Whispers of the wild
In the middle of an extensive rich acacia woodland lies one of Uganda’s most spectacular and breathtaking, the Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo is a gem of a park, conveniently located close to the western high way that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda.
Lake Mburo National Park is a very special place with a medley of habitats ranging from dry hillsides, rocky outcrops, bushy thickets, open and wooded savannas to forest, lakes and swamps.
Its sculptured landscape rolling hills and idyllic lake shores, forest galleries, seasonal and permanent swamps and grassy valleys all support a wealth of wildlife in a tropical setting.
The park is remarkably different from other parks; it is the best park to view the gigantic eland, impala, zebras and acacia associated birds; common mammal species include warthogs, buffalos, oribi, defassa waterbucks, reed bucks, and other species of antelopes.
Leopards and hyenas are also present and lions have also returned to the park after years of poaching and near extinction.
The five lakes within the park attract hippos and crocodiles while fringing swamps hide secretive papyrus specialists such as the sitatunga antelope and the beautiful red, black and yellow papyrus gonalek.
The park also has an impressive bird list with 332 species recorded including shoebill, papyrus, yellow warbler, african fin foot, saddle billed stork, brown chested wattled plover, Carrutter’s cisticola, tabora cisticola, great snipe, abyssinian ground hornbill and white winged warbler,
Acacia woodland bird species are especially well represented.
Though just 371sq km in size, Lake Mburu has a varied landscape full of interest and color.
The park is refreshing and full of life given its strategic location near Kampala.
Activities in Lake Mburo National Park
Several activities can be conducted while in Lake Mburo National Park like nature walks, game drive, boat safari, quad and horse riding.
Nature walk is conducted on foot with the help of an armed guide who explains to the visitors about the vaious flora and fauna.
Rubanga forest, though small, this tract of foreston the western side of Lake Mburo provides a taste of the tropical high forest with closed canopy and is home to a variety of forest bird species.
The boat is another interesting activity in Lake Mburo, a visitor gets a chance to see a variety of wildlife: crocodiles, hippos and birds like African Fish Eagle, African finfoot, pelicans, shoebills, cormorants, kingfisjer, herons, etc.
Horse riding and quad bikes give a spectacular view of the park terrain and wildlife.
