Lake Mburo National Park Packages : Lake Mburo National park is located in the western region of Uganda in Mbarara city covering a total surface area of about 370 square kilometers hence ranking it among the smallest national parks in the country. Lake Mburo national park stands at an elevated area at an altitude between 1,220 meters and 1,828 meters above the sea level. More so, national park is situated in a distance of about 240 kilometers from Kampala city, which is a capital city of Uganda. In addition, in the essay below we will delve more about the packages that are being offered to tourists but first we will talk briefly about the history of the park and other packages will include; the activities, accommodation and many others.
A Brief History and Geographical of Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is being managed by Uganda Wildlife Authority, which a government organization, whose main aim, is to conserve wildlife in the national park for future generations.
In 1933, the national park was first established as a controlled hunting area. However, later in 1963 during the reign of President Milton Obote, it was named a game reserve. In 1983, Lake Mburo was declared a national park.
Lake Mburo National Park is an amazing safari destination that comprises five lakes, with a beautifully curved landscape, lush green hills and both seasonal and permanent wetlands. The national park is covered by savannah woodland because it harbors no elephants that feed on it.
Both savanna vegetation, rocky ridges, wooded savanna forests, patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of riparian woodland especially around its lakes and this entire act as good natural habitat to many wildlife species, dominate the western part of Lake Mburo national park. More so, a thicket of bushes, rocky outcrops, acacia savanna vegetation and a series of various plant specie also surrounds this national park
There are also stunning waterbodies around this park such as; around 5 lakes and these lakes are seen as perfect destinations where to go fishing and tourists will be able to catch around 6 different fish species including the popular kinds like; tilapia, lungfish, mudfish and the haplochromes among others.
Wildlife Species of Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is the one of the national parks in Uganda where visitors can easy get the chance to spot a large number of impalas. This national park is home a to around 69 mammal species like; zebra, elands, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, warthogs, African leopard, Hyena, topi and the reedbuck among others.
The national park also has water animals that are crocodiles, hippopotamus and secretive papyrus animals including Sitatunga, antelopes, black and yellow papyrus ganalex to mention but a few.
Since 2005, Lake Mburo national park has been considered as a lion conservation unit. The national park is also a habitat to over 313 bird species which include the rare white winged warbler, emerald spotted wood dove, crested francolin, brown parrot and the Nubian woodpecker to say but the least. This makes the national park an ideal destination for bird watching activities.
Tourists visiting Lake Mburo national park in Uganda can get to see the cassia tree, which is a unique attraction in the national park. This tree is believed to have powerful aphrodisiac effects and the locals mostly use it as an herbal remedy. Tourists who wish to see the national park can do so around Kigambira loop crossroad.
Tourist Activities done in Lake Mburo national park.
Exploring in Lake Mburo national park blessed tourists with great opportunities to engage into many activities where they gain new experiences and some of these things to do include;
Game Drives:
Lake Mburo national park is an excellent destination for tourists looking to enjoy a game drive. Because While on a game drive in this national park, tourist can get chances to see wildlife animals like; Impalas, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, buffalos and elands among others. The park offers both morning and evening game drives, which begin at 6am and 6pm respectively. Evening/night game drives offer visitors an opportunity to view nocturnal animals in the park such as; bush babies, leopards and potto to mention but a few.
Birding:
Lake Mburo national park is home to over 313 species of birds. On a single bird watching safari, visitors can sight unique bird species like; the redheaded love bird, red-shouldered cuckoo shrike, the rare red-faced barbet, the emerald-spotted wood-dove and the brown parrot among others. This national park is the place to be for any bird lovers out there.
Horseback riding:
Visitors in Lake Mburo national park can now enjoy horseback riding activities. This activity was introduced in the park in 2008 and is operated by Mihingo Lodge. Horseback riding activities take between 2-5 hours and visitors can enjoy watching the wildlife as they graze in the park.
Hiking and guided Nature Walks:
Hiking and guided nature walks give tourists visiting the national park, an opportunity to explore the park’s wondrous beauty and wildlife, on foot. A well-trained and knowledgeable UWA guide, who leads tourists to beautiful and scenic sites like the salt rocks, where animals gather to lick the nutritious salt, usually accompanies visitors. Hiking activities in the national park start at 7am every morning and these usually last 2 hours. Tourists can also take guided walks to view about five lakes out of the 14 lakes in the region.
Lake Mburo Boat Cruise:
The eastern shores of Lake Mburo can be explored by boat. The launch trips in the national park usually set off from the nearby Rwonyo Rest Camp, a lakeside campsite. While on a boat trip, visitors should look out for crocodiles and hippos in the water or on the shores of the lake. The boat trips in the national park take a duration of 2 hours. Visitors can also get the chance to sight birds like; the rare fin foot and shoebill stock among others.
Mountain Biking:
Tourists visiting Lake Mburo national park can also get to enjoy mountain biking activities. Rwakobo Rock and Leopard Tail Rest Camps operate the activity, in the national park. All mountain biking activities in the park commence at the Nshara gate.
Community/Village Tours:
Visitors in Lake Mburo national park are provided with the chance to visit the local homesteads outside the national park. While on these amazing community/ village visits, visitors get to learn about the historical and traditional lifestyle of the Banyankore, Bairu and Bahima people.
Other activities that tourists visiting the national park can enjoy include; forest walks and fishing.
Tourists visiting Lake Mburo national park can also visit other attractions within and adjacent to the park, which offer awesome activities to tourists. These include;
Masha Community Wildlife Forum, which offers tourist the traditional beekeeping tour and guided nature, walks as well.
Rubale fishing community: This community offers visitors fishing adventure tours and take them through the traditional fishing process.
Nshara Community Tourism Group: This tourism group operates an amazing handicraft shop and it provides tourists with guided nature walks, camping, and cultural walks and take tourists through the process of making handicrafts and artifacts.
Where to stay when visiting Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National park has a variety of accommodation facilities that are always available for tourists to stay after their long day of touring around the park. However, these accommodation facilities are always ranged differently from; budget, mid-range and luxury, which helps individuals to choose where to stay according to where it matches with their budget. and some of these lodging facilities include; Mihingo Safari Lodge, Rwonyo Rest Camp, Mburo Safari Lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Ssana Community Lodge and Eagles’s Nest among others.
How to Get to Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is situated between towns of Masaka and Mbarara and it is close to the main Southwestern road that links Kampala City to Bwindi Impenetrable national park, as well as Kabale and the Rwandan border.
Travelers from Kampala city will take a drive, which will cover a distance of about 228 kilometers and 3½ hours to get to the Lake Mburo national park. However, this park can also be accessed from Kibale national park via Ibanda and Rushere whereby others can move from Queen Elizabeth National Park via Ishaka and Mbarara. More so, Lake Mburo national park has three gates which tourists opt to use in order to get inside the park and these gates include;
Kyanyanshara gate, which lies close to Mihingo Lodge, and is, situated 18km south of Akagate trading Centre and 14km west of Lyantonde.
Nshara gate, which is, located 9km south of the main road, about 500 meters west of Akagate trading Centre.
The Sanga gate is located 13km from Sanga and Akagate trading centers, and 27km form Lyantonde.
Contact our trusted tour operators for more information and inquiries about all the packages offered in Lake Mburo National park and then book with our tours and travel companies such as; Achieve Global safaris who also provide good services while on your safari in Uganda.
