Lake Mburo National Park, Mbarara: Hours, Address, Lake Mburo National Park Reviews: 4/5
Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park
4
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
252 reviews
Excellent
103
Very good
113
Average
28
Poor
6
Terrible
2
HeatherMegaMauriFan
London236 contributions
Dec 2021
We did a game drive here and it was fantastic. The highlight was definitely the hippopotamus and the gold-crested herons. We had a gorgeous sunset with a moving 'tower of giraffes' and we saw zebra, warthogs, buffalo, various antelope including Topi. It was a fantastic first safari game drive having done tracking of gorillas and chimps. The savannah is a great backdrop as are the cactus trees. We loved it. Watch out for the blue bags hanging around to attract/kill tsetse flies (and don't wear anything royal blue, they are attracted to this colour).
Written February 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Chimpanzee Tours and Travel
Kampala, Uganda27 contributions
Dec 2019
Lake Mburo National Park is located in western Uganda and offers great opportunities to visitors. the park has alot of wild life including Zebras, Graffes, buffaloes, Monkeys and many others .
Giraffe in Lake Mburo National PARK. Recently giraffes were translocated to Lake mburo national park from Murchison falls national park that is located in the northern part of Uganda to lake mburo national park which is in the western part of Uganda. The whole purpose in doing this was simply ensure survival of these endangered species and the type of giraffes to be brought are unique since also they are to step on the unique lands of lake mburo national park.
The park too has accomodation facilities ranging from luxury to budget .
Giraffe in Lake Mburo National PARK. Recently giraffes were translocated to Lake mburo national park from Murchison falls national park that is located in the northern part of Uganda to lake mburo national park which is in the western part of Uganda. The whole purpose in doing this was simply ensure survival of these endangered species and the type of giraffes to be brought are unique since also they are to step on the unique lands of lake mburo national park.
The park too has accomodation facilities ranging from luxury to budget .
Written September 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
GlobetrottingSwede
Paris, France3,126 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
The wildlife is not as abundant or impressive as many other African parks. No large predators, since the cattle farmers are too close...
However it is nice and green and families come from Kampala to enjoy nature. And you do see some giraffes and various antilopes.
The highlight for us was the boat tour on lake M’buro: plenty of crocs, hippos and birds.
However it is nice and green and families come from Kampala to enjoy nature. And you do see some giraffes and various antilopes.
The highlight for us was the boat tour on lake M’buro: plenty of crocs, hippos and birds.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
SamOtim
Kampala, Uganda213 contributions
Oct 2020
This is a small national park surrounding lake Mburo. I was pleasantly surprised as it is not usually very popular compared to other national parks in Uganda. Nevertheless, the park has nothing to envy to the others, actually it has its own uniqueness. For example, you will not miss seeing zebras, Topi, Eland antelopes here (you will not see anywhere else in Uganda) as well as an incredible amount of birds, some also rare. Excellent park for bird lovers and watching. The boat cruise of 2 hours was also very nice, calm and easy.... with a lot of hippos, birds of all kinds (never seen so many African Fish Eagles like here). Less famous, but very nice park. If you are very lucky it is also possible to spot leopards (especially at night) and the only lion in the park. We were not that lucky, so will be back.
Written October 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
SriniShenoy
Bengaluru, India270 contributions
Feb 2020
Usually used as a 'pitstop' on the return to Kampala from Bwindi (Gorilla Tracking) towards the end of most Uganda Safari trips. Maybe it deserves an additional day of Safaris and relaxation!
Good things going for Lake Mburo: Giraffes, Elands and Impalas - only place where they are found in Southern / Western Uganda. Combination of lake systems, woodlands, grasslands - make up a good safari with some very nice bird watching opportunities as well!
12 mammals and 30 bird species is not bad for a half day safari. Wish I had more time!
Good things going for Lake Mburo: Giraffes, Elands and Impalas - only place where they are found in Southern / Western Uganda. Combination of lake systems, woodlands, grasslands - make up a good safari with some very nice bird watching opportunities as well!
12 mammals and 30 bird species is not bad for a half day safari. Wish I had more time!
Written April 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lili P
4 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
DO NOT use the UWA ranger called Damian to do your night safari (or any other one).
He was completely unprofessional and finished our safari an hour early.
