Lake Mburo National Park

Pros & Cons

• Boat trips available
• Good accommodation options
• Guided walks and horseback riding available
• Accessible stopover between Kampala and Bwindi
• No elephant or rhino
• The park has a limited wildlife-viewing circuit

Wildlife

Many typical safari animals are resident, but not elephant or rhino, while lion are very sporadic visitors. Leopard are sometimes spotted on night drives. Highlights in the park include impala (not found in any other Ugandan park), eland, the endangered Rothschild's giraffe and Burchell's zebra (which is only found here and in Kidepo Valley). Other animals regularly seen are oribi and warthog. Hundreds of hippo are found in the lake.

• More about Lake Mburo's wildlife

Scenery

The main feature of the park is Lake Mburo and four other lakes, which form part of a 50km-long wetland area. They are best viewed from the impressive Kazuma Lookout. The main vegetation is open savannah, but the park is becoming increasingly covered by woodland due to the absence of elephant. The savannah is interspersed with patches of forest and rocky outcrops. Papyrus swamp and woodland surround the lakes.

Weather & Climate

Two Wet seasons give Lake Mburo a good soaking from March to May and September to November. The rainfall tends to peak in April and lessen in the second half of the year. The drier periods of the year (June to August and December to February) barely qualify as Dry seasons – they’re just less wet.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time to Visit

The mid-year dry period (June to August/September) brings the best weather. However, it also brings more visitors keen on exploring Uganda, and high-season prices. Don’t discount a visit during one of the two Wet seasons (March to May and September to November), when the park’s valleys turn green and the air loses its dry-weather haziness. Just be prepared for slippery hiking and unrelenting drizzle.

• More about the best time to visit

Want to Visit Lake Mburo NP?

• Lake Mburo safaris and tours
• Tour operators for Lake Mburo