Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest of Uganda‟s savannah national Parks at only 370square km located in Kiruhura district in Western Uganda. Lake Mburo National Park was first gazetted in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963. The decision to promote Lake Mburo reserve to a national park status was targeted to punish the Banyankore who were alleged to be supporting the anti-Obote rebels.

The area was occupied by the Banyankore pastoralists locally 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 then Obote regime. The evicted pastoralists were not given any compensation for the lost grazing land and neither were they helped with the resettlement and many of them thus objected to the park‟s formation.

It has mosaic habitat, dry hillside, bushy thickets, open and wooded savannahs, forests, lakes and swamps are home to numerous of wildlife. It offers a splendid opportunity for bird watching as there are over 315 species of birds recorded in Rubanga forest, 5 of which are forest specialists. The common species are the Hawk; Green pigeon, Narinastrogn and Double Toothed Barbet .It also has about 68 species of mammals like Zebra, Buffaloes, Topi, Elands and the Leopard.

At the centre of the Park is Lake Mburo, which together with 14 other lakes in the area form part of a wetland system. This system is linked by a swamp 50 km long, fed by the River Ruizi on the western side. Five lakes, of which the largest is Lake Mburo, happen within the Park’s boundary.

Almost a fifth of the park’s area consists of wetlands both seasonally flooded and permanent swamps. The various types of swamps are home to a wide variety of wetland birds, and the shy, rare sitatunga antelope. Lake Mburo’s surface and its fringing vegetation are always changing, and it is delightful to take a boat out and experience the lake’s moods.

Lake Mburo National Park is approximately 240Km from Kampala, 30Km from Mbarara amd 290Km from Entebbe Airport.

Activities & Attractions in Lake Mburo National Park:

Game Drives and Horse Back Safaris

Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to roam the park in search of wildlife. An alternative view of the park, hopefully including sightings of animals rarely seen during the day, and can be seen clearly during the night is another story telling experience.

Boat trips

Lake Mburo is has a variety of animal and plant species which can only be seen clearly if you take a boat trip. The hippopotamuses, crocodiles and birds like pelicans, heron, Fish Eagle, Black Crake, and Cormorant can also be sighted here.

Nature Walks and Hiking

Forest walk in Rubanga Forest offers a diversity of supportive habitat for birds therefore a very eye-catching place for bird watchers with over 40 bird species recorded. At Rwonyo, a guided walk leads to a salt lick where many animals are attracted to the salty rocks.

Birding

Lake Mburo NP contains about 312 bird species including White-winged warbler, Crested Francolin, the rare Shoebill stork, Brown parrot, Red-necked Spur, Common quails, Nubian wood pecker, Emerald-spooted wood, African grey hornbill, Trilling Cisticola, Southern red bishop, Coqui Francolin and so much more.

Sport Fishing

Species of fish are found on Lake Mburo include lung fish, tilapia and mud fish. If you intend to fish, you are requested to obtain a fishing permit from Uganda wildlife Authority. Tourists can get a chance to catch fish using hooks. The designated fishing spot is at Mazinga.