Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest savanna/woodland national park but by far the most diverse in terms of biodiversity. Lake Mburo to which the park is named lies on its south edge connected to a chain of smaller lakes, 16 in number surrounded by an extensive wetland while the rest of the park is dominated by acacia woodlands interspersed with grasslands and rocky outcrops.
Quick Facts about L. Mburo
- Size: 370km2
- Altitude: 1280-1520m
- Mammals: 68 mammal species
- Bird Species: 350 species
Highlights and Activities to do in Lake Mbulo NP
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Take Prolific Wildlife Game Drives
Lake Mbulo NP features low on the big cats, but Hyena and Leopard although shy still occur in secluded and wooded tracks and often seen on night game drives offered in this park. Even then, the park hosts large populations of Plain Zebra, Impala, Topi, Common Eland also the largest of the Antelopes, Cape Buffalo, Deffassa Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Dwarf Mongoose and more. The recently introduced Nubian Giraffe formerly Rothschild’s Giraffe has settled in well seen on many drives.
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Birding Safaris in L. Mburo
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 the African wilderness is surely on foot! On an interpretive guided nature walk, your senses will be attuned 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.
In the acacia wooded L. Mburo NP, choose to explore the beauty and charm of nature on foot along a guided nature walk, horse riding or biking through the wild to get 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, Stripped 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.