Lake Mburo National Park is nestled in Western Uganda, Kiruhura district, just a 50-minute drive from the nearby town of Mbarara. It is known to be the smallest savannah park in Uganda, covering 260 square kilometers, yet richly diverse. It’s covered with grasslands, acacia woodlands, kopjes, wetlands, and five interconnected lakes.
All these create a tranquil backdrop of the zebras, impalas, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, and over 300 bird species. The journey rewards great views of plantations, rolling hills, stopovers like one at the Uganda equator line, Igongo cultural center, and the Biharwe eclipse. Depending on the starting point, you can stopover at Lake Bunyonyi if the tour begins from Kigali, Rwanda.
Routes to access Lake Mburo National Park
Most travelers visiting Lake Mburo begin their journey from either Kampala city or Entebbe airport. The shorter route is from Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara highway, which is fully tarmacked. The distance is about 230 kilometers, taking about 4 to 5 hours’ drive, and this has attracted many travellers since the park is the nearest park to Kampala capital city.
Another route can be from Kigali, Rwanda, crossing the Katuna border via Kabale, with a stopover at Lake Bunyonyi, the second deepest lake in Africa. The journey takes about a 6-7-hour drive. There is an option of using scheduled or chartered flights from Entebbe to Mbarara and then taking a 50-minute drive to the park.
Best cars for hire to Lake Mburo National Park
The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is strong, reliable, and comfortable for long distances. Also, high ground clearance makes it perfect for rough park roads. These cars are spacious enough for groups and families.
The Toyota Land Cruiser V8, which is popular in Uganda suitable for game drives with a rooftop for better wildlife viewing. This car handles both tarmac and dirt roads effortlessly. Another one can be a Toyota Rav 4(4×4), budget-friendly for couples or solo travelers, with fuel efficiency, and readily available in Uganda.
Safari vans (4X4) are best for groups of 6 to 9 people, customized with a roof top-up for wildlife viewing and with a lot of space for luggage. These cars have charging points and a refrigerator. Car hire with a safari driver is the best option as he/she act as a guide, hence ensuring you don’t miss the best sightings.
Best activities in Lake Mburo National Park
Game drives are the classic way to see Lake Mburo’s wildlife. The park has several tracks with high chances of spotting impalas, herds of zebras, giraffes, topis, elands, and more. There are 3 game drives, and these include morning, afternoon, and evening game drives. We encourage our clients to have an escorted park ranger guide for the best experience.
Boat cruise is one of the rewarding experiences in this amazing national park as you cruise on the lake, meet the hippos, crocodiles, kingfishers, cormorants, and African fin foot. Each boat tour lasts for about 2 to 3 hours.
Cycling Tours are available for those interested in spotting wildlife on a bicycle as you exercise. Meeting different animals like impalas, giraffes, vervet monkeys, topi, and more of the birds.
Horseback riding is a unique way of exploring Lake Mburo’s savannahs on horseback. Imagine riding alongside the zebras and other antelopes. It is one of the most magical ways to experience wildlife; hence, a highlight is this park.
Nature walks in the park make it one of the few savannah parks that offer this experience. With the guidance of the ranger guide, you can walk close to the giraffes, zebras, and antelopes.
Bird watching since the park is home to over 300 bird species, making it a true birders’ paradise. Notable birds here include African fish eagles, the rare shoebill stork, brown chested lapwing, and others.
A trip to Lake Mburo is best experienced with a reliable vehicle that can handle both smooth highways and rugged park roads. Standard safari will help you choose the best car for your safari to Lake Mburo. Contact is today.
