Lake Mburo National Park (LMNP) is a very special place; every part of it is alive with variety, interest, and colour. The park contains an extensive area of wetland. The part harbours several species of animals, including zebras, impalas, elands, topi and buffaloes. The bird population includes the rare shoebill stork.Lake Mburo National Park’s sculptured landscape with rolling grassy hills and idyllic lakeshores has a varied mosaic of habitats: forest galleries, rich acacia tree valleys, seasonal, and permanent swamps which all support a wealth of wildlife. The park is only 370 square kilometres and the smallest of Uganda’s Savannah National Parks. Its mosaic habitat: dry hillside, rocky outcrops, bushes, thickets, open and wooded savannahs, forests, lakes and swamps are home to a surprising diversity of plants and animals.

Location of Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is situated in Mbarara district. It is about 4 hours drive from Kampala. The park is accessed from the Masaka-Mbarara road; turn left to Nshara gate (13kms past Lyantonde) or alternatively turn left at Sanga Trading Centre (27kms past Lyantonde) which brings you through Sanga gate. Both junctions have clearly marked signposts. It is about 13 km from the Sanga trading centre to Sanga Gate and 8 km from the main road to Nshara Gate. It is about 20 20-minute drive from either gate to Rwonyo Park headquarters.

Flora and Fauna of Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is famous for its richness in biodiversity. It has about 68 different species of mammals. The common ones are zebras, impalas, buffaloes, topis, giraffes, waterbucks, and elands which are herbivores and leopards, hyenas and jackals that are predators. The park also has more than 315 different species of birds including the rare shoebill stork, papyrus yellow warbler, African fin foot, saddle billed stork, brown chested wattled plover, Carruthers cisticola, Tabora cisticola, great snipe, Abyssinian ground hornbill and white-winged warbler. The woody vegetation of Lake Mburo is dominated by Acacia species, Olea species and Boscia species.

Activities in Lake Mburo National Park

Game Drives

The park has several tourist tracks that are used for game drives. Impala Track exposes the visitor to a diverse species of animals. Impala is the most common species viewed along this track although one may sight several waterbucks, warthogs, topis and zebras.

Zebra Track leads to harems of Burchell’s zebra (Equus burchelli) with other species like bushbucks, oribi and reedbucks. The Zebra Track leads to the junction of Ruroko Track, a drive through a wetland basin and thick acacia shrub and woodland, with olive trees and euphorbia species. Kopjes (rock outcrops) found along the Ruroko Track, are home to elusive klipspringers to which the rock is the best habitat.

The Kazuma Track passes through wooded grassland where black-bellied bustards often patrol the area. For visitors to experience real exposure to Lake Mburo, they should climb Kazuma Hill, which is high enough to enable them to see what they could have missed. The five lakes within the park and the rolling hills become more visible and attractive. It is better seen than read or heard!

Kigambira Loop takes you through a wooded wilderness with scattered thicket and while you are here, look out for bushbucks and bush duikers.

The Lakeside Track is specially designed to facilitate the viewing of water plants and animals. The park has a diversity of water birds and woodland birds, which can be sighted along these tracks.

Rubanga Forest

This forest offers a variety of habitats, conducive for birds thereby making it a very attractive place for bird watchers. There are over 40 species of birds recorded in the Rubanga Forest, 5 of which are forest “specialists”. Some of the common species are the harrier hawk, green pigeon, narina trogon, grey-backed camaroptera and double-toothed barbet. The forest, though small, is a real high forest with closed canopy. Some common trees are markhamia platy calyx, sapium, erythrina, and acacia.

Boat Trips

The presence of Lake Mburo within the park is a blessing. The lake is rich with a diversity of animal and plant species, which can only be viewed clearly while on a boat trip. These include crocodiles, hippopotami and birds like pelicans, black crake, herons, cormorants, and fish eagles but you may also see the rare shoebill stork, all of which will furnish your visit with pride.

The duration of each boat ride is 2 hours maximum, but arrangements for extra time can be made with management at an extra fee.

Guided Walks

The nature trail offers the visitor a chance to admire nature on foot. Visitors can walk in the circuit at their own pace in the company of an armed guide. Information on trails is also available at the Rwonyo headquarters. 

Fishing:

Lake Mburo has about 6 species of fish, the common one being tilapia (Oreochromis leucostictes).
Visitors planning to enjoy sport fishing on Lake Mburo should carry their fishing gear and fish at the designated point at Mazinga.