Lake Mburo National Park is Uganda’s smallest savannah national park situated in the western part of the country. Wetlands of the national park contain 20% of the park forming a large wetland system, the park’s history has seen its wildlife eliminated several times, the invasion of tsetse flies, making land for Ankole agriculturalists, the national park is conveniently located along the highway on Mbarara-Masaka road, the angelic destination covers an area space of approximately 370 square kilometers. It is elevated at an altitude between 1220m and 1828m above sea level. Lake Mburo National Park is named after a large Lake within the national park known as the Lake Mburo. The national park was gazette in 1933 as a controlled hunting area, and to the status of a national park in 1963 as a way of protecting the gazette area from human encroachment and pastoralists.
The 370 square kilometer conservation area is a perfect place to take a day break, the area of the park according to legend is based on the story of 2 brothers (Mburo and Kigarama), they are said to have been pastoralists living within the conservation area, one day the brother Kigarama dreamt that there would be heavy rains which would lead to destruction and flooding, he explained this to his brother who did not listen but rather went ahead with his daily grazing, it is said that he didn’t listen and unfortunately the floods swept him, the very place was filled with water and named after him which is the present day Lake Mburo, the park is underlined by Precambrian rocks, around which are prominent 5 Lakes, the vast savannah dotted with shrubs, short bushes, Rubanga forest, these act as homes to wildlife in the national park example species to be spotted here include zebras, Rothschild’s giraffes, elands, topi, waterbucks, bushbucks, buffaloes and over 300 species of birds.
Activities in the national park include wildlife game drives in the national park, through the well-distributed game tracks, you will have the best of the park viewing several wildlife species, popular sightings include zebras, warthogs, elands, Kobs, guided nature walks are safe to be done in the park due to the absence of Lions and large mammals like elephants, as one walks, they will be able to view the best of the national park. Bird watching is an important thing to do while in the national park, it is such an amazing experience, Lake Mburo National Park is home to 350 species of birds, examples kinds to see include the black night jar, pelicans, sunbirds, the critically endangered shoe bill stock.
Boat cruises in the national park are carried out on Lake Mburo, the cruise takes 2-3 hours along the banks of the lake are hippos, crocodiles, and warthogs, the cool breeze of the park is amazing, as you will have a chance, horseback riding an initiative of Mihingo Lodge, this is a much more closer to wildlife, other activities of the national park include cultural experiences.