Lake Mburo National Park

Location: Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District, near Mbarara in Uganda

Area: 370 km² (142.8 sq mi)

Overview

Located in Nyabushozi County in Kiruhura District in Uganda, Lake Mburo is the smallest national wildlife park with an area coverage of 370 km² and 30 km (19mi) east of Mbarara the second largest city in Uganda after Kampala, approx. 240km (150 mi) west of Kampala.  This park is the closest to the President’s hometown in Kiruhura District, Kampala, and Entebbe Cities.

Originally gazetted in 1993 as a controlled hunting area and later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963. The region was settled by Banyankole Bahima pastoralists who are traditional herdsmen, to date were the residents who were expelled from their lands after it was upgraded to a national park in 1983 as hoped for by western conservationists. The evicted pastoralists were not compensated for lost grazing land or assisted with resettling, many remained hostile to the upgrade.

In 1986, the re-gazetted park by the National Resistance Movement government acquired less than half the park’s original land. Within the park, there are still culturally significant locations. To date, the park hosts zebra, hippopotamus, impala, warthog, common eland, African buffalo, and over 300 bird species.

The predators include lions, leopards, hyenas, genets, civets, jackals, and serval cats, 2015 a population of Rothschild giraffes, an area considered a ‘lion conservation unit’ by the IUCN in 2005. The park has a varied topography of marshland, acacia woodland, sweeping valleys, rock Kopjes, and rolling hills, Lake Mburo National Park supports an impressive variety of flora and fauna. 20% of the park’s entrance fee is used to fund local community projects such as building clinics and schools.

Lake Mburo story is said to have been formed when two brothers known as Kigarama and Mburo lived in a big valley. One day Kigarama had a dream and he decides to tell his brother that they had to move. Mburo just ignored his brother and Kigarama decide to move up into the hills. The Valley down flooded with water and a lake was formed which drowned Mburo.

The Uniqueness of this Park

• Lake Mburo is the only park in Uganda with eland, impala, and klipspringer.
• Home to the largest population of zebra in Uganda estimated at about 5,000.
• There are 5 lakes within the park- Lake Mburo is the biggest and the only place in Uganda to see giant bush rats.
• Smallest National park in Uganda.
• Closest National Park to either City – Kampala or Entebbe.

Accommodation Options

• Mihingo Lodge (12 luxury, tented rooms designed to provide guests with privacy).
• Kigambira Safari Lodge: ( 12 rooms in 2 Family Suites, 1 Honeymoon suite, 9 deluxe rooms).

Activities at the Destination

Boat cruise, Game drives, Bird watching, Nature walks/hiking, Sportfishing, Horseback riding, and cycling along Lake Mburo, Kids Bush Courses, Sundowners, bush dinners, mountain biking, running in the wild, night game viewing drives, yoga, Hide Den, Bush Babies, Massage, Pool, Cultural Visit, Visit local School, Night Game Drives.