Lake Mburo National Park in Uganda .

All about Lake Mburo National Park Wildlife and Birdlife in Uganda

Lake Mburo National Park is the Park nearest to Kampala it is situated around Lake Mburo on Mbarara road.Lake Mburo,together with the surrounding wetlands, account for 20 of the park's surface of 260 km. This makes this small park very interesting for birding all the year round (310 recorded).Lake Mburo National Park is the only place where the impala still occurs and it is the best place to see the eland, Africa's largest antelope.visit this page for more information on wildlife in Uganda Large herds of buffalo and zebra's are common in this park but lions are extinct in this part of the continent and there are no elephants or giraffes.

Bird enthusiasts will enjoy walks through the Rubanga Forest where over 40 different species have been recorded.Lake Mburo National Park itself is rich with a diversity of animal and plant species which can only be viewed clearly by boat or launch. Crocodiles, Hippopotamuses and birds like Pelicans, Black Crane, Heron, Cormorant, Fish Eagle are abundant here and being among them in the heart of their environment is an experience worth planning.

The duration of each boat cruise varies depending on the arrangements that have been made with the park management. Lake Mburo is also a fantastic fishing hole. Tilapia is the most common catch, but lung fish, mud fish, are also possibilities

How to get to Lake Mburo National Park

Situated between Masaka and Mbarara in Western Uganda.The park is bounded to the north by the main Kampala-Mbarara road. From Kampala it is 230km (4 hours) to the Park headquarters and rest camp at Rwonyo. Then left turn to the Park is signposted at 211km from Kampala. You will enter the park through Nshara gate.From Mbarara it is 47km to the Park Headquarters. The right turn to the park is at Sanga. The park gate is at Rweshebeshebe, 12km from Sanga. A 4-wheeled drive is recommended where you will arrive at Sanga gate especially in the rain season.Access by public transport would mean alighting a public bus bound from Kampala or Mbarara at Sanga. Here transport to the main gate is limited and may mean a considerable wait.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at park headquarters at Rwonyo, where banda's are available for single or double occupancy.Basic meals are available at the restaurant. Hurricane lamp lighting and warm water bucket bathing are provided. Sodas and beers are normally available but with few visitors to the park there is frequently limited stock.

Camping is possible in and around the banda's, however those with their own vehicles may prefer to camp at the campsite adjacent to the Education Center. There are 3 additional campsites off the Lakeside track. They are rarely used and plagued by insects and mosquitos after dark. You will need to be totally self contained to camp here. Bore hole water is only available at Rwonyo. Jerry cans can be provided for those using any of the campsites. Treat or boil the water if you plan to drink it.

Mihigo Lodges

Opened January 2007 on the border of the park. Upmarket tented camp built on a rock outcrop with stunning 360 degree views. The lodge also has a swimming pool in which to refresh after the days activities.The lodge is accessed through Nshara gate when approching Lake Mburo from Kampala. After 2km turn sharp left onto Ruroko Track.

Follow this track and then follow the signs to Mihingo lodge. After 6 km you will enter open grasslands in a valley, slightly to the right ahead of you is Mihingo Lodge situated on top of a Rock Formation. Continue to follow the signs to Mihingo Lodge.

Lake Mburo Tented Camp

The camp sits on a hill-top at Lake Mburo National Park, overlooking Lake Mburo. Due to the park features such as dry hillsides, bushy thickets, rocky outcrops, lakes, swamps, open and wooded savannnah, guests enjoy every moment in the camp as this is home to diverse plants and animal species. It is a luxurious retreat with an emphasis on personal service, airy tents and a well stocked bar where guests can unwind after the day’s activities. There are also a variety of different species of birds at Lake Mburo National park where the camp is situated.

There are enough and luxurious accommodation as the camp has nine guests tents, which are well set up to provide the necessary comfort.The bar and the restaurant are set at a place which provides an excellent view of Lake Mburo.The camp is made more enjoyable through quality and personal services provided by staff, activities such as game drives, lake Mburo boat trip and guided walking safaris

Location of Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo NP is the only Ugandan National Park to contain an entire lake. Situated in rolling hills and open grassy valleys the park also consists of four other smaller lakes. The land area of the park is compossed of open and wooded acacia savannah. The park size including the lakes is 256 sqkm.

Best time to Visit Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park lies in a rain shadow between Lake Victoria and the Ruwenzori Mountains, an average of only 800mm of rain a year falls per year. The long rains occurring from February to June, and the short rains from September to December. Most rain tends to fall in April and November. July and August are the hottest months.Click here for more information on Uganda Climate

Wildlife

Much of the land area of the park is acacia tree savannah. The park is home to the largest diversity of both plant and wildlife of all Uganda's national parks. The park is home to herds of Impala, as well as the more uncommon Topi, Eland, and Klipspringer. Burchells Zebra and buffalo also graze these areas. Hippo is very common in the lake where they may be observed from several vantages along the Lakeside Track.

Birdlife

Much of Lake Mburo is surrounded by giant sedge cyperus papyrus reeds. This is home to the Papyrus Gonolek. To see this bird consider organising a boat trip. Of 357 bird species recorded some of these include both water, acacia and savannah birds like crested crane, the very rare shoebill stork, marabou stork and bronze-tailed starling, bee eaters and even more exotic birds like Blue Naped Coucal, Bare-faced Go-Away Bird, Nubian Woodpecker and Swamp Flycatchers.

Pennant Winged Night Jar is often seen during it's migratory period at the Education Center campsite at dusk.

Other attractions

Exploring Lake Mburo on a walking safari is a very popular activity and an interesting option for those without their own vehicles. The benefits of taking a ranger will add value to the experience, not least because buffalo are numerous in the park where care should be taken to avoid them when on foot. Hyenas are often spotted in the early morning whilst the more common antelope and even hippo can be observed.

The Kazuma Hill

Hill look out point provides probably the best vantage point to view the rolling hills and grassed valleys and also to see some of the 14 lakes that make up the land mass and surrounding area of the park.

Lake Mburo

The excursion on Lake Mburo in the National Parks motorised boat organised through the wardens office at Rwonyo is a highly recommended 2 hour trip.

Related Pages

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Lake Nakuru National Park Kenya

Mt Elgon National Reserve Kenya

Nairobi National Park Kenya

Saiwa Swamp National Park Kenya

Samburu National Reserve Kenya

Tsavo East National Park Kenya

Tsavo West National Park Kenya

Meru National Park Kenya

Masai Mara National Park Kenya

When you are on Lake Mburo National Park,be on the look out for African Finfoot.There are several well maintained game drive tracks in the park. During the rain season black cotton soil is a problem in some areas of the park and you can become horribly stuck when unaware.

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