Wildlife – Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park is a very special place; every part of it is alive with variety, interest and colour. The attractive 158 square miles acacia-dotted savanna of Olea and Boscia is home to 68 mammal species. The Park contains an extensive area of wetland and harbors several species of mammals not found anywhere else in Uganda, including zebra and impala. The 315 bird species include the rare Shoebill Stork and African Finfoot.

Lake Mburo has a varied mosaic of habitats and landscapes: forests, rich acacia tree valleys, grass lands and seasonal and permanent swamps. The park is with 370 square km the smallest of Uganda’s Savannah national parks.

The main lake of the park is Lake Mburo. Here you can see many hippos wallowing in the water and the large crocodiles lurking on the shores. Birds include cormorant, fish eagle, pelican, heron and many more.

Lake Mburo National Park is situated in Mbarara district. It is about 3.5 hours drive from Kampala road, making it the closest national park to Kampala. Therefore Mburo Safari lodge is strategically located for all the attractions in southwestern Uganda.

It is about 20 minutes drive from either gates to Mburo Safari Lodge. Be prepared to see much wildlife on your way!

Mammals

The park has more than 68 mammal species, including zebra, impala, topi, eland, bush buck, buffalo, warthog, leopard, hyena and jackal.
There are no elephants and lions in the park, which makes it an ideal place for walking safaris.

Lake Mburo National Park is the best place in Uganda to see the leopard, especially during night game drives and safaris.

Birds

The park has more than 315 different species of birds including the rare shoebill stork, paprus yellow warbler, African finfoot, saddle billed stork, brown chested wattled plover, carruther’s cisticola, tabora cisticola, great snipe, Abyssinian ground hornbill, African fish eagle, saddle billed stork.and white winged warbler. The woody vegetation of Lake Mburo is dominated by Acacia species, Olea species and Boscia species.
The fringing swamps in the park also hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek; you would not want to miss.

Because of the different habitats of the lakeshore and the broad savanna, the variety seems endless. Mburo Safari Lodge exists in harmony with its environment. The owners are committed to conservation and preservation of both the natural surroundings and local communities, which benefit from every visit.

Lake Mburo National Park is the best place in Uganda (and probably East Africa) to see a leopard!

Activities in Lake Mburo National Park

Safaris and game drives
Night safari (game drive) with high chances of seeing leopards
Walking Safari to get close to the animals
Boat trip on Lake Mburo. The boat is a very good platform to see birds, crocodiles and hippos
Birding in Lake Mburo National Park

During safari drives you will have the opportunity of taking exceptional photographs of the fascinating creatures that live in this park.

Enjoy very good game viewing of the mosaic habitat: dry hillside, rocky outcrops, bushes, thickets, open and wooded savannahs, forests, lakes and swamps that are a home to a surprising diversity of plants and animals from this hideaway.