Lake Mburo National Park is situated in Kiruhura district in the western region of Uganda and it is 45km east of Mbarara city which is the nearest big town in the area. It is also 240km from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda by road. The park is covered by wetlands, lake, acacia trees and savannah grassland which acts as a home to 68 species of mammals and some of the species are not found anywhere in Uganda like Zebra and Impala. It is also a home to 315 species of birds including the Shoebill stork and African Finfoot.
Lake Mburo is the main lake in the park and it attracts both aquatic and terrestrial life among which include hippos, crocodiles and Zebras, Impala, elands and leopards respectively. So, the concentration around the lake provides a perfect experience in lake Mburo national Park.
The existence of Lake Mburo National Park has a historical attachment which is the important aspect today in Ankole region. There lived the two brothers in land where Lake Mburo National Park is situated today. The brothers were called Kigarama and Mburo, so one-nightKigarama dreamt that the area they lived will be hit by the floods. Kigaram had to advise his brother Mburo to relocate to the safer place but his brother denied his idea and he refused to relocate. The brother Kigarama had to relocate to the adjacent hill and brother Mburo remained in the former area which was in the valley.Unfortunately to note is that the Kigarama’s dream came true and the area was covered by floods as he had dreamt which led to drowning of Mburo in mass of water that formed the Lake which was named after him while his brother who had resettled in the adjacent hill survived and the hill was named after him. This tale still counts today and as these landscapes continue to exist, the legend cannot be discarded.
Lake Mburo was originally gazetted in 1933 to control hunting in the area until 1963 when it was upgraded to the game reserve but the Banyakole and Bhaima tribes continued to graze in the gazzetted land until 1983 when it was turned into the National Park hence Lake Mburo National Park.The upgrade decision was led by Milton Obote, the president of Uganda at that time and the intention was to the Banyakole who supported the anti-Obote rebels. The affected pastoralists were not compensated for the lost grazing land. So, the rangeland outside the park was subdivided into small ranges and subsistence farming plots and this made most of the pastoralist’s hostile.
In 1995, the second Obote regime fell and the former members took over the park land again to carry out their cattle keeping activities. So, the infrastructures were destroyed, park staff was expelled, and killing of wildlife was resumed.
In 1986, half of the original park land was re-gazatted by the National Resistance Movement government who were the successors of Obote’s government.
CLIMATE
Lake Mburo National Park is composed of tropical type of climate and it receives average rainfall of 800mm per year and it is because of it being located on the shadow side of Lake Victoria and Ruwenzori Mountain. Daily temperatures are around 270C during day and at night, the temperatures drop to 140C on average. The rainfall is received throughout the year but some with little rainfall drops.
Dry Season / High season:This is the best time to visit Lake Mburo National Park and the month range from Mid-June to August and from Mid-December to January. In some month there can be rain drops like July and August.
Rainy Season / Low Season: We do have rain season in Lake Mburo National Park and they range from February to Mid-June and also from November to Mid-December. So, travelling to lake Mburo national park is recommended at this time but one needs to have 4×4 wheel drive Land cruiser.
ACCESS / HOW TO GET THERE
BY ROAD TRANSPORT
When in Kampala, Lake Mburo National park can be accessed through Kampala, Masaka, Lyantonde high way to Nshara gate and it takes 4.5 hours’ drive to reach the park and from there, you will be taken to your chosen accommodation. It takes 240km from Kampala.
If you are in Mbarara town, Lake Mburo National Park can be accessed through Sanga gate and it costs 1.5 hours’ drive with a 68km distance.
BY AIR TRANSPORT
From Entebbe International Airport, Lake Mburo National Park can be reached by domestic flight using Aerolink. So, one can fly to Mbarara airstrip and it takes 2 hours fly. Then, you will be transferred to Lake Mburo National Park which takes like 77km.
