Lake Mburo National Park is the only place where you can spot the impalas in Uganda, antelopes as well as the Elands. There are also many herds of buffaloes and Zebras with in this national park.
Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park and the closest park to both Kampala and Entebbe. It is situated approximately 240 kilometres from Kampala and only 30 Kilometres from Mbarara – the biggest town in Western Uganda.
The park is easily accessible by road with about 3 or 3 and half hours’ drive from Kampala or Entebbe respectively. The coordinates are: 00 36S, 30 57E (Latitude: 0.6000; Longitude: 30.9500).
What is currently Lake Mburo National Park was first gazetted in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963.
The area was dominantly occupied by the Banyankore pastoralists (commonly known as Bahima) who continued to herd their cattle and other livestock in the reserve until it was granted a National park status in 1983 by the Obote regime.
The decision to upgrade Lake Mburo reserve to a National park status was in one part targeted to punish the Banyankore who were believed to be supporting the anti – Obote rebels.
Activities in Lake Mburo National Park
- Safaris and game drives
- Night safari (game drive) with high chances of seeing leopards
- Walking Safari to get close to the animals escorted by a ranger guide
- Boat trip on Lake Mburo. The boat is a very good platform to see birds, crocodiles and hippos
- Birding in Lake Mburo National Park
During safari drives you will have the opportunity of taking exceptional photographs of the fascinating creatures that live in this park.
Enjoy very good game viewing of the mosaic habitat: dry hillside, rocky outcrops, bushes, thickets, open and wooded savannah, forests, lakes and swamps that are a home to a surprising diversity of plants and animals from this hideaway
Boat Trips
An afternoon boat cruise on the famous Lake Mburo is one of the most sought after activities. The cruise provides great opportunities to see hippos and crocodiles. Water bird species are often too numerous for even the keenest birder to identify them all.
These interesting wildlife encounters together with the stunning scenery and panoramic landscape views will really leave a lasting impression upon you about the true African beauty.
Game Drives
The best way to fully explore Lake Mburo National Park is by driving. A game drive in Lake Mburo National Park gives you the best opportunity for seeing the impala and zebra.
These two species define Lake Mburo, because it is the only place in Uganda to see the majestic impala and the only easily accessible place to see Burchell’s zebra (the other being Kidepo which is hard to reach).
Game drives in this park take different paths and the choice of the best one will depend on the season. During the dry season, animals usually converge around the swamps and lakes; this grants you a remarkable photo opportunity – a magnitude of wild African animals with the sparkling lakes in the background.
Guided Nature Walks
Guided nature walks in Lake Mburo are some of the most alluring and Unique activities that you’ll find in any of Uganda’s parks.
This is so because once you are in the company of an armed park ranger, you are permitted to walk anywhere in the park. This gives tourists the unique chance to get out and about and absorb the wonders of the African bush without the confines of a vehicle.
Horse Back Safaris
Horseback safaris are now available from Mihingo Lodge. Horseback safaris are an exciting way to see wildlife in and around Lake Mburo National Park.
Without any engine sounds and fumes you feel part of nature and often get the chance to see the more timid animals.
Experiencing game from horse back is very special: zebra come towards you to check out the strange relative without strips. Even the normally very shy eland curiously looks at the horses without running away, just keeping their distance.
Ankole Cultural Centre
The Banyakole community surrounding Lake Mburo National Park has created the ‘Ankole Cultural Centre’ to highlight the customs and history of their kingdom.
The Cultural Centre is situated just outside the park near the Sanga gate. A visit to the Centre will introduce you to the traditional culture of the area and the local way of life.
Typical village houses can be visited and Ankole guides will explain their people’s history and lifestyle. Distinctive Ankole handmade crafts can be purchased as souvenirs.
Meet the Local People
While on a visit to Lake Mburo National Park, you can visit and support the local people around the lodge. We also organize village walks to the local villages around the lodge and around Lake Mburo National Park.
This gives a very interesting view of their daily life activities. You can see how the live, how they grow crops and how they graze their long horned cows. One of the attractions is the milking of the long horned cows.
Lodges in Lake Mburo national park
Rwonyo Rest Camp is an extensive lodge located near Nshara gate of Lake Mburo national park situated in Mbarara district of Western Uganda.
The lodge offers striking views of Lake Mburo national park with often visits from mainly impalas, warthogs and other animals.
