Located in the Kiruhura District of western Uganda, approximately 230 kilometers from Kampala, the capital city, Lake Mburo National Park is the closest national park, around four hours away. There are roughly five lakes within the boundaries of Lake Mburo National Park, making it the second-smallest park after Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, which is 370 km² in size. It was formerly an open savannah, but because elephants aren’t around to control the unusual vegetation, Lake Mburo National Park has woods.
Within the western part of the park, the savannah is also spread with the rocky ridges as well as the forested gorges as the patches of papyrus as well as narrow bands of the lush riparian woodland line in many lakes. The park has got a tropical climate and is located in the Ankole southern climatic zone. The lake also lies within the rain shadow area that is between Lake Victoria and the Rwenzori Mountains. Lake Mburo National Park has got two seasons including the dry and wet seasons that receive the bimodal low rainfall that ranges between 500 and 1000mm.
Tourist Attractions
The wildlife in Lake Mburo National Park making it the most attrition within the Park. The park is a home of wildlife species with over 67 mammals which are resident of this park. Such animals including the zebras, eland, impalas, Oribis, buffalos, waterbuck, leopard, reedbuck, hyenas, the recently translocated giraffes, warthogs and crocodiles and hippos which can be seen at a close distance especially while on bout cruise.
During night game drive, you will be in a position to spot leopard and lion and another nocturnal animal. Over 326 different bird species can be found in various parts of the park, including the swampy valleys, salt slicks, Rubanga woodland, Lake Mburo and other lakes within the park, Rwonyo camp, and other regions with water birds (wetland birds), forest birds, and Savannah birds. A few of the noteworthy forest birds are the African Fin foot, Ross’s Turaco, Green Wood-hoopoe, Brown Parrot, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Common Scimitar bill, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Red-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, and other bird species.
Lake Mburo is other major attraction within the Park; the lake has acted as drinking point for wild animals such as zebras, eland, impalas, Oribis, buffalos, waterbuck, leopard, and among others and its home to crocodiles and hippos and it has also attracted water bird species. While at Lake Mburo, you will enjoy such as activities boast trip, fishing, swimming, bird watching and among other activities. Rubanga forest which acted as home of bird life, butter flies, tree species and among other attraction within the forest, some of activities which take place within the forest including bird watching, nature walk and so on and among other attraction including salt lint and etc.
Best time to visit
Since Lake Mburo National Park is an open savannah grassland with two distinct seasons, visitors can explore the park year-round. The dry season, which lasts from June to August, and December to February, are the ideal times to explore Lake Mburo National Park. Alternatively, one may choose to visit Lake Mburo National Park during the wet seasons, which run from September to November and from March to May. The park is lush and picturesque at these times.
How to get there
Western Uganda’s Lake Mburo National Park is roughly 228 kilometers away from Kampala and takes about 4 hours to get by car. There are two ways to enter the park. If you’re traveling from Kampala city, take the Kampala-Masaka route and enter through Lake Mburo National Park’s Sanga gate. Additionally, if you’re traveling via Mbarara Road to get to Mburo from Bwindi National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park, the Nshara game will be your entry point, which is eight kilometers from the main road.