Whether you are a wide-eyed first-timer or an old safari hand, there quite a number of reasons why you should visit Lake Mburo National Park, a park that never fails to get under your skin.
Intelligibly so, this splendid national park in Uganda has some of the few hidden treasures in wildlife, birdlife, lakes, savannah plains and forest zones. So, you will fall in love with this destination when you visit Lake Mburo National Park.
If you are a lover of wilderness, seclusion, adventure or anything authentic, it’s very likely that you will never want to leave Lake Mburo National Park. The diversity and sheer numbers of wildlife species in this small savannah national park is almost unparalleled and most of Africa’s iconic safari wildlife call the park home.
Since most of the travelers visiting Uganda are longing to experience a wildlife safari for the first-time, they are more likely to add trips to other national parks in Uganda, on top of Lake Mburo. So, don’t miss Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls and Kidepo Valley National Park. So, below are some more exciting reasons why you should visit Lake Mburo National Park:-
Pure African wildlife
When entering Lake Mburo National Park, it can be difficult to imagine how endowed such a small park can be. The deeper you drive in the park, the more you will lose focus on what to capture, given the diverse wildlife species encountered close to each other.
Since it is an iconic stronghold of Africa’s most desired wildlife species, Lake Mburo National Park offers fantastic opportunities to tick these extraordinary wildlife species off your bucket list. So expect to spot leopards, buffaloes, Rothschild’s giraffes, topis, impalas, zebras, warthogs, Defassa waterbucks and common elands.
A chance to see numerous feathered beauties
With more than 350 species of birds recorded in Lake Mburo National Park, it is undeniable that it’s an ultimate delight for enthusiastic birders. As a matter of fact, the species diversity in Uganda’s smallest savannah national park represents approximately 33% of the country’s total species count.
Easy to access
To get to Lake Mburo National Park, you don’t have to drive for long hours. The park’s main entrance gates, Nshara and Sanga can be reached in approximately 3 hours’ drive from Kampala, the capital city, and it is only in a 30 minutes’ drive from Mbarara city.
There are also chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport/Kajjansi Airstrip to Mbarara airstrip, that takes only 33-45 minutes.
Once you have entered the park through any of the gate, there’s an outstanding network of well-maintained tracks. These allow drivers of even the humblest vehicles to see the natural beauty of the park.
Photographic opportunities when you visit Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park is in an outstandingly stunning part of western Uganda, comprised of lush rolling hills, forested areas, vast savannah grasslands, wetlands, lakes and woodlands. These offer visitors the thrilling backdrop for capturing the perfect shots.
Can easily be combined with other destinations
A Lake Mburo National Park safari is in itself a matchless opportunity for every traveler-group, solo, couple, school tours or even a family holiday. However, it can also be combined with other destinations in the western and south-western part of Uganda. These include Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable, Mgahinga Gorilla and Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and even beyond in the neighboring countries especially Rwanda.
Offer family-friendly safaris
The boundless sightings of wildlife species during a safari to Lake Mburo National Park offer parents the ideal opportunity of teaching children about loving and respecting nature. A family safari to this park is ideal for all ages, because there are activities for all categories of people. These range from game drives, bush walks to boat cruises, so all age groups are sorted.
More about Lake Mburo National Park
Situated within the western side of Uganda between Masaka and Mbarara, Lake Mburo National Park was gazetted in 1986 to protect the remaining savannah wildlife species in the area.
The park currently covers an area of 370 square kilometers of lakes, wetlands, forest, savannah plains and woodlands that shelter over 70 species of mammals. These include buffaloes, topis, warthogs, reedbucks, spotted hyenas, leopards, oribis, bushbucks, hippos, Defassa waterbucks, common elands, impalas, zebras, Rothschild’s giraffes and many others.
The diverse ecosystem of this park shelters over 350 species of birds such as the African fin foot, grey-crowned cranes and shoebill storks. Many reptiles such as monitor lizards and Nile crocodiles usually occupy the shores of Lake Mburo.
Luxury accommodation facilities in Lake Mburo National Park
There is no better way to unwind after a safari than a spectacular safari lodge and the facilities that make your stay comfortable. So, among other the different safari lodges to stay in while in Lake Mburo National Park, include Mburo Safari Lodge, Mpogo Safari Lodge, Mihingo Lodge, Rwakobo Rock Lodge, Arcadia Cottages and Mantana Tented Camp among others.
How to get there
Lake Mburo National Park is considered the easiest national park to access, of all then 10 national parks in Uganda. This is because the park is at approximately 270 kilometers from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda.
It is mainly accessed through road transport through Kampala-Masaka-Lake Mburo National Park, through Nshara or Sanga Gates, which takes about 3 hours. For visitors hoping to arrive earlier you can opt for air travel by chartering a flight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Mbarara airstrip and then the be driven to the park by road in less than 45 minutes.