Most travelers’ mindset in Uganda is in trekking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, tracking chimpanzees in Kibale Forests National Park, and also going for wildlife safaris in Murchison Falls, Kidepo Valley, and Queen Elizabeth National Parks snubbing the fantastic Lake Mburo National Park unknowingly. Most of the tourists are actually not enlightened about the extraordinariness of this Park as many tour operators are more interested in marketing the above popular national parks and leaving away Lake Mburo which would really sum up the tourist’s wildlife trip wonderfully and perfectly. There are many attractions to enjoy in Uganda’s smallest savannah national park, Lake Mburo, even those you will rarely meet in the popular Parks.
Lake Mburo is nestled on the highway that connects all the western and southwestern national parks from Kampala, in Lyantonde district. Being the smallest does not really interpret that it is less adventurous as the Park is magical in its own way. The picturesque landscapes of this small-sized Park along with the striking sunsets and the quantities of various antelope species are among the special things to meet nowhere else in Uganda but in the neglected Lake Mburo National Park.
Many unique animal species:
Lake Mburo is arguably the hub for most of the animals missing in the country’s big and famous national parks. Besides the rhinos which are of course absent in every national park in Uganda, Lake Mburo resides almost every animal species that you will have missed to see in Murchison Falls, Kidepo valley, and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. Some of the rarely spotted animals in most of Uganda’s national parks yet are seen in abundance in Lake Mburo, include; Zebras – the Park’s chief attraction, bush pigs, and the common Elands.
The other animals to see in Lake Mburo, include; duikers, Monitor Lizards, Bushbucks, Uganda Kob, Topis, Waterbucks, warthogs, bush pigs, various mongoose species, and Rothschild’s giraffes. Among the primates to spot in this Park include olive baboons and various monkey species. There are also hippo pools in the Park offering you an opportunity to sight hippos and also if you opt for a boat cruise on Lake Mburo, you will view very many hippos as well. Mammoth numbers of cape buffaloes also thrive in the Park. Hyenas and leopards are rare sightings. If you are a birder, the Park is ideal for birding safaris as well and you will really view very many bird species. More interesting, outside the Park you will have stunning views, from your lodge, of herds of healthy cattle with attractive and picturesque convex horns. In fact you will by-pass these beautiful cattle from or to the Park and have up close views of them.
Lake Mburo is so close to Kampala:
Lake Mburo National Park is the closest national park to Uganda’s capital city, Kampala – just a 4 hours’ drive. Local people always spend their weekends in the wilderness of this Park due to its close proximity to the city centre. You will therefore make new friends and get to know more of Uganda from your interactions with its typical natives, thus returning home with a very great experience. In the Park, you will have no worries of missing your flight as it is very close to the airport unlike the other Parks where you spend almost the whole day driving to access the airport. You can therefore visit this Park as the first on your trip to enlighten you on what the Pearl of Africa has to offer or visit it last to sum up your wildlife trip marvelously.
Many fascinating safari activities:
Lake Mburo National Park offers very many fascinating activities to its annual visitors, among which include; game drives and viewing, horseback riding safaris, sport fishing in Lake Mburo, bird watching safaris, hiking and nature walks, and launch trips, and many others.