Table of Contents
- Where is Lake Mburo?
- What can you do at Lake Mburo?
- Are there lions in Lake Mburo National Park?
- Six reasons why Lake Mburo is worth visiting
- Giraffes and zebras!
- It’s relatively small and easy to navigate
- It’s reasonably close to Entebbe/Kampala
- Walking/cycling/horseback safaris!
- The boat cruise
- Excellent accommodation options
- Planning a trip to Lake Mburo?
When you think about a safari in Uganda, most people turn their attention to Kidepo NP or Murchison Falls in the north or Queen Elizabeth NP in the southwest.
But in this article, I want to introduce you to another excellent safari location in the Pearl of Africa as I answer the question – is Lake Mburo worth visiting?
I’ve been on three self-driven safaris around Lake Mburo, and I absolutely love the place! While it doesn’t offer the same level of wildlife sightings as some of the bigger parks, it’s a gem of a location for those in the know.
So, read on to find out what you need to know about Lake Mburo NP, as well as six reasons why I absolutely think that Lake Mburo is worth visiting during your upcoming vacation in Uganda.
Where is Lake Mburo?
Lake Mburo is located in western Uganda, close to the city of Mbarara. It takes around four hours to drive from Kampala to Lake Mburo, making it a much closer safari destination than the likes of Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kidepo, both of which are considerably further away in the southwest and northeast of the country, respectively.
One of the best things about Lake Mburo is the fact that it’s just off the main road from Kampala-Mbarara, making it super accessible and really easy to get to from Uganda’s hectic capital. As such, it’s a popular tourist destination with Ugandans and foreign visitors alike. But is Lake Mburo worth visiting? What can you see there?
What can you do at Lake Mburo?
Lake Mburo is one of Uganda’s safari destinations, and it’s a gazetted national park, meaning that the main activity is spotting wildlife! You can arrange a self-drive around Lake Mburo or plan your trip to the national park via a tour agency. You can also do walking, cycling, or even horseback safaris (yes, really!) in Lake Mburo National Park, another reason why this gem is becoming more and more popular.
Of course, as the name of the park suggests, there’s also the eponymous lake to check out, and boat cruises around Lake Mburo are leisurely and an absolute must for birders. There are so many birds in and around the lake that it’s actually difficult to keep track – the shoebill is here (though I still haven’t seen one!), while the majestic fish eagle is a star attraction on the lake shores.
In spite of its incredible beauty and the huge range of wildlife and birds you can spot within the confines of Lake Mburo National Park, it is often known for what it is lacking – a significant number of predators, as we explain below.
Are there lions in Lake Mburo National Park?
The short answer is no – there are not thought to be lions in Lake Mburo National Park, at least not to the same extent that they exist in other parks in Uganda. That being said, the park itself reports that half a dozen lion sightings have been recorded in recent years, suggesting that the lion population could be on the rise.
I’ve been to Lake Mburo for a self-drive safari on three separate occasions, and I’ve never seen a lion. I haven’t seen a leopard either, although there is known to be a small leopard population in Lake Mburo, with sightings much more common than those of their feline counterparts. If you’re looking for lions, Queen Elizabeth Park is a much better option than Lake Mburo, with the famed tree-climbing lions of Ishasha within the park.
When you visit Lake Mburo, you will also notice the absence of elephants. The park is simply too small to cater to their nomadic lifestyle, and you will need to travel to Queen Elizabeth to see them.
Six reasons why Lake Mburo is worth visiting
So, in spite of the absence of the predators that are such a huge draw for the other national parks in East Africa, there are lots of reasons to visit Lake Mburo, as I explain below.
Giraffes and zebras!
I don’t know about you, but I just love giraffes and zebras. They’re animals that I grew up with a fascination with, and as I’ve grown older, my opinion of them hasn’t changed.
Because giraffes and zebras aren’t native to all the national parks in Uganda (they’re notably absent from Queen Elizabeth, for instance), the fact that they’re abundant in Lake Mburo is a huge reason to visit this oft-overlooked national park.
While the giraffes are wary of vehicles and tend to keep their distance from the tracks (at least in my experience), the zebras are quite literally everywhere in Lake Mburo, and you can watch them grazing without a care in the world.
