Destinations
Lake Mburo National Park
01
Intro
Small but scenic Lake Mburo National Park is a popular overnight stop between the capital city Kampala and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. It supports several animal species not easily seen elsewhere in Uganda, including plains zebra, eland and impala. Elephants, rhinos and lions are absent, but other wildlife includes Rothschild’s giraffe, buffalo, hippo and leopard.
02
Wildlife
Wildlife is plentiful. Antelope include impala, defassa waterbuck, bushbuck, topi, oribi, klipspringer and eland. You can also expect to see plains zebra, warthog and Rothschild’s giraffe, an endangered subspecies introduced here in 2015. Large numbers of hippo wallow in the lake for which the park is named. Of the Big Five, elephant, rhino and lion are absent, but there are some large buffalo herds and leopards might be seen on night drives.
03
Scenary
The main features of the park are Lake Mburo and four other lakes, which form part of a 50km/30mi-long wetland. These lakes are best viewed from the impressive Kazuma Lookout. The main vegetation is open savannah, but the park is becoming increasingly covered by woodland due to the absence of elephant. The savannah is interspersed with patches of forest and rocky outcrops. Papyrus swamp and woodland surround the lakes.
04
Activities
Whether you are guided or drive yourself, daytime game drives provide a great introduction to the park and its wildlife. Guided night drives come with a high chance of leopard sightings. Boat trips on Lake Mburo usually reward with close-up hippo encounters and plenty of waterbirds. Walking safaris are available, and this is the only park in Uganda where you can do a horseback safari.
05
Weather/Climate
Two Wet seasons give Lake Mburo a good soaking from March to May and September to December. Rainfall tends to peak in April and again in November. The main Dry season is from June to August, but January and February are also relatively dry.
06
Best Time To Visit
Lake Mburo can be visited at any time and wildlife viewing is pretty consistent throughout the year. The Dry seasons (January to February and June to August) bring the best weather and are the ideal time to visit. However, bear in mind that June to August also bring more visitors keen on exploring Uganda, along with high-season prices. Don’t rule out a visit during the Wet seasons (March to May and September to December) when the valleys turn green and the air loses its dry-weather haziness.