Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park

Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park; Lake Mburo national park is located in western part of Uganda along the Masaka-Mbarara highway in Kiruhura district. Lake Mburo national park covers a total land area of 370 square kilometers which is comprised of savannah woodland, grassland and forests which act as habitat for different wildlife species including buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, bohor reedbucks, waterbucks, bushbucks, topi, leopards, oribi, duikers, hippos, Nile crocodiles and over 350 bird species.

Attractions in Lake Mburo national park

Wildlife, Lake Mburo national park is a home of different wildlife species including defassa waterbucks, buffaloes, bushbucks, sitatunga, duiker, klipspringer, oribi, hyenas, hippos, bohor reedbucks, elands, warthogs, leopards, topi, nile crocodiles among others.

Birds, Lake Mburo national park is a home of 350 recorded bird species including water birds, forest birds and migratory birds which include black bellied bustard, rufous bellied heron, long tailed cisticola, emerald spotted wood dove among others.

Activities in Lake Mburo national park

Game drives

Game drive is the major activity in Lake Mburo national park where you will be able to explore the park in a comfortable safari vehicle with a professional driver guide. Game drives in Lake Mburo national park can either be done very early in the morning when animals are more active or in the evening following different game tracks such as zebra tracks, Kigambira loop track, Kazuma track, Ruroko track and lakeside track. During the game drive you will be able to view different animals like giraffes, buffaloes, waterbucks, zebras, topi, oribi, impalas, warthogs, bushbucks, view different bird species among others.

Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park
Game Drives in Lake Mburo National Parkw

Night game drive

Lake Mburo national park also offers night game drives where you will be able to explore the park at night with spotlight torches for clear viewing of nocturnal animals. During the night game drive, you will be able to view nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, bush babies, porcupines, white tailed mongoose, civet, serval cats, view hippos grazing among others.

Boat cruise

Boat cruise is an interesting activity in Lake Mburo national park which gives you an opportunity to explore the calm waters on a boat. During the boat cruise which can either be done in the morning at 9:00am or in the afternoon at 2:00pm, you will be able to view hippos and Nile crocodiles in water, view animals like buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks among others drinking water along the shores, view water birds like hornbills, cormorants, bee-eaters, kingfishers, fish eagles among others.

Nature walks

Nature walk is an exciting activity in Lake Mburo national park where you will be able to explore the park on foot with the company of an experienced park guide and armed park ranger to protect you from any danger. Guided nature walks are best done early in the morning or in the evening following different trails in Rubanga forest, trails from Rwoyo to the salt lick among others. During the nature walk, you will be able to view different animals, birds, enjoy the cool breeze, listen to sweet sounds of bird species, view colorful butterflies, relax your mind in a cool environment among others thus Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park.

Bird watching

Lake Mburo national park harbors more than 350 bird species including water birds, savannah birds and forest birds which make it one of the birding destinations. Bird watching in Lake Mburo national park is best done early in the morning or in the evening in different areas such as the salt lick, Rubanga forest, road sides, the swampy valleys of Miriti and Rwonyo camp. During bird watching, you will be accompanied by an experienced bird guide who will help you to spot different bird species such as the elusive shoebill stork, Nubian wood pecker, rufous bellied heron, African fish eagle, black bellied bustard, red shouldered tit, white parrot, yellow breasted apalis, long tailed cisticola, bare faced go away bird, ross’s turaco, white headed barbet, grey crowned crane, brown parrot, African finfoot, green wood hoopoe, common scimitar bill, red shouldered cuckoo shrike, saddle billed stork, greater painted snipe, African wattled lapwing, papyrus gonolek, hairy breasted barbet, blue headed coucal, red faced barbet, white winged swamp warbler, yellow rumped tinkerbird, tabora cisticola among others.

Horseback riding

Lake Mburo national park is the only national park in Uganda that offer horseback riding, an exceptional activity that gives tourists a chance to explore the savannah plains on a horse back. Horseback riding experience in Lake Mburo national park is run by Mihingo safari lodge and tourist who engage in the activity get an opportunity to see and interact with different animals including waterbucks, duikers, impalas, warthogs, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, elands, topi, oribi and leopards if you are lucky.

Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park
Horseback Rides in Mburo

Sport fishing

Sport fishing is an interesting activity in Lake Mburo national park where fish anglers will get an opportunity to catch different fish types. Sport fishing in Lake Mburo national park is done at Mazinga and Lake Mburo has around 6 fish species that can be caught including tilapia, lung fish, mud fish, cat fish, barbell, Angara fish among other. Tourists planning to engage in sport fishing activity should first obtain a sport fishing permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority and should carry their own fishing equipment’s thus Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park.

Best time to visit Lake Mburo national park

Lake Mburo national park can be visited all year round though the best time is during the dry season also known as the peak season in the months of June, July, August, September, December, January and February. During the dry season, the national park receives less or little rainfall therefore vegetation will be thin hence wildlife viewing will be easy and game drive tracks in the park will be dry and passable compared to the wet/ rainy season when the game tracks are muddy and slippery.

Lake Mburo national park can also be visited in the wet/ rainy season during the months of March to May and October to November because that’s the best time for bird watching where bird lovers will be able to view colorful and migratory bird species.

How to get to Lake Mburo national park

Lake Mburo national park is located in western part of Uganda and can be accessed by road transport means whereby tourists will drive from Kampala/ Entebbe through Masaka-Mbarara road to the park headquarters which takes about 3 to 4 hours’ drive.

Lake Mburo national park can also be accessed by air transport means where by you will book scheduled or charter domestic flights from Entebbe international airport or Kajjansi airfield to Mbarara airstrip and then connect to the park headquarters thus Travel guide to Lake Mburo national park.

Where to stay during your safari in Lake Mburo national park

Lake Mburo national park has a number of accommodation facilities where you can stay during your safari. The accommodations range from luxury, midrange, budget and campsites including Lake Mburo Safari Lodge, Rwakobo Rock Lodge, Mpogo Safari Lodge, Leopard Rest Camp, Rwonyo Rest Camp, Arcadia Lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Mihingo Lodge, Lake Mburo Eagles Nest among others.

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