It’s the best place to stay in for budget travelers to Lake Mburo national park, Rwakobo Rock offers mouth-watering meals from an on-site restaurant, managed by stuff that will make your visit memorable they range from international and local cuisine meals while the bar serves variety of soft and hot drinks.
The rooms at Rwonyo are tented rooms and Banda’s thatched in African traditional style, there is also a free camping ground for tourists coming with their own tents on they can book and rent tents through the lodge manager.
Rwakobo Rock is a mid-range lodge situated in Queen Elizabeth national park in the south western part of Uganda. The park contains much woodland, forests, swamps and savannah vegetation.
Rwakobo rock is perched on top of a hill with dotted self-contained cottages overlooking the magnificent national park, vast mountains and the local Ankole ranch lands. The rooms have hot water in the showers, flush toilets and well filtered drinking water.
Rwakobo rock offers spacious cottages each cottage proving stunning views from the private veranda where you watch the sun setting in the evenings.
Apart from viewing wild life in your private veranda tourists can view more closely at the dining area near the water hole where animals like the water bucks, zebras, warthogs, impalas and bush bucks are always seen as well as at the swimming poolside.
Mantana Tented Camp, is a super luxurious lodge perched on a hill overlooking the magnificent Lake Mburo. The lodge is situated inside Lake Mburo national park in western Uganda.
The lodge provides luxurious accommodation with nine rooms carefully built, overlooking the lake and the rolling savannah vegetation, Montana tented camp contains a classic restaurant serving mouth-watering foreign meals as well as local dishes.
They also serve a number of drinks soft drinks, beers and spirits available with exceptional hospitable stuff that always pay very close attention to all visitors needs at any time.
Mihingo Lodge is an exclusive lodge located in Lake Mburo national park in western Uganda. It’s one of the best accommodation units at the park perched high on a rock commanding panoramic views of Lake Mburo and the rolling park savannah vegetation.
Mihingo lodge was built masterly in a way to suit the natural ambiance of its surrounding, the rooms are built on wooden platforms grass thatched to give you a sense of being in an African homestead with en-suite bathrooms having both warm and cold water, flush toilets, showers and mosquito nets.
Each tents location is magical with its own spectacular views other by the lake shores, some over viewing the forest, at the kopje rock and some situated near the water hole where you can often see impalas and other animals in the evenings.
Lake Mburo Safari Lodge is a lodge located in Lake Mburo national park in western Uganda. The lodges ‘location offers spectacular views of the outstanding Lake Mburo national park with extreme comfort and very hospitable and friendly stuff who will make you feel at home away from home.
The lodge premises often get visits from animals like; elands, impalas, zebras and many more with also different bird species.
The lodge offers ten luxurious rooms, one luxurious honey moon cottage, and two spacious luxury family cottages with raised platforms, private balconies, private bathrooms with hot and cold water showers some of these cottages have a full kitchen to suit your safari.
Lake Mburo safari lodge has also got one of the country’s best kitchens with two dinning serving local and international dishes on a spectacular onsite restaurant overlooking the magnificent Lake Mburo.
Mburo Eagles Nest Camp is perched on hill overlooking the striking Lake Mburo national park in western Uganda, the park is just about three and half drive from Uganda’s capital Kampala, the lodge has got one of the most breath-taking views of the whole park with a large private veranda in each tent.
The tents are ten in number with each room tapestries with a magical touch to suit your safari; the bathrooms are also well furnished to offer tourists the best comfortable showers.
Eagles nest Mburo prepares dinner the South African way potjiekos and restaurant provides both local and international cuisine meals while the well-stocked bar provides variety of drinks soft, spirits and beers available the stuff are very friendly and pay very close attention to visitor’s needs, during night time you can hear whispers of the wilderness from all over the lodge premises that will give you a feeling of being in a real African bush and wake up to the chattering of birds early mornings.
Arcadia Cottages are located in Lake Mburo national park in western Uganda not very far from the capital city Kampala, the lodge is just located two kilometres from Rwonyo the parks headquarters and situated at the edge of the magnificent lake Mburo.
The rooms are extremely comfortable with panoramic views of nature from the inside, the lodge also organizes lunch boat cruises for its visitors on this trip, and tourists can view crocodiles and hippos and spectacular sights.
Lodge also contains an onsite restaurant serving both local and international cuisine meals the dining area gives clear views of the lake sometimes hippos are seen here at night while the well-stocked bar provides variety of drinks tourists can choose from.