Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest savanna/woodland national park but by far the most diverse in terms of biodiversity. It is the most accessible and convenient national park as it lies on a typical Uganda classic safari circuit but also easy to visit on a short trip from Kampala/Entebbe. Lake Mburo NP’s mosaic of habitats which range from lakes, extensive wetlands, woodlands and grasslands interspersed with rocky outcrops host an unequalled diversity of game and birdlife making it a gem on any typical Uganda safari.
Quick Facts about Lake Mburo NP
- Size: 370km2
- Altitude: 1280-1520m
- Mammals: 68 mammal species
- Bird Species: 350 species
Activities to do in Lake Mbulo National Park
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Take Prolific Wildlife Game Drives in Lake Mbulo National Park
Lake Mbulo NP offers an excellent wildlife expereince on game drives where you come up-close to a diversity of game including large populations of Plain Zebra, Impala, Topi, Common Eland also the largest of the antelopes, Cape Buffalo, Defassa Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Dwarf Mongoose and more. The recently introduced Nubian Giraffe formerly Rothschild’s Giraffe has settled in well seen on many drives. The park ranks low on big cats, with lion completely absent but Hyena and Leopard although shy still occur in secluded and wooded tracks and often seen on early morning and night game drives.
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Birding Safaris in Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo is one of Uganda’s top birding hotspot and features on any classic Uganda birding tour. Although smaller in size, Lake Mburo NP protects a diversity of habitats ranging from vast wetlands, savanna woodlands and forests where a checklist of up to 350 species occur. Specie highlights here include the shy African Finfoot often seen on a boat cruise along Lake Mburo, Tabora Cisticola, Southern Black-flycatcher, Black-collared Barbet, Red-faced Barbet also an East Africa endemic and more acacia associated specialists.
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Nature Walks, Horse riding and Biking Tours
The best way to explore this true African wilderness of Lake Mbulo NP is surely on foot! The absence of large herbivores including elephants and big cats has made Lake Mburo National Park a haven of adventure activities offering you an opportunity to explore this vast beauty of wilderness on foot, on a bike or a horse back. These interpretive nature walk, will awaken your senses to nature, as you hear and interpret diverse sounds, sights, markings and smells of wilderness.
On foot, you get different perspective of nature and its residents. You expereince first-hand beauty and charm of nature, getting you up-close and personal to the unique diversity including Nubian Giraffe towers as they delicately feed on several thorn-protected acacia tree species, get to interact with Zebra herds, Topi, watch the graceful Impala, Warthog, even the shy biggest antelope the Common Eland and Waterbuck. The acacia woodlands host a variety of birdlife including Nubian Woodpecker, Meyer’s Parrot, Striped Kingfisher, Ruppel’s Starlings, Lilac-breasted Roller, Trilling Cisticola, Black-headed Gonolek and more.
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Boat Cruise on the Lake Mburo
A boat cruise safari follows the papyrus and wooded edged L. Mburo getting you close to herds of Hippos, Nile Crocodile, Nile Monitor, Spotted Otter and a healthy checklist of birds. Boat safaris schedules leave in the morning and afternoon.
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The Ankole Long-horned Cattle Experience
While here at L. Mburo take a cultural experience with the Ba-Hiima people, an ancient cattle keeping community that live around this park. Known for their love of the beautiful Ankole long-horned cattle, a visit to their homesteads gives one insight into various traditions, culture and an opportunity to participate in their ordinary lifestyle of cow grazing, milking, and ghee making, taste the local traditional dishes and connect to the friendliness and hospitality of these culture.