It’s very dark and there’s only one light strapped to the vehicle so it’s very difficult to see but worth doing if you’re trying to see a leopard. Otherwise I think the daytime safaris are much nicer and there are lots of zebras, buffalo, warthogs, giraffes, various antelope and various baboons to see.
He was completely unprofessional and finished our safari an hour early.
It’s very dark and there’s only one light strapped to the vehicle so it’s very difficult to see but worth doing if you’re trying to see a leopard. Otherwise I think the daytime safaris are much nicer and there are lots of zebras, buffalo, warthogs, giraffes, various antelope and various baboons to see.
Written June 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
904agnesc
Zoutleeuw, Belgium245 contributions
Jun 2021
It's one of the smaller parks of Uganda but my goodness, what a variety of wildlife there is ! Make sure to take a boatride on the lake. You'll see heaps of hippos and lots and lots of birds. 1 day is not nearly enough to even get a glimpse of the area. Make sure you stay at least 2 days.
Written June 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
tgrafton
UK134 contributions
Sep 2019
This park really exceeded my expectations. The birding was fantastic and we had amazing close views of other wildife. I loved seeing zebra up close.
Written March 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kim | Our Planet in my Lens
The Netherlands679 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
Lake Mburo is the smallest national park in Uganda and the closest park to both Kampala and Entebbe. It’s easily accessible by road with about 3 or 3,5 hours’ drive from Kampala/Entebbe and a 5-6 hours’ drive from lake Bunyonyi and therefore a popular place to visit in Uganda. Make sure to add this park on your Uganda itinerary because to me it was a real gem! Mostly because of the endless views over the wide-open savannah interspersed with rocky ridges, forested gorges and a lake full of hippos.
Nowadays the park also contains much woodland because there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. The park is home to 350 bird species as well as the eland, oribi, waterbuck, leopard, hyena, topi, reedbuck, buffalo and Rothschild giraffe. It’s also the only place in southern Uganda to see many burchell zebras and the only park in the country with impalas! Lions are rarely sighted. I was told they sometimes hear a lone lion roar, but never see him.
From a controlled hunting area, the park first upgraded to a game reserve and was then granted a national park status in 1983. Together with 13 other lakes, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. If you’re really lucky you are able to spot the prehistoric shoebill in this park as well. Lake Mburo National Park has great opportunities to explore the area on a horse or by bike. Nice fact is that 20% of the park’s entrance fee is used to fund local community projects such as building clinics and schools.
Visiting lake Mburo is the perfect choice to break up a long journey from Lake Bunyonyi or Bwindi back to Kampala or Entebbe. Coming from lake Bunyonyi you’ll pass Mbarara, which is a great lunch stop.
I was impressed by Mantana’s Lake Mburo camp! It’s a very charming and peaceful place with very clean and spacious tents. The lodge has an amazing view overlooking Lake Mburo and the surrounding area. It’s a perfect spot to photograph a beautiful African sunset over the lake. And because it’s located within the national park you’ll feel very close to nature. The tents have an en-suite bathroom with a bush shower, meaning there’s no running water but one of the staff members will fill a bucket with 20 litres of hot water. A showerhead is attached to the bottom of the bucket, so it’s basically like a normal shower. It provides enough warm water to wash your hair and body and it was actually one of the best showers I’ve had during my trip.
Nowadays the park also contains much woodland because there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. The park is home to 350 bird species as well as the eland, oribi, waterbuck, leopard, hyena, topi, reedbuck, buffalo and Rothschild giraffe. It’s also the only place in southern Uganda to see many burchell zebras and the only park in the country with impalas! Lions are rarely sighted. I was told they sometimes hear a lone lion roar, but never see him.
From a controlled hunting area, the park first upgraded to a game reserve and was then granted a national park status in 1983. Together with 13 other lakes, Lake Mburo forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. If you’re really lucky you are able to spot the prehistoric shoebill in this park as well. Lake Mburo National Park has great opportunities to explore the area on a horse or by bike. Nice fact is that 20% of the park’s entrance fee is used to fund local community projects such as building clinics and schools.
Visiting lake Mburo is the perfect choice to break up a long journey from Lake Bunyonyi or Bwindi back to Kampala or Entebbe. Coming from lake Bunyonyi you’ll pass Mbarara, which is a great lunch stop.
