Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park found in Mbarara district is Uganda’s smallest national park. In case you are driving from Kampala to Lake Mburo, you are likely to take 3.4 hours on the way. Access the park Masaka-Mbarara road; turn left to Nshara gate (13 km past Lyantonde) which takes you through Sanga gate. The two junctions have marked signposts. It is approximately 13kms from Sanga trading center to Sanga gate and 8kms from the main road to Nshara gate. The Park is a perfect Uganda safari destination for short tours and excursions. It is approximately 20 minutes drive from either entrance to Rwonyo park headquarters.
The Park derived its name from the story of two brothers that lived in this valley; Kigarama and Mburo. One night, the older brother Kigarama had a dream that compelled him to shift to the nearby hills. He informed his younger brother Mburo who ignored this dream.
After Kigarama had shifted to the hills, the valley flooded and unfortunately drowned Mburo which Later formed Lake Mburo. The adjacent hills, on the other hand, were named after Kigarama.
With coverage of 370sq km, the park is also home to approximately 350 different types of birds. In addition, there are various animals including; reedbucks, zebras, topi, elands, hyenas, oribi, hippos, Defassa waterbucks and leopards.
Because there are no elephants in the park, the vegetation in the park is mainly woodland; however, it has some patches of acacia thickets and swamps.
Activities.
There are several activities that holidaymakers on a Uganda Safari can enjoy while in the Park.
Game viewing.
Game drives early in the morning and afternoon is the primary tourism activity conducted within this park because of its high number of wild animals. It has Uganda’s most significant population of zebras. However, there are also elands, topis, hyenas, defassa waterbucks, leopards, oribis, impalas, buffaloes, and hippos, especially around the lakes. The Rwonyo salt lick area is an excellent place to see most of the animals in this park.
Hiking and Guided Nature Walks.
The park offers guided nature walks and hiking adventures. These are open to anyone if accompanied by a park game ranger. Among the places for nature walks include; the top of hills, the salt lick area, and Rubanga forest.
Bird Watching.
The park has over 350 species of birds. These include the bare-face go-away, Nubian woodpeckers, green wood hoopoe, brown parrots, black belled bustards and the grey-crowned crane. You will also see the unusual shoebill stork that is sought by nearly all bird watchers across the globe. During the forest walks in Rubanga Forest, game-drives and nature walk you can watch the birds.
Boat rides on Lake Mburo.
Each day in the morning and afternoon, there is a 2 hours boat ride On Lake Mburo. During which you will explore the eastern shores of the lake to see the various water birds; (the commonest being hammerkops, fish eagles, and kingfishers, as well as the shoebill stork).
Horse ride.
These require a prior booking to ensure adequate preparation and availability. This adventure is a great way to enjoy game viewing. You will see animals like zebras, duikers, impalas, bushbucks, and warthogs, among others.
These rides go for 4 hours, and you may ride to the hilltop to enjoy the breathtaking views. Set out on a ride for a bush breakfast in the morning too.
Other Adventurous activities in the park.
- Quad biking
- Sports fishing in Mazinga area (this requires a fishing permit from UWA)