Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest national park and the closest park to both Kampala and Entebbe. If you are planning for wildlife safaris in Uganda, birding safaris or want to enjoy game viewing then Lake Mburo National Park should be a possible destination for you. Most of our guided Uganda safaris / tour packages / Uganda tours prepared by our professional tour operators have this national park as part of the itinerary especially for guests who would really love to carry out birding safaris in Uganda. Lake Mburo National Park is located approximately 230 kilometers from Kampala and only 30 Kilometers from Mbarara – the biggest town in Western Uganda.
From Entebbe airport to lake mburo National park, its approximately 290km. The national park is neighbored by 4 big districts of Uganda which include Mbarara town, Lyantonde, Isingiro North and Kiruhura. Lake mburo national park also happens to be the nearest national park in Uganda that is close to the President’s Home town in Kiruhura district. From lake mburo, one can drive for about 2 hours a distance of about 99km to reach the president’s home in Nyabushozi-kiruhura district.
The park is easily accessible by road in about a 3hours’ or 3 hours’ and half drive for those who want to do lake mburo national park.
The coordinates are of lake mburo national park is approximately about: 00 36S, 30 57E (Latitude: 0.6000; Longitude: 30.9500).It covers an area of 260 square kilometer s but still the smallest of Uganda‘s Savannah national parks and underlined by ancient Precambrian metamorphic rocks which date back.
What is currently Lake Mburo National Park was first gazette in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963. The area was dominantly occupied by the Banyankore pastoral ism (commonly known as Bahima) who continued to herd their cattle and other livestock in the reserve until it was granted a National park status in 1983 by the Obote regime. The decision to upgrade Lake Mburo reserve to a National park status was in one part targeted to punish the Banyankore who were believed to be supporting the anti-Obote rebels. The evicted pastoral list were not given any compensation for the lost grazing land and neither were they helped with the resettlement and many of them thus protested the park’s formation. This was during the time of Operation Bonanza massacre of 300,000 and as a result, the range land outside the park was divided into small pieces and subsistence plots.
Origins
The origin of this park started with a story of two brothers one known as mburo and the other as kigarama who lived in the low-lying Savannah plains hence making the area traditionally known as Kaaro karungi. One night kigarama dream that they were to receive substantial amount of rain which would cause flooding and there property destroyed. Kigarama told the dream to his brother but mburo took it for granted. Because in the African society dreams were respected kigarama decided to leave the area and went in the overlooking hills leaving his brother behind. Finally the dream came true and the area was attacked by the rain and it caused flooding and the drowning of mburo with his property and thus the name mburo and the hills were named after his brother. All this story can be narrated to you during the lake mburo safaris/ visit to lake mburo national park or Uganda safaris to lake mburo park.
Ecosystem
Lake mburo national park being a special place, it has got a vast ecosystem and nature prevails, in its western region. There are Rocky Ridges and forested gorges, Narrow bands of lush, riparian woodland and much more. Like many lakes this has been an addition to the formation of beautiful sceneries hence attracting many tourists to come and see the hidden treasures of the park. Since lake mburo national park is a special place, it harbor 68 mammal species though it does not have elephants and lions. The fact that there are no lions, it gives a chance to the tourist to freely move close to the animals and have a close impact with them. The park has got a wide range of birds flopping in the sky and are so being visible to visitors. Some of the birds that are seen in this park include rare rare shoe bill, stork, African fin foot, pelican, and heron among others.
Lake mburo national park is blessed with forests which act as a habitat to animals in the park but also help in the influence and formation of rainfall that provides water. This helps to complete tasks that need water at the park like, it acts as drinking water for the animals hence improving their well-being and outlook. The park is rich with acacia trees, valleys, and grass lands with different types of grass that fed on by the wild animals. It also has both seasonal and permanent swamps where papyrus grows which is used to make a variety of things that can be sold and improve on the government’s economy.
Rwonyo Gate
It is the starting point for nature walks and game drives.
Lake Mburo
Eastern shores of Lake Mburo can be explored by boat, departing from a jetty at the lake side campsite near Rwonyo. Watch out for crocodiles and hippos during the 2hour journey you can also sight a variety of bird’s e.g the rare Fin foot and shoe billed storks.
Salt licks
Guided walks explore the peak around Rwonyo, culminating in a visit to a natural salt lick frequented by the wildlife. Viewing is facilitated by a timber observation platform.
Game tracks
The eastern hinterland of Lake Mburo is served by a network of game tracks along which a variety of Savannah animals and birds can be sighted. Impalas are the most commonly seen along the impala track while zebras frequent the grassy valley flours traversed by the zebra track. This connects to the Rukoro track which passes rock kopjes, home to the elusive Klip springs.
Rubanga forest
Though small this tract of forest on the western side of Lake Mburo provides a taste of the tropical high forest with closed canopy and is home to a variety of forest bird species. Rubanga can be explored with a ranger guide.
Conservation education center
The park has a conservation education Center, 1km west of Sanga gate. This provides accommodation and an education hall for school groups, visitors, seminars and workshops.
Horse riding
It is conducted by Mihingo lodge inside the park while wild bike riding gives one a spectacular view of the park’s terrain and wildlife.