TOURISM / TOURIST ACTIVITIES IN LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
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Game drive at Lake Mburo National Park
The game drive starts at 7:00am and it takes 3-4 hours for the morning session and the evening one starts at 4:00pm not forgetting the night’s game drive which can also be organized. With a lot of animals and birds, Lake Mburo National park is agood place for game viewing especially on the Zebra track, the Kazuma track, Kigambira loop and the Lake side track. The game drive offers impressive sights of zebra, impala, eland, waterbuck, warthog, topi, bushbuck, oribi, Klipspringers, bush duikers among other wildlife.
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Boat cruise at Lake Mburo
Lake Mburo being the only lake in the national park, it provides an opportunity for the boat cruise and it takes 2 hours ride on the calm water of Lake Mburo. So, you have the chance to see hippos and crocodiles. You also have an opportunity to spot birds like African fish eagle, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher,White- Bee-eaters, Little Bee-eater, Hadada Ibis among other birds. You will also see Buffaloes, Zebras, waterbucks and bush bucks coming to take the water around the lake.
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Birding Watching or birding at Lake Mburo National Park
With it count of birds, Lake Mburo National Park offers rewarding birding opportunities. Birding is ideally done along the valley swamps of Miriti and Warukiri not forgetting along the road that connects Rwonyo camp and the jetty. The viewing platforms exist in Miriti valley, the salt lick, and Rubanga forest. Birders can encounter bird species like; Rufous-bellied Heron, Coqui Francolin, Bateleur, Grey Crowned Crane, Brown-chested Lapwing, Black-bellied Bustard, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Red-headed Lovebird, Brown Parrot, Ross’s Turaco, Green Wood-hoopoe, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Common Scimitarbill, Red-faced Barbet, White-headed Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Long-tailed Cisticola, Red-shouldered Cuckoo-shrike, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Finfoot and White-winged Tit among others. There is also an opportunity to encounter Red Faced Barbet which only exists in Lake Mbro National Park.
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Horse riding at Lake Mburo National Park
Horseback safari is provided by the management of the luxury Mihingo Lodge. The activity will take you Warukiri valley for 4km and it will offer you the chance of viewing the animals at the closer range and especially the Zebras, Elands, Buffaloes, Impalas among others.
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Nature walk at Lake Mburo National Park
The activity starts at 7:00am and it will take you to the salt lick where the animals gather to lick salt from the salty rocks and other walks stretch to the west of the lake lasting for two hours and it offers the chance to spot the hyenas and Hippos running back to the Lake. You can also hike the Kazuma hill which provides the scenic view of the park with its five lakes which are in the park. So, one can spot the wildlife that tend to graze on the lower layers of the hill and the setting of the of the savannah woodland across the hills. Walks in Rubanga Forest can also be arranged for bird watchers and nature lovers.
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Sport fishing at Lake Mburo
Sport fishing involves catching the fish, weigh it and after drop it back to the water. Here, it is carried out at Mazinga on Lake Mburo where the spot fishers have an opportunity to carry out sport fishing. So, you will catch the Tilapia species and other fish species existing in the Lake. Therefore, you need an authorization from Uganda Wildlife Authority and the fishing equipment’s will be provided.
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Cultural encounters.
The cultural experience involves visiting the surrounding communities and interacting with the local people in the surrounding areas especially the Bahima and Banyankole people. You will see their culture which is attached to the long-horned cattle’s, you will know how their culture is attached to milk, marriage style, the tradition hut, art and crafts with the dancing style. So, Igongo cultural Centre will expose you to the most of the Bahima andAnkole culture. It is also believed that this is where the future meets the past.
ACCOMMODATIONS / WHERE TO STAY
HIGH END LODGES / LUXURY FACILITIES AT LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
- Mihingo Lodge
- Hotel Triangle Mbarara
- Kigambira Safari Lodge
MID-RANGE FACILITIES AT LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
- Rwakobo Rock Lodge
- Lake Mburo Safari Lodge
- Arcadia Cottages
- Mantana tented Camp
BASIC / BUDGET LODGE FACILITIES IN LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
- Eagles Nest Lodge
- Zebra Zone Homestead
- Rwonyo Rest Camp
- Conservation Education Centre
- Leopard Rest Camp