Lake Mburo

Lake Mburo is the most famous lake in Lake Mburo national park. The lake forms the largest part of the wetland system within the park. It’s 10 square kilometers large, 12.8 meters deep, and gets some of its water from River Rwizi. Lake Mburo wetland is home to some of the wildlife species that are recorded in Lake Mburo national park. These include mammals best seen in the dry season, primates such as vervet monkeys, and water birds.

The name Lake Mburo which belongs to the park and the largest water lake originated from two brothers Kigarama and Mburo who were living in the low lying savannah plains in the region. One day Kigarama dreamt about their area flooding but his brother Mburo did not believe it. Kigarama left the area but his brother stayed and after a few days indeed the area flooded with water thus forming the current day Lake Mburo.

Activities carried out on Lake Mburo

Boat cruises

Boat cruises are the main activities carried out on the lake. Lake Mburo is the biggest of all 12 found in Lake Mburo national park and has got fresh water. Boat cruises on the lake are carried out in the morning and afternoon hours using private boats as well as Uganda Wildlife Authority boats. The activities begin at Rwonnyo jetty areas at 8 am and again at 3 pm.

Tourists to be part of the boat cruise activities are given life jackets and the moment they get on the boats they are briefed about the rules to follow. A well-trained personnel does ride the boat and takes you to different areas of the lake. The boat cruise lasts for 2 to 3 hours and you pass near the lake shores. This gives you an opportunity to see the water animals, aquatic birds, and park animals.

During the boat cruise on this lake, tourists will be able to see crocodiles, hippos, and fish in the water. There are water birds living in the swampy shores of the lake and good birders will be able to see some of them. Birds you are likely to see include the shoebill stork, southern red bishop, African fish eagle, malachite kingfisher, lilac breasted roller, black-bellied bustard, abysssinian ground hornbill, conqui francolin, white-winged warbler, yellow-throated long claw, and African fin foot among others.

If you happen to have a boat cruise on this lake during the dry season, you will be able to see most of the park animals near the lake shores. These animals live to stay here because there is fresh vegetation cover and water. These animals include buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, sitatungas, impalas, elands, monkeys, warthogs, and topis among others.

Sport fishing

Sport fishing is the second activity done in the lake inside Lake Mburo national park. Sport fishing is done on a catch and relax method but at the end of the game, participants are given a fish to go with. Sport fishing on the lake is done at an area called Mazinga which is said to be having no crocodiles or hippos.

The sport fishing activity is done with a sport fishing guide and local boats are used to move around the lake. During sport fishing on the lake, tourists are able to catch fish species such as tilapia, tiger fish, angara fish, mudfish, and lunch fish among others. At the end of the competition, participants are given fish to take and eat.

Bird watching lake mburo

During the bird watching lake mburo, one of the areas visited is the swamps around the lake. These are homes to water birds such as the African fish eagle, African goose, malachite kingfisher, shoebill stork, papyrus gonolek, grey crowned eagle, Narina tragon, herons, egrets, African finfoot, ross’s turaco, and pied kingfisher among others.