Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo is located in Kiruhura district in western Uganda, Lake Mburo national park is Uganda’s closest park to  both Kampala and Entebbe, and  happens to be a convenient destination for visitors who would like to experience wildlife at the shortest distance possible.  The park is located 240 km from Kampala and 30 km from Mbarara, the biggest town in western Uganda and happens to be the nearest park that is close to the president’s Home town in Kiruhura district and it’s only a 2 hour drive from the park to the home.

The park covers an area of 260 sq. km making it the smallest park in Uganda’s savannah national parks but one of the most interesting National Parks. The tourist attractions in lake mburo national park, it protects  over 68 mammal species though it does not have Elephants and lions, animals found in lake mburo national park,  the park is known for its abundance of zebras hence the expression, “ Home of Zebras”. tourist attractions in lake mburo national park this are wildlife and you will sight at the galloping impala that will amaze you:  herds of Buffaloes  roaming the park,  Bushbucks, Eland only found here, Warthogs and this park is a well-developed Acacia woodland harboring over 320 species namely Red-necked  spurfowl, African Wattled pover, Flapper Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Red Bishop among others. Birds at lake mburo includes the rare shoebill, stork, African finfoot, Papyrus, Yellow warbler, Saddle billed stork, Brown chested wattle plover, Great snipe, White winged warbler  to mention but a few. Though the park is small, it has five lakes that attract hippos and crocodiles. Almost a fifth of the park’s area consists of wetlands both seasonally flooded and permanent swamps where papyrus grows. The various types of swamps are home to a wide variety of wetland birds as well as the  rare sitatunga antelope. You can cruise the lake and experience the lake’s moods and watch the numerous hippos, some crocodiles and an amazing amount of African fish eagles, fishing and also simply admire the shoreline.

History of lake mburo national park

Lake mburoPark is dominantly  occupied by Banyankole, also known as the Bahima pastoralists who used to herd their Ankole  cattle in the area until it was gazetted into a national park in 1983. The area was first gazette in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and later in 1963 it was upgraded to a game reserve. The reason for gazetting the park was partially to punish the Bahima who were believed to have collaborated with antigovernmental rebels. And the other part was to protect the wild animals which were being hunted by the locals because they used to attack them and their animals. Though the park was gazetted, the people were not compensated for their lost land or assisted with resettling  hence protested the park’s formation, The rangeland outside the park was divided into small pieces and subsistence  farming plots.

In 1985 following the fall of the second Obote regime, the previous residents re-occupied the park’s  land, expelling park staff, killing wild animals and also destroying infrastructure. In 1986 the National Resistance Movement re-gazette less than half of the park’s original land area. activities done in lake mburo national park are game drive, Community walks, Birding safaris, trip on Lake Mburo.

Budget accommodation in lake mburo national park includes, Mihingo Lodge, Mburo Safari Lodge, Kigambira Safari Lodge.