is an excellent stop-over for culture, history, and traditional lunch. Read more about Igongo Cultural Center.
Visiting the Equator:
On the Way to Lake Mburo or the return trip to Kampala or Entebbe, we stop and take in a visit to the Equator that runs through Uganda. Our Clients love to have their pictures taken underneath the Equator Sign.
There are so-called scientific experiments; most are manipulated illusions and not authentic, but fun to watch.
There are a few decent restaurants here where you can have a snack or a bite, a soda or bottled water, and pretty good coffee or tea.
There are also Curio and Souvenir Shops that you can visit. Some of them have nicely displayed wares, making it easier to shop for crafts, including the Equator T-Shirt, a must-buy for many clients and others. Read more about visiting the Equator.
Lodging Accommodations – Lake Mburo:
Lake Mburo has several lodging choices, some of which were recently added.
The top choice remains Mihingo Safari Lodge which sets the standard for upmarket, luxury-tented lodges in Uganda. Mantana Tented Camp is exclusive but not the same as Mihingo Safari Lodge.
There are several mid-range, moderately priced lodges. Some even have a swimming pool.
Budget Lodging is found at Eagle’s Nest, which comprises tented cottages with ensuite baths. Shoestring lodging can be found in the Rwonyo Rest Camp, run by Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Lake Mburo Park Safaris:
Lake Mburo National Park is ideal if you want to experience the African Wild, but it has just two or three days available. You can now take the short flight from Entebbe International Airport with AeroLink Safari Airline to have even more time to spend in the African Wild.
Lake Mburo National Park is the perfect spot to take an overnight break or longer for those driving to or from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla Park.
It is a four-drive to or from Kampala or Entebbe, making it an almost halfway stop to or from the Gorilla Parks. Because of its terrain and vegetation is an ideal park for Zebras, Giraffes, and the giant Eland antelope.
It is the only savannah Park where you can hike, bike, or ride horseback with guides. All of which can be included during your time on a Safari, including Lake Mburo National Park. Furthermore, it is an ideal park to be included in Family Safaris with children.
Read more about Lake Mburo Safaris.
Let us know if you would like to include the Top Things to Do and See in Lake Mburo Park in your Safari.