This presents lots of close-up photo opportunities, perfect for updating your social media accounts with dreamy zebra snaps from your time in Lake Mburo!
It’s relatively small and easy to navigate
Lake Mburo is the smallest national park in Uganda, covering an area of just 260 square km. There are also only two entrances to the park, meaning that it’s actually really easy to navigate around.
You can easily follow the trails without a map, and you can cover the park in half a day, which is perfect if you’re short of time and don’t have long left in Uganda before returning home.
If you’re planning to stay at Lake Mburo, all of the accommodation is perched around the outside of the park (with one or two exceptions), and it’s super easy to head from your lodgings to the park entrance for your safari.
Ultimately, its small size and easy-to-navigate tracks are appealing to people who don’t want to spend days traversing the bigger parks in East Africa, which is another reason why Lake Mburo is a great option for tourists visiting Uganda.
It’s reasonably close to Entebbe/Kampala
Lake Mburo is a four-hour drive from Uganda’s capital, Kampala. To get to Queen Elizabeth, it takes around eight hours in the car, and you have to pass the entrance of Lake Mburo to get there via the KLA-MRA road.
Conversely, if you want to get to Kidepo National Park (arguably Uganda’s best wildlife destination), it typically takes two days to drive there, given the poor quality of the road north of Arua.
So, there’s no question that the fact that Lake Mburo is reasonably close to Kampala and Entebbe makes it an attractive proposition for many, particularly those short on time when visiting Uganda on vacation.
Walking/cycling/horseback safaris!
While most visitors to Lake Mburo opt for a traditional vehicle safari, it’s not the only option when visiting the park. The lack of predators and elephants makes it safe to go on walking, cycling, and horseback safaris around Lake Mburo, providing a much different wildlife experience!
Many of the lodges in and around the park can organize these unique safari experiences for you, but you can also find out more information about horseback safaris by visiting Mihingo Lodge – an exclusive resort in Lake Mburo National Park.
As for walking and cycling safaris, most Lake Mburo lodges can organize them for you, so there’s no need to necessarily plan ahead. Given that you’re not permitted to leave the vehicle in most East African National Parks, the fact that you can wander Lake Mburo on foot, via horseback, or on a bicycle is particularly liberating.
The boat cruise
Arguably the main attraction in Lake Mburo National Park is the boat cruise around the eponymous lake. You can reserve a seat on the boat from the UWA office in the park, with morning and afternoon trips available. Again, there’s no need to book ahead, and you can do it when you arrive at the park.
Every time I’ve been on the boat cruise, I’ve been captivated by the beauty of the lake and the wildlife that surrounds it. I’m really into birding, and I’ve seen so many species – I’m particularly proud of the fact that I spotted the rare African Finfoot – a species that birders travel to Lake Mburo specifically to see.
In addition to the incredible array of birds around the lake, you can also spot hippos, buffalos, and Nile crocodiles during your boat cruise, with the latter often sunbathing on the banks in the heat of the African sun. Quite the sight to see!
Excellent accommodation options
Last but certainly not least, Lake Mburo is home to an excellent mix of great accommodation options to suit all budgets. I’ve stayed at Eagle’s Nest and Hyena Hill Lodge at Lake Mburo – both of which I would highly recommend.
They offer great value for money, friendly staff, and comfortable lodgings, and they are located with stunning views across the park. For something a little more upmarket, I would recommend Rwakobo Rock after staying there with my parents last year.
Given the costs associated with staying in lodgings in most East African national parks, I was impressed by the value of those in Lake Mburo, which is another reason to make sure you visit on your upcoming trip to Uganda.
Planning a trip to Lake Mburo?
Lake Mburo is a hidden gem in western Uganda that is often overlooked by safari companies keen to take their clients to Queen Elizabeth, where the tree-climbing lions roam free!
But for something slightly different, Lake Mburo provides a wonderful safari experience in sub-Saharan Africa. So, in answer to the question – is Lake Mburo worth visiting? – I would say that yes, it 100% is.
I have partnered with AJ Tours and Travel and can offer excellent rates if you want to plan a safari in Lake Mburo. Get in touch, and I would be delighted to pass on my discounted rate to you as you plan your trip to the Pearl of Uganda this year.