I was impressed by Mantana’s Lake Mburo camp! It’s a very charming and peaceful place with very clean and spacious tents. The lodge has an amazing view overlooking Lake Mburo and the surrounding area. It’s a perfect spot to photograph a beautiful African sunset over the lake. And because it’s located within the national park you’ll feel very close to nature. The tents have an en-suite bathroom with a bush shower, meaning there’s no running water but one of the staff members will fill a bucket with 20 litres of hot water. A showerhead is attached to the bottom of the bucket, so it’s basically like a normal shower. It provides enough warm water to wash your hair and body and it was actually one of the best showers I’ve had during my trip.
Written March 18, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Inspire African Safaris
Kampala, Uganda57 contributions
Jan 2019 • Business
I love this park, if looking for zebras experience, here is an option. Inbox us and we shall take you there, Travel lots, spend less
Written January 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Stacy D
2 contributions
Hello there...we are travelling through Uganda by bicycles and wondered if we are allowed to bike through this park without a ranger? Also, can we camp if we have our own gear?
Kim | Our Planet in my Lens
The Netherlands679 contributions
Hi Stacy,
Yes, you're able to camp with your own gear. Check out Rwonyo Rest Camp managed by UWA. It's in the park and you can either choose one of their basic bandas or you will get a space to pitch your own tent. The park also has other public campsites. I don't now exactly where the campsites are, but I would suggest contacting UWA.
As far as I know cycling through Lake Mburo without a ranger is allowed, but they'll probably suggest a ranger anyway. Walking is not allowed without a ranger. Just be careful because the park does have buffaloes, hippos and hyenas. Occasionally leopards are spotted as well.
Stacy D
2 contributions
Can anyone please tell me if bicycles are allowed in this park without a guard?
Inspire African Safaris
Kampala, Uganda57 contributions
Hello Stacy, We are specialist in this excursion, Animals are not termed and in that case We can't allow you ride alone without a gun ranger guide in the Park, Also you can opt to ride the bicycle around the Park and villages around.
We also have great Bicycle riding rates ever on Market.
Try our services and you won't regret your decisions.
Saddam K
Mbarara, Uganda19 contributions
hello, I would like to know the rates for the guided tours both nationals and foreigners, entrance fees for both vehicles and persons and also the rates for the different activities in lake mburo national park, in other wards I need guiding information for the park
Peter_Aus29006
Auburn10 contributions
Go to the Uganda wildlife authority website. They have a downloadable pdf of all fees, activities and accommodations..
asiimire1982
Mbarara, Uganda
Hello am in Mabarara but i need a contact person to give me details of the quotations. The call box contact is stressing me
Arthur F
Kampala, Uganda36 contributions
Okay try o782774565 he will help u
Hello! Crazy question - My fiance and I are interested in taking our engagement photos at this park with a local photographer. For the walking safaris, how close do people generally get to the animals (like zebras, giraffes)? Is there some type of limit to the distance? Thank you!
Patrice M
Brest, France170 contributions
Hello, the walk safari is done with an armed ranger.
Now to answer to your question : just turn it the other way round: how far do the animals stand away from you before running away? These are wild animals afraid of humans... they always keep a safe distance, don't expect to approach close to them by walk, they will escape. Their safe distance is however quite variable depending of each species and individuals, but generally you will not succeed to get closer than 100 meters.
To my experience, the only ones you have to be really careful are the buffaloes, which could charge you if you get to close to them... but trust me you won't dare to approach them at less than 400 or 500 meters....
Giulietta B
Province of Bari, Italy1 contribution
Hi, how do I go to Mburo from Kampala with public transportation? Can activities be arranged on the spot? Thanks, Luul
Y-eddie45
Mbarara, Uganda27 contributions
From Kampala you can get on the bus preferably Global Bus that can be accessed in Kisenyi bus terminal then you make a stop at Igongo Cultural Centre and country Hotel and then you set off with the guide from her to the park. Activities are arranged on spot.
Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Mburo National Park
- Lake Mburo National Park is open:
- Sun - Sat 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
- We recommend booking Lake Mburo National Park tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 52 Lake Mburo National Park tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Lake Mburo National Park:
- 3 days bwindi (From $1,497.44)
- 3 Day Exclusive Lake Mburo National Park (luxury) (From $895.39)
- 7 Days Gorilla and Queen Elizabeth Park Safari (From $3,179.49)
- 1 Day Lake Mburo Wildlife safari (From $400.00)
- 2 days to the land of Zebras (From $512.00)