7 Best Activities to do while in Lake Mburo National Park outlines various attractions and things to do that can be tailored in any of short or longer Uganda safari. Lying some 260km (about 3hrs drive) south-west of Entebbe/ Kampala, the 370km2 Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest of the savanna park, yet the most scenic! Often used as a break destination on most classic Uganda tours, Lake Mburo NP offers exceptional and rewarding wildlife and cultural safari experience. The national park boasts a blend of diverse ecosystems ranging from acacia wooded grasslands, vast wetlands, lakes and rolling grassland hills that support an incredible game list and birdlife.
7 – Best Activities to do while in Lake Mburo National Park
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Day or night game viewing Drives
Lake Mburo National Park offers an excellent game viewing experience bringing you up-close to a wide diversity of game across its mosaic of habitats. Game checklist here include Nubian giraffe, zebra, impala, common eland, topi, Bushbuck, cape buffalo, Dwarf mongoose and more. The acacia dominated Lake Mburo NP ranks low on apex predators but leopard and hyena are often seen especially on night game drives.
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Boat safari expereince on Lake Mburo
A boat safari experience is a popular highlight for visitors to Lake Mburo NP where you come up-close and personal to a variety of both semi-aquatic wildlife and birdlife. The boat cruise follows the lake shores extending to secluded bays far away from tracks used by game viewing vehicles where the semi-aquatic hippo, Nile crocodile and large game occur. Lake Mbulo from which the national park is named, is part of an extensive wetland that extend east to drain into Lake Victoria.
Lake Mburo game viewing boat safaris run on a morning and afternoon daily programs lasting up to 2hrs each round trip. The boat follows the lake edges and bring you up-close to ponds of the semi-aquatic hippos, Nile crocodile and various birdlife and game that come to drink here.
Outside these daily schedules, private specialist targeted cruises like birdwatching target the elusive African Finfoot that favor the quite woodland edged shores, while the papyrus stands hide papyrus gonolek and other species.
- Birdwatching
Supporting a bird checklist of over 350 species, Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s major birding hotspot known for a quality checklist of acacia woodland associated specialists. This rich check-list of birds is due to the parks blend of diverse habitats from vast wetlands, to acacia woodlands and grasslands.
Top bird highlights in Lake Mburo are local woodland specialists on their northern-range limit here and these include Southern Black-Flycatcher, Black-Collared Barbet, Red-faced Barbet, Tabora Cisticola and more. Others include African Finfoot, Papyrus gonolek, White-winged Swamp Warbler, Carruthers cisticola, Slender-billed Weaver, Red-Headed weaver, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, White-backed Night Heron and more.
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Walking Safari up-close giraffes, zebra and more
Lake Mburo NP is popular for its walking safaris where you get up-close to herds of Zebra, giraffes, impalas and more. Led by highly knowledgeable ranger guides, walking safaris will take you farther than where ordinary game viewing vehicles go, to reveal the rhythm of nature up-close. On foot, the ranger guides will point out various behavior reactions demonstrated by wildlife as you walk past them. You will be able to observe tracks, identify various calls and smells tracks, offer a deep connection to nature you are at the same level with the park’s resident game.
Duration for walking safaris in Lake Mburo are between 1.5hrs and often run-on a morning and evening schedules when light is good and fresh.
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Cycling tours in Lake Mburo NP
Another exciting adventure safari while in Lake Mburo is a cycling tour. Led by adventure ranger guides for your safety, cycling tours will follow various tracks that run through game territories where you can observe game up-close. Cycling tour duration lasts between 1-2hrs on both morning and evening programs.
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Horse riding experience in Lake Mburo
This is one of the most exciting adventure activities in Lake Mburo – getting up-close to herds of giraffe, impalas, zebra on a horse back in the wild! The tour explores open woodlands to encounter wildlife and birdlife, watching the wildlife reaction and behavior on their tuff.
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The Royal Ankole Long-horned Cow Experience
While at Lake Mburo NP, take the exciting Ankole Long-horned Cow experience and learn of traditions, cultural significance and importance of these beautiful species. The Ankole Long-horned Cows are a darling and highly favored breed that was often kept by Kings and princes of Ankole Kingdom all the way to the Kingdom of Rwanda and Karagwe.
On this cultural tour you will engage in milking, butter making process and even grazing. The local guide will take share traditions including the naming that follows after the cow’s color, behavior. The tour offers insights into the lifestyle of these cattle keepers and their relationship that is centered on the Ankole Cow. Tour duration is generally tailored on your available time but 3-4hrs is normal and activity is best done in the morning.
How to get to Lake Mburo National Park and Where to Stay
Lake Mburo National Park lies about 260km from Kampala/ Entebbe requiring up to 3hrs drive. The acacia dominated park is a popular safari destination often visited on 2-Day trips from Kampala or tailored in on longer Uganda safari. Lake Mburo National Park is served by a wide range of accommodations ranging from luxury to rustic facilities that retain that wilderness feel. These facilities lie on the park edges while several lie inside the park boundaries.