Lake Mburo National Park

A gentle, walkable park

Lake Mburo is the smallest of Uganda’s savanna parks and one of the easiest to visit. It’s a landscape of rolling hills, acacia woodland and lakes, with wetlands along the water. The park sits on the road between Kampala and western Uganda, which makes it a natural night stop on the way to Bwindi or Queen Elizabeth.

Because there are no elephants and few large predators, it’s one of the few Ugandan parks where you can walk, ride or cycle among the wildlife. That’s its appeal.

Wildlife

Plains game is abundant. Zebras graze in big groups, impalas (found nowhere else in Uganda) leap across the grasslands, and elands, topi, waterbuck and buffalo are common. Hippos and crocodiles live in the lake. Leopards live here but are rarely seen. More than 300 bird species include the African finfoot and papyrus specialists in the swamps.

Long-horned Ankole cattle graze on the park’s edges, and herders live alongside the wildlife.

Activities

Guided walks are the most popular activity. A ranger with a rifle leads you across the plains and can explain the tracks, plants and insects you’d miss in a vehicle. Horseback safaris are offered at a few lodges and are an unusual way to get close to zebras and antelope. There is also a boat trip on the lake, with hippos and birds, and night drives to look for bush babies and hyenas.

When to go

June to September and December to February are drier and easier. In the wet months from March to May, and October to November, the park is green but some tracks can be muddy.

Getting there

The main gate at Nshara is about 4 hours by road from Kampala on a good highway, then a short murram (dirt) road. It’s on the route to Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth, and easy to add to any western Uganda itinerary. Some visitors also stop at the Equator crossing on the way.

Costs

The Uganda Wildlife Authority sets park entry fees for foreign non-residents, and activity fees such as walks and boat trips are extra. Accommodation ranges from campsites to comfortable lodges. It’s usually good value for a one-night stop.