The land where the park lies today was formerly inhabited by the Banyankole-Bahima pastoralists and they had for long enough used it as grazing grounds. The area was originally gazetted as a controlled hunting ground in 1933 but it was later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963 due to the increasing numbers of wild animals in the area. 

There were conflicts between the animals and the local people which called for a separate area for protection of the animals. The game reserve was upgraded to National Park status in 1983 by Obote’s government which resulted in the displacement of the pastoralist communities that were living in the area. 

The stunning greenery of the vegetation contributes to its uniqueness. The park is made up of savanna grasslands and woodlands that are good grazing grounds for a variety of wild animals. It is these that form a beautiful scenery that is good for sightseeing and photography.

This National Park is also unique in a way that it is near the country’s capital. It is important to remember that Lake Mburo National Park is the nearest savannah park to Kampala city and therefore provides the best getaway adventures to relax in nature.

Attractions in Lake Mburo National Park.

Lake Mburo National Park has a variety of tourist attractions that travelers can feed their eyes with when in its perimeters. These encompass;

Mammals. The National Park is home to a variety of mammals inhabiting has savanna grasslands, especially zebras, hippos, impalas, warthogs, common ellands, African buffaloes, leopards, hyenas, genets, African civets, jackals, servals and Rothschild’s giraffes.

Birds. Lake Mburo National Park is a celebrated bird-watching area and is a habitat for over 300 bird species that can be observed in the tree canopies and along the shores of the lake. These include great blue turacos, Abyssinian ground hornbill, black bee eaters, cinnamons, egrets, hammerkops, African fish eagles, sunbirds, African paradise flycatchers and African darters.

Lush vegetation. This magnificent outback is made up of savanna grasslands and shrubs that are scattered all over. These contribute to the beautiful scenery of the park and are such a huge attraction for sightseeing and photography enthusiasts.

Due to the beautiful endowments, the National Park is a favorable ground for exhilarating activities which encompass;

Game drives.  These are usually launched to the deep ends of the National Park in search of the wild animals.

Nature walks. They are conducted under the guidance of the game Rangers and help their travelers explore more of the National Park endowments.

Horseback riding is also carried out in the National Park and helps elevate the experiences of travelers. The experience of watching the beauty of the park while riding the horses in the golden hours is unmatched.

Boat cruises. Boat cruises are yet another exciting activity conducted in the National Park.  These happen on the magnificent Lake Mburo and help travelers reach the deep ends of the lake and explore more of its unique attractions.

Getting to the beautiful Lake Mburo National Park is easier than you can imagine! The easiest route to use is the Kampala – Masaka – Mbarara road. The National Park is located along the highway and it takes about 4 hours and 34 minutes from Kampala city covering a distance of approximately 235.2 kilometers.

The perfect time to visit the breathtaking Lake Mburo National Park is in the dry seasons since they are characterized by fewer interruptions of weather.  These are the periods of early June to August for the long dry season and December to February for the short dry season.

Luxury Lodges in Lake Mburo NP:

• Mihingo Safari Lodge
• Kigambira Safari Lodge

Mid-budget Lodges Lake Mburo NP:

• Rwakobo Rock Resort
• Leopard Rest Camp

Low budget Lodges Lake Mburo NP:

• Eagle’s Nest Camp
• Mpogo Safari Lodge