Lake Mburo National Park is an underrated beauty surrounded by the eponymous lake, whose forested shores are enclosed in by rolling green hills. Spanning altitudes of 1,220m to 1,828m, Lake Mburo National Park is a hilly Park underlaid by pre-Cambrian granitic rocks and sandy soils. The Park has a relatively low average annual rainfall of around 800mm; some 20% of its surface area consists of wetland habitats. The most important of these is Lake Mburo, which extends over some 13km2 and is fringed by lush riparian woodland and significant areas of papyrus swamp. Lake Mburo is the largest of the five lakes that lie within the park boundaries, and the second-most westerly component in a chain of 16 lakes and connecting swamps fed by River Rwizi on its course from Mbarara to Lake Victoria.
Lake Mburo harbors several mammal species not easily observed elsewhere in Uganda, it supports Uganda’s only substantial remaining the population of Impala, and is one of only two national parks where Burchell’s Zebra occurs. Other antelope species likely to be seen include are topi, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, duiker, sitatunga antelope and the elands.
What to do and see in Lake Mburo National Park
Game drives
The part of the national park to the east of Lake Mburo is traversed by a network of game tracks. The quality of game viewing in particular locations are influenced by the season as well as long term vegetative changes. The best game viewing in the park-like savannah north and east of Rwonyo along the research track and the Zebra, Impala, and Warukiri tracks, this area usually hosts substantial concentrations of impala, waterbuck, zebra topi, giraffe, and buffalo
Boat trips
Motorboat trips on Lake Mburo leave from the jetty at the main campsite 1km from Rwonyo camp, the boat trip reliably produces good sightings of hippo, buffalo, crocodile, bushbuck, and waterbuck. Visitors will be able to see some water birds like pied kingfisher, marabou stork, and African fish eagle.
Horseback safaris
The introduced horseback safaris in the east of the park, one of a kind great opportunity to get close to animals such as giraffe, zebra, and buffalo, which are more relaxed around horses than cars.
Birding
Lake Mburo National Park is home today to over 350 species of birds such as the Red-faced Barbet, only seen in Lake Mburo, the endemic African Finfoot and the rare Shoebill also the Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Saddle-billed Stork, Brown-chested Lapwing, African-wattled Lapwing, Carruther’s Cisticola, Tabora (Long-tailed) Cisticola, African Scops Owl, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and White-winged Warbler. Lake Mburo National Park is a park that Birders delight in and other visitors delight in the variety of colorful species of birds found here.
Guided Nature walks
Visitors are permitted to walk anywhere in Lake Mburo National Park in the company of a well-trained armed ranger guide, the scenic terrain of the park, the hilltop interpretation center is a derelict and good viewpoint. While the road to the jetty is also a good place to walk, being rich in birds and regularly visited by buffalos and hippos. Of particular interest to walkers and birders is the Rubanga Forest, which lies off the Rwizi track – famous for its beautiful tree species and colorful birds.
