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This scenic little park, close to Kampala, is home to several wildlife species not easily seen elsewhere in Uganda. These include Burchell's zebra and impala. Although elephant are absent from the park, there is plenty of other wildlife to see, including Rothschild's giraffe, buffalo and defassa waterbuck.
Best Time To Visit
Lake Mburo National Park is open year-round, but the Dry seasons from June to August and December to February are the best times for general wildlife viewing as animals gather around the lake and other water sources. Wildlife viewing is still OK in the Wet seasons from March to May and from September to November and at this time the park is lush and scenic.
June to August & December to February –Dry Seasons
March to May & September to November –Wet Seasons
Scenery
The main features of the park are Lake Mburo and four other lakes, which form part of a 50km/31 mi-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 elephants. The savannah is interspersed with patches of forest and rocky outcrops. Papyrus swamps and woodland surround the lakes.
From: $319 to $2000 pp/da
From: June to August and December to February
From: June to September (Peak time for Uganda)
From: 370km² / 143mi²
The park has a good variety of wildlife. Several antelope species can be seen, including topi, duiker, oribi, bohor reedbuck and klipspringer. Elephants are absent, but herds of buffalo are quite common, and Rothschild's giraffe has been reintroduced. A healthy population of leopards is present, although mostly seen at night. Hippos and crocodiles can be found in the lake.
Wildlife Highlights
Burchell's zebra and eland are only found here and in the less accessible Kidepo Valley National Park. The rare and specialized sitatunga can sometimes be spotted in the marshes, and the park is the only place in Uganda where impala are resident. Bushbuck has a unique habit in the park of standing on the lookout for termite mounds.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
Lake Mburo can be visited anytime, with wildlife-viewing highlights year-round. In the Dry seasons (from June to August and December to February), animals gather around rivers and waterholes, and during the Wet seasons (March to May and September to November), large numbers of animals can be seen in the open valleys.
Lake Mburo National Park experiences a mild climate. Daily temperatures are around 27°C/81°F, with nightly temperatures of 14°C/57°F on average. Rain occurs throughout the year – although June and July get the least amount of rain. December through February also tends to be a period of lesser rainfall. There are two recognizable Wet seasons, from March to May and from September to November.
Dry Seasons –June to August & December to February
Wet Seasons –March to May & September to November
Lake Mburo National Park is usually visited on a tour, possibly as an overnight stop when driving between Kampala and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Lake Mburo is located in western Uganda, 228km/142mi from Kampala and 250km to 300km (155mi to 185mi) from Bwindi, depending on which gorilla trekking base you are headed to. The drive from Kampala takes about 5 hours* and the drive on to Bwindi about 6 to 7 hours*.
Entebbe International Airport (EBB) is about 46km/29mi from the country’s capital, Kampala. This will be your entry point into Uganda. Your local tour operator will usually arrange for your pick up from the airport or hotel and all further transportation as part of your safari package.
*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.
Airlines & Ticket Prices
Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Entebbe International Airport (EBB), and what tickets would cost.
Domestic Flights
Your tour operator usually books domestic flights for you as part of your safari package. It would be very rare for visitors to fly to Mbarara, the closest town to Lake Mburo, but it can be done. Scheduled flights can be booked directly through Fly Uganda. From Mbarara, the 90km/56mi road trip takes about 2½ hours.
Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements
Please check our Getting There – Uganda page to learn more about passports, visas, COVID-19, and other entry requirements.
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