What can I do in Lake Mburo national park after game drives?
What can I do in Lake Mburo national park after game drives?: Lake Mburo national park is located in the western part of Uganda and is a game viewing destination that offers a variety of wildlife viewing experiences. The national park was gazetted in 1983 and it now covers a total area of 260 sq. km. The national park has got over 68 mammals which makes it one of the best areas for game drives in the country.
Game drives are the most done activities in Lake Mburo national park and they are done using different game tracks. The game drives help tourists to encounter most of the park animals among which include giraffes, lion, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, side stripped jackals, buffaloes, topis, leopards, zebras, impalas, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, warthogs, and hippos to mention but a few.
Apart from game drives, tourists should know that Mgahinga national park has gotten a lot to offer. There are so many attractions in Lake Mburo national park and there are many activities done to enable tourists to see these attractions. On your game drive safari in Lake Mburo national park, you can take part in the following activities.
Things to do in lake Mburo national park after game drives
Horse riding in lake Mburo
Horse riding in lake Mburo national park is something every traveler needs to while on a safari there. Horse riding in Lake Mburo national park give tourists an opportunity to encounter wildlife in a totally different way. Professional guides move around the park with you and by using different trails you get to meet animals such as zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, side stripped jackals, hippos, topis, deffasa water bucks, and some birds among others.
Bird watching
Bird watching is another possible activity in lake Mburo national park tourists can do after game drives. Lake Mburo national park is a habitat for over 350 bird species some of which are even seen in Rubanga forest which is next to the park. A walk through different trails of lake Mburo national park will give you an opportunity to spot as many species as you can.
Bird wtachi8ng activities in lake Mburo national park give tourists an opportunity to watch bird species such as red-faced barbet, blue-headed coucal, papyrus gonolek, mosque swallow, African scops owl, papyrus gonolek, tabora cisticola, shoebill, and southern ground hornbill among others.
Guided nature walks
Guided nature walks in Lake Mburo national park are the best way to explore the park and get close to nature while one foot. Nature walks are guided by armed ranger guide for safety of the tourists and the people. Nature walks take you to different areas of the park where you see different attractions. What see during nature walks include animals, birds, vegetation, and water sources among others.
Community visits
Different people that used to live in the park before it was gazetted moved to the park boundaries. Community visits to these people does give you an opportunity to know about the history of the park and what they do for a living. Most communities are cattle keepers and on your visit to their home you will see different cattle, the milking process, products made from milk, and much more.
Boat cruises
Lake Mburo inside lake Mburo national park is where boat cruises are carried out. The lake gets its water from River Rwizi and it’s the largest within the park. Boat cruises do happen in the morning and evening hours and tourists do enjoy the cool fresh breeze while on the boats. During the boat cruises, tourists are able to explore the lake, see different water animals such as crocodiles, and hippos. Tourists also get to see park animals on the shores drinking water or feeding on fresh vegetation cover.
Sport fishing
For travelers that love sport fishing, it’s an activity you can carry out in lake Mburo national park after game drives. Sport fishing is carried out on Lake Mburo at a restricted area called Mazinga. The sport fishing activity is done on a catch and release basis but at the end of the day the participants are awarded certificates. During sport fishing, avid anglers do catch fish species such as tilapia, lungfish, angara fish, and tiger fish among others.
Best time to visit lake Mburo National park
Tourists can visit Lake Mburo national park at any time of the year however certain months are better than the rest. The dry seasons months from June to September and December to February are the best to visit lake Mburo national park and this is because they are characterized by little rainfall and plenty of sunshine. During the dry season, the game tracks are dry and passable, the vegetation is short with good views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are passable.
besides best time to visit lake Mburo, tourists can still visit lake Mburo national park during the rainy season from March to May and October to November. The park is open for all activities but tourists should know that it’s that period of the year when the national park is receiving plenty of rainfall. During the rainy season, the game tracks/walking trails are muddy and slippery, vegetation is tall with unclear views of wildlife, and roads leading to the park are impassable.
Accessing lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo national park is the closest protected area to Kampala/Entebbe which are the main starting points for safaris.
Accessing lake Mburo National Park by road transport: It takes 4 to 5 hours to get to Lake Mburo national park using road transport. The journey from Kampala/Entebbe goes through Mpigi, Masaka, and Lyantonde where you branch off to the park. Sanga and Nshara gate are the entry points to Lake Mburo national park and these are located 2km apart.
Accessing lake Mburo National Park by flights: For tourists that want to fly to lake Mburo national park, Mbarara airstrip is the airport to use. This is located not so far away from the park for it takes 1 to 2 hours to get there. Tourists who want to fly can book their flights with Bar Aviation Uganda and Aerolink Uganda. Flights do start from Kajjansi airstrip/Entebbe international airport and land at Mbarara airstrip.