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What to do in Lake Mburo National Park Uganda Safari

Lake Mburo ZebrasLake Mburo is located along the Mbarara highway in the western side of Uganda and is the smallest national park in the country. It’s mainly covered by the savannah woodland kind of vegetation with some Acacia thickets, a few areas are forested, others are rocky and others are occupied by swamps surrounding water bodies like Lake Mburo from which the park gets its name.

Game viewing in Lake Mburo National park

Lake Mburo can be visited at any time of the year although it may be a bit challenging to drive around those gently rolling hills during the rainy season. Game viewing is the major tourism activity done in this park given the fact that it’s home to variety of wildlife species. This park has the largest number of Zebras in the whole of Uganda, there are topis, defassa waterbucks, oribi, buffaloes, elands, impala, hippos are very common around the water sources, leopards and hyenas are often seen and many more. Game viewing often done during the morning or evening game drives following the different game tracks. If you wish to see variety of animals all together, then you should check out the salt lick spot at Rwonyo where most of these animals converge to lick that salty soil.

Hiking or Guided Nature Walks

You can also do some hiking or guided nature walks through the park if you wish to because this everyone is free to go for a nature walk as long as you are accompanied by a game ranger. Most nature walk destinations include the salt lick spot, a hike up to the top of hills from where you enjoy beautiful views of the park, visit the Rubanga forest which will be interesting more so to the bird watchers.

Bird watching

The bird watcher will be amazed by the variety of birds in this park. There are over 350 bird species and among these is the rare shoe bill stork which is sought by almost every bird watcher around the world. Bird watching is done during the game drive, the nature walks or forest walks in the Rubanga forest which is home to most of the birds like Nubian woodpeckers, brown parrots, grey crowned crane, black belled bustards, bare face go away bird, green wood hoopoe, among so many others including the rare red faced barbets which is only found in Lake Mburo park.

Boat rides on Lake Mburo                                                              

On Lake Mburo there is a 2 hours boat rides take place. Boat rides have to be booked before you arrive at the park and during this launch trip, you will visit the eastern banks of the lake where most of the wildlife and birds hide. During a boat ride you get the chance see some of the aquatic life like the hippos, the crocodiles, the water birds like the fish eagles, kingfishers, hammerkops are very common around the lake and the shoe bill stork may also be sighted. You can go for either the morning or evening boat rides on the lake.

The adventurous visitors can go for the adventurous activities like quad biking and horseback rides. Horse ride needs to be pre-booked so that there is enough time to prepare all that you may need for a successful horseback ride. This is a very interesting way of game viewing because you will definitely meet the duikers, bushbucks, zebras, warthogs, impalas, among others as you ride through that park. Horse ride lasts 4 hours and can ride up to the hilltop and enjoy the view, if it is to be done in the morning; there is an option of having a bush breakfast.

You can also do some sport fishing as way of relaxing. Fishing is commonly done from Mazinga area however, you need to have your own fishing materials as they are not provided and fishing permit from Uganda wildlife authority should be purchased.

Where to stay in Lake Mburo NP

There are a number of accommodation facilities both luxury and budget hotels (for the big spenders options like Mihingo lodge, Mantana tented camp, Lake Mburo lodge, among others and the budget ones like Mpongo lodge, Rwakobo rock, Arcadia cottages and a few more). Where you spend your nights and have your dinners is determined by how much you are willing to spend.

Book with AA Safaris & Tours today and Explore Lake Mburo National Park for your safari in Uganda

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