Lake Mburo National Park is located in Kiruhura district in south western part of Uganda. It is found about 30 kilometers by road, east of Mbarara, the largest city in the sub-region, only 3 and half hour drive from Uganda’s capital, Kampala.
The park is a close-packed gem of wonders, situated along the highway that links Entebbe airport and Kampala to most popular tourist destinations in western Uganda like Queen Elizabeth National Park and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – the prime destination for travelers on gorilla safaris in Uganda.
It is the smallest of the savannah national parks of Uganda, but offers incredible experiences to behold during wildlife safaris in Uganda. Lake Mburo national park has a blend of 5 scenic lakes lying within its interior with a major one being Lake Mburo, which form part of a 50km-long permanent wetland system connected by a swamp.
Lake Mburo National Park Uganda is dominated by woodland vegetation because there are limited big mammals like elephants to destroy it. The western part of the park is characterized by savanna and rocky ridges interspersed with lush gorges while pieces of papyrus wetland and narrow bands of marshy woodland line along the lake banks.
The park is a special place where every part of it is alive with colorful, spectacular and interesting woodland flora, which one would not want to miss on a safari in Uganda. The extensive 158 square miles of acacia dotted savanna of Boscia and Olcea shelters a range of 68 different mammal species. Watch a variety of antelopes with the popular ones being the Topi, bushbuck, Common duiker, Oribi, Defassa waterbuck and Bohor reedbuck.
The park has several other species which are not found elsewhere in Uganda. It’s the only place which habours a large population of impala and one of the three parks where Burchell’s zebras can be spotted, during a typical wildlife tour in Uganda.
Other major mammal species include; Buffalos, Leopards, hippos and hyenas; and lions have been spotted lately in the park, following a decade of extinction.
Besides wild game, Lake Mburo National Park is home to 340 bird species which makes it another hub for birding safaris in Uganda. With rare species, including the Shoebill stork, Red faced Barbet, African finfoot, African fish Eagle, Tabora Cisticola among others, it is by no means an ordinary destination.
Lake Mburo National Park is also surrounded by Banyankole pastoralist community with their beautiful long horned Ankole cattle and interesting traditions thus presenting an opportunity to blend wildlife experience with culture.
Prime Uganda Safaris & Tours Ltd organizes 1 – 4 day safari tours to Lake Mburo National Park but also as part of longer itineraries covering other prime Uganda tour destinations.
