Best things to do in Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is among the most visited national parks in Uganda, celebrated for its rich avian life and wildlife species, which attracts countless travellers to explore the park’s uniqueness. It’s located in the western part of Uganda, and it’s one of the smallest national parks in Uganda, spanning an area of about 370 square kilometres. It’s the nearest national park in the country, about a 3- 4 hour drive from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The accessibility of the park favors travellers who don’t want to travel long distances and those with limited time in the country. It has diverse natural systems such as wetlands, lakes, savannah grasslands, acacia woodlands, and forests that provide habitats to various birds and wildlife species. Lake Mburo National Park is home to over 200 butterfly species, 340 bird species, 100 reptiles and amphibians, and 68 mammal species. The park’s rich biodiversity provides various activities that cater to all levels of travellers, such as game drives, boat cruises, cycling, horse riding, bird watching, nature walks, cultural encounters and walking safaris. If you are seeking true African safaris, Lake Mburo National Park must be added to your bucket list, as it promises unforgettable safari experiences.
Best things to do in Lake Mburo National Park.
Bird Watching.
Bird watching is an amazing activity in Lake Mburo National Park that gives bird enthusiasts and ornithologists an opportunity to explore the park’s rich birdlife. The park has over 340 bird species, including forest birds, water birds, savannah birds, acacia dwelling species, migratory birds and the park’s residents. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park birder who gives more insights about the park’s bird species encountered. Some of the birds to see on a birding safari include Red-billed Duck, Helmeted Guineafowl, Western Crested Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Coqui Francolin, Ring-necked Francolin, Red-winged Francolin, Handsome Spurfowl, Scaly Spurfowl, Red-necked Spurfowl, Speckled Pigeon, Rameron Pigeon, White-naped Pigeon, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Mourning Collared-Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Laughing Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Tambourine Dove, Namaqua Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Black-bellied Bustard, Great Blue Turaco, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Pied Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, Red-chested Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Common Cuckoo, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Standard-winged Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Swamp Nightjar, Plain Nightjar, Freckled Nightjar, Slender-tailed Nightjar, Square-tailed Nightjar, Mottled Spinetail, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Temminck’s Stint, Ruff, Small Buttonquail.
Boat Cruises.
Boat cruises are one of the best things to do in Lake Mburo National Park, which allows travellers to explore the park’s breathtaking views. The park offers three sessions: the morning boat cruise, the afternoon boat cruise and the late afternoon boat cruise. These are guided cruises led by an experienced park guide who gives more insights about the park’s inhabitants encountered. Travellers will have a chance to see crocodiles basking in the sun, and schools of hippos swimming. On good days, elephants, buffaloes, warthogs, and waterbucks drink water from the park. Bird lovers will enjoy the melodic songs and sounds of various bird species, like purple heron, African Fish Eagle, Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, African Jacana and more
Nature Walks.
Nature walks are among the most remarkable safari activities in Lake Mburo National Park that give nature lovers a chance to explore its beauty on foot. These are guided activities led by an armed park guide who ensures the protection of the participants and gives information about the park’s inhabitants encountered. The park has well-maintained trails specifically for nature walks, which all offer good opportunities for exploring the park’s rich biodiversity. They will have a chance to encounter various birds and animals like elands, vervet monkeys, oribis, olive baboons, topi, impala, zebra and more. Bird lovers will encounter various bird species like Brown-rumped Bunting, Cabanis’s Bunting, Golden-breasted Bunting, Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Black-billed Woodhoopoe, Forest Scimitarbill, Congo Pied Hornbill, and Crowned Hornbill.
Game Drives.
Game drives are among the best things to do in Lake Mburo National Park, which allows nature lovers to explore the park’s rich biodiversity. The park offers three sessions of game drives: morning game drives, evening game drives and night games, which allow travellers to see nocturnal animals, like hyenas and leopards, which rest during the day and are active at night. These are guided activities led by an experienced guide who gives information about the park’s inhabitants encountered. They will encounter various animals like elephants, elands, zebras, waterbucks, giraffes, Uganda Kobs, oribis, warthogs, topis, hyenas, sitatungas, and more. Bird lovers will encounter views of birds like Tambourine Dove, Namaqua Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Black-bellied Bustard, Great Blue Turaco, and Bare-faced Go-away-bird.
