Queen Elizabeth National Park
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Our Take
The smallest of Uganda’s savanna parks, Lake Mburo is a gem and one of our favourites. A gently rolling landscape with classic wildlife such as zebra, giraffe, buffalo and impala, it is a great place for a first game drive.
There are some truly great lodge options here – but for us, nothing can beat camping down by the lake with the hippos. It is often the first night on the trip and if it is also your first night in Africa – mindblowing!
Lake Mburo National Park
The smallest and perhaps the nearest of the savannah parks to Kampala, Lake Mburo is a compact yet vibrant wildlife haven known for its biodiversity and scenic landscapes. Centred on Lake Mburo and with 4 other smaller lakes, it features a blend of rolling hills, open savannas and wetland with many species unique to this area. Activities include game drives, nature walks, boat trips, cycling and horseback tours.
Wildlife
Approaching Lake Mburo and before entering the park, the first-time visitor is struck by the herds of Ankole cattle with their very distinctive and infeasibly large horns. Next, on nearing the park, it is typically the zebra, which are everywhere within and beyond the park. On entering the park, it is the impala (not to be confused with the Ugandan kob), the occasional warthog, buffalo, water buck but then a herd of giraffe, spread out to the horizon. These are the hallmarks of Lake Mburo: classic African species. You also get sightings of eland – the largest of the antelopes – and Lake Mburo is one of the best places in Uganda to see leopard, especially resting in the acacia trees at dusk. Finally, upon reaching the lake, it is the hippos, chuckling and barking in the water.
And amongst all this, another birder’s paradise with over 315 species competing for attention in this smallest of game parks.
Location
Lake Mburo is conveniently located halfway between Kampala and both Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. This makes it an excellent stepping stone to break the journey en route, especially on the way out where it provides an excellent introduction to Uganda’s wildlife and an exciting foretaste of game drives to come.
The Facts
- Lake Mburo has been protected since 1933 and declared a National Park in 1983 UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Area is 370sqkm, Uganda’s smallest savanna park
- Savanna, acacia woodland, rocky ridges, forested gorges and wetland habitats
- 69 mammal species, 350 birds
- Impala, zebra, eland, Rothchild giraffes, buffaloes, warthogs, topis, oribis, waterbuck, hippos and crocodiles
- One of the best places in Uganda for seeing leopards
- Game drives, boat safaris, walking safaris, horseback safaris, cycling tours and birdwatching
Camping In Uganda;
Lake Mburo NP
This is a must do, actually to the extent that we have never done anything else. There are two excellent lakeside UWA camp sites, the main one at Rwonyo, a large open space with some basic facilities; and a second smaller and more remote site at Kingfisher. Both have excellent sunsets across the lake but it is the abundance of hippos which makes them so special. The hippos share an almost constant dialogue in the water, emerging after dark to graze all night before slipping back into the water before dawn. Sometimes you will catch one in the torchlight or a late returner in the morning. They are huge! And don’t worry, you are quite safe. We camp well away from the hippo trails, we have a ranger and a fire and you are cosy up in the roof tent – with a great view.
Another great thing about our set up here is that we normally break camp at dawn for a game drive to wind up atop the Kazuma Lookout – where we knock up a truck brunch with amazing views and a cool breeze.
Mid-Range Lodges
There are several here of which we have a few favourites.
Eagles Nest, perched on a hilltop just outside the park, offers self-contained banda tents. They each have a private veranda with superb views overlooking the park – take your binoculars and do your game viewing from there!
Rwakobo Rock offers excellent mid-range accommodation sensitively designed atop a rocky outcrop with spectacular views. Just outside the park, it has a water hole as a meeting point for a range of wildlife and comes alive at night with the sounds of the bush.
Mihingo Lodge. For relaxation around an infinity pool with a view, Mihingo offers a fantastic setting and a highly individualised and eco-friendly design, perched atop a granite outcrop with beautiful views.
Stop Dreaming,
Start Planning!
Do you want to include Murchison Falls NP in your custom-made safari? Then go to the Detailed Planner page where you can tell us all your likes and wishes and we will create a dream trip for you.