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Endowed with interesting Wildlife, lakes & Acacia Associated Birds

The park (Lake Mburo National Park) is situated in the district of Mbarara. In case you are driving from Kampala to Lake Mburo, you are likely to 3.4 hours on the way. The park is accessed from the Masaka-Mbarara road; turn left to Nshara gate (13 kms past Lyantonde) which takes you through Sanga gate. The two junctions have clearly marked signposts, it is approximately 13kms from Sanga trading centre to Sanga gate and 8kms from the main road to Nshara gate. It’s a perfect Uganda safari destination for short tours and excursions.

It is approximately 20 minutes drive from either gate to Rwonyo park headquarters. It was from the story of the two brothers who lived in the valley, Kigarama and Mburo that the park got its name. One night, Kigarama got a dream which inspired him to shift from the valley and when he told the story to his younger brother he did not take it serious so Kigarama had to shift to the hills.

It was from this that the valley turned into floods and formed a lake which was drowning to Mburo. Presently, the lake is named after him, and the hills are referred to as Kigarama after his brother.

Kin Runyankole, word “Mburo” is name of the cassine tree which has a powerful aphrodisiac results.

Attractions and Activities in the Park

The park is taken to be as a very beautiful and fascinating place to go to. Some of the interesting future is the Nakivali wet land which supports globally endangered bird species. The park is also a home to a number of species of mammals including Zebras, impalas, elands, topi and buffaloes. The bird population includes the exceptional shoebill stork, its sculptured landscape with rising and falling grassy hills and idyllic lakeshores has a varied mosaic of habitats: forest galleries, wealthy acacia tree valleys, seasonal, and permanent swamps which all sustain a wealth of wildlife.

Game Drives

The Park has a number of tourist routes which are used for game drives. Impala track gives chance to the visitor to see a good number of animal species. Impala is the most common species seen along this track even though one may see a number of waterbucks, warthogs, topis and zebras.

Zebra track takes you to harems of burchell’s zebra (Equus burchelli) with other species like bushbucks, oribi and reedbucks. The zebra track takes you to the junction of Roroko track a drive passed a wetland basin and thick acacia shrub and woodland with olive trees and eurphorbia species. Kopjes (rock outcrops) spotted near the Roroko track, are home to mysterious klipsringers to which the rock is the home.

The Kazuma track goes passed the wooded grassland where black-bellied buatards usually patrol the area. For visitors to feel the actual exposure of Lake Mburo National Park, they should move up Kazuma hill, which is high enough to allow them see what they could have left out. The five lakes within the park and the rolling hills become more visible and attractive therefore it is better seen than read.

Kigambira loop leads you through a wooded wilderness with scattered thicket and while you are here, search for bushbucks and bush duikers.

The Lakeside track is mostly designed to facilitate viewing of water plants and animals. The park has a great number of water birds and woodland birds, which can be sighted along these tracks.

Boat Trips

The existence of the Lake in the park is a blessing to tourists who tour the park. In the lake are various species of animal and plant, which are usually seen while on a boat trip. Some of these are the hippopotami and birds like pelicans, black crake, heron, cormorant and fish eagle but you may on other hand see the exceptional shoebill stork, all of which will furnish your visit with pride. Every boat trip on the Lake takes a maximum of 2 hours, but arrangements for additional time can be done with management at an extra cost.

Fishing

There are more than 6 species of fish in the Lake with tilapia being the most common specie. Therefore sport fishing is taken as the major activity in the park.

Guided walks

Nature walks are take place in Rubanga Forest and here tourists are able to view a variety of bird species that is if they are fascinated by bird watching. For bird watchers, the forest has a more than 40 species of forest birds in Rubanga forest. A mong bird species in the forest are; – the green pigeon, narina trogn harrier hawk, Grey-backed cameroptera and double-toothed barbet. The forest, even if small is a true high forest with closed canopy. Some renowned trees are markhamia platycalyx, Spain, erythriana and acacia.

Guided walks are also offered in the nature trails to admire the nature insights if the park.

Salt lick walks plus access to the viewing platform. While on the viewing wooden platform, not less than 4 species of animals can be viewed licking the salty soil.

Accommodation facilities in the park

Mantana luxury Tented camp which is 3.5kms from Rwonyo Park headquarters

Rwonyo camp with 6 tents also at the park head headquarters in addition to the public safari camp sites.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority Bandas (UWA)

The conservation centre also provides accommodation for students and it has conference facilities for small groups of visitors.

The time for visiting the Park?

The park can be toured at any time of the year

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