LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

One of Uganda’s smaller National parks, Lake Mburo extends over 260Km of rolling area with an altitude range from 1,200m to 1,828m above sea level. The park is bypassed by majority of independent travelers, despite its relative accessibility, is presumably down to the low ‘big five count, in particular the lack of Elephant and Lion, the latter not reliably observed in the area for several years now. Even in the absence of such heavy weights, however Lake Mburo offers excellent game viewing, and you are likely to see as many different large mammal species over the course of the day as would be the case in any other Ugandan National Park. More Pragmatically, Lake Mburo is also ideally positioned to break up the long drive between Kampala and the National Parks along the country’s western border.

ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK

Game drives; Is the major tourist activity in this Park, it is famous for its richness in biodiversity. It has about 68 different species of mammals. The common ones are Zebra, Impala, Buffalo, Topi, and Eland as herbivores not to leave out the rare slightly of Roan antelope and leopard, Hyenas and jackals as predictors.
Rubanga Forest; This forest offers a variety of habitats, conducive for birds thereby making it a very attractive place for bird watchers/watching. There are over 40 species of birds recorded in Rubanga, 5 of which are forest "specialists". Some of the common species are the harrier hawk, green pigeon, narina trogn, Grey-backed cameroptera and double-toothed barbet. The forest, though small is a real high forest with closed canopy. Some common trees are markhamia platycalyx, Spain, erythriana and acacia.

Fishing; Lake Mburo has about 6 species of fish, the common one being tilapia (oreochromis leucostictus). Visitors planning to enjoy sport fishing on Lake Mburo should carry their own fishing gear and fish at the designated point at Mazinga. A restaurant is available at campsite 2 to ensure maximum relaxation for visitors while at the lake.

Boat Rides; The presence of Lake Mburo within the park is a blessing. The lake is rich with a diversity of animal and plant species, which can only be viewed clearly while on a boat trip. These include hippopotami and birds like pelicans, black crake, heron, cormorant and fish eagle but you may also see the rare shoebill stork, all of which will furnish your visits with pride. The duration of each boat ride is 2 hours maximum, but arrangements for extra time can be made with management at an extra fee.

Guide walks; One of the major attractions of Lake Mburo is that you are permitted to walk anywhere in the park in the company of an armed ranger. Near to the camp, the road to the jetty remains a good place to walk: rich in birds and regularly visited by the hippos. An eve better target is the viewing platform that overlooks a salt lich about 2Km from the camp-this is an excellent place to see a wide variety of animals. Of particular interest to walkers and birders is the Rubanga Forest, which lies off the Rwizi Track and can only be visited with the permission of the warden, who will provide you with an armed ranger. Visitors used to be allowed to walk unaccompanied along the 1Km stretch of the road between Rwonyo and the main campsite, but this practice was discontinued a few years ago after a tour leader was mauled by a buffalo.
Salt Lick; A walk to the near by salt is a summary of it all. Strategically located wooden hide (Observation point) offers a chance to see at least 4 different species of animals at any one time while they lick the salty soil. Most interesting to note is that this is done without the animal's conscience. Visitors may also walk to area of their own choice.
Birding; First-time visitors to Lake Mburo National Park are captivated by the diversity of large mammals and colorful birds. For many people, birds are the most exciting to observe. As common species become familiar, you will begin to notice smaller, less spectacular birds; the real experts seem to get most excited by 'Little Brown jobs' ('LBJs') which are the hardest to identify. Although many birds are wide spread, others are more fussy in their choice of habitat. For example, most of the park's 310 recorded species are 'generalist' and can be seen almost anywhere. However, they are 5 species of bird, which are found only in the forest, and 60 specialist water birds. Others prefer short or tall grasslands, or are found mainly in woodlands. This Park has Open water birds like, Long-tailed cormorant White pelican, Pink-backed pelican, Darter -Yellow-billed duck, White winged black tern and Greater cormorant

Getting there:

Situated between Masaka and Mbarara in Western Uganda. The park is bordered 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. The left turn to the Park is signposted at 211km from Kampala. You will enter the park through Nshara gate.

Visiting time:

Any time of the year.
Where to stay
Lake Mburo National Park has 4 tents at Rwonyo park headquarters. There are also 3 public campsites, all deliberately situated to assist and increase scenic viewing and easy access to water. There is also a mid range Mantana camp which consists of 8 tents. For luxurious accommodation, you can sleep in Agip Motel in Mbarara.

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LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK

ACTIVITIES IN THE PARK

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