Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo national park supports a variety of antelope and other ungulate species. It is the only place in Uganda where the impala still occurs. This is the best place to see large herds of eland, Africa’s largest antelope. Other antelope species that occur in the park are topi, bushbuck, sitatunga, common duiker, klipspringer, oribi, Deffassa waterbuck and Bohor reedbuck.

Animals Species

Lake Mburo national park is one of the only two Ugandan national parks where Burchell’s zebra still occurs. Also, the lake and lush fringing vegetation support healthy populations of African buffalo. Warthog, bushpig and hippopotamus are also available. With only diurnal primates: the vervet monkey and olive baboon. A wide variety of small predators occur with three larger predators: leopard-spotted hyena and side-stripped jackal.

The lions that once roamed this conservancy are no more. It was once a sighting to marvel at the common tracks inter-connecting the ease of movement with the savanna landscape.

More than 310 bird species have been recorded in National Park, and one of the best places to see acacia-associated birds starts at Rwonyo camp. The list we have includes; mosque swallows, black-bellied bustard, bare-faced go-away bird and Ruppell’s long-tailed starling.

These birds are essentially southern species at the very northern limit of their range, for instance, the southern ground hornbill, black-collard and black-throated barbets, and green-capped eremomela. There are also six swamp birds best known as papyrus endemics occurring, including the striking papyrus gonolek and the highly localized papyrus yellow warbler, the latter recorded nowhere else in Uganda.

Getting there

There are two turn-offs to the park, one at the Sanga, about 35km from Mbarara, and one at the 50km marker, which lies 13km from Lyantonde on the Mbarara road. If you are driving from Kampala, the turn-off is better. A 4×4 vehicle is recommended but not essential during the dry season.

Independent travellers have several options. At weekends, this destination is popular with Kampala residents. So the turn-off at the 50km marker is the best place to wait. If you get stuck or arrive in the area late in the day, there are a few guest houses in Lyantonde.