Boat Cruise Safari At Lake Mburo National Park
Are you looking for boat cruise safari at Lake Mburo National Park Uganda? You know how long the journey from Kampala to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park, Mgahinga national park, or Queen Elizabeth national park can be. Then you must have a stopover at Lake Mburo national park in Lyantonde district between Mbarara and Masaka for either a boat cruise or an evening game drive in the smallest national park that Uganda has got.
Lake Mburo national park is the nearest park from the City Centre – Kampala about 236kms. The Park covers a total area of 260 sq. km making it the smallest national park in Uganda. Lake Mburo was gazette in 1933 and harbors over 68 mammal species, 350 bird species, and lake Mburo together with other 5 small lakes. Lake Mburo national park has the highest number of zebras and it’s the only place to find giant bush rats and impala slender mongoose.
The boat cruise in Lake Mburo national park
The boat cruise safari in Lake Mburo national park is one of the most done activities in the park that visitors shouldn’t miss out on. There are so many lakes in Lake Mburo but the boat cruise is mainly done on Lake Mburo which happens to be the biggest. The boat cruise in the park is done in two sessions the mid-morning cruise and the evening cruise. The boat cruise of Lake Mburo guarantees tourists a view of the different water animals- fish, crocodiles and hippos, water birds like African fish eagles, cormorants, jacana, pelicans, herons, kingfisher, and different park animals on the lake shores most especially in the dry season when they come to drink water. The boat cruise starts from Rwonyo jetty and takes you around the lake for 2 hours.
Price of a boat cruise in Lake Mburo national park
The boat cruise safari in Lake Mburo national park is done at a fee of $30 both foreign nonresidents and foreign residents and East African citizens pay 30,000shs.
What to expect on a boat cruise?
During the boat cruise, you expect to see plenty of hippos, and crocodiles, and park animals like the zebras, impalas, bushbucks, jacks, topis, and elands to mention but a few.
What is the best time for a boat cruise in Lake Mburo national park?
Lake Mburo national park boat cruise safari can be done at any time of the year but the best time to do so is the dry season when there is little or no rainfall to hinder the activity. The roads leading to the park as well as the lake is also passable and the water levels are not so much. Visitors are told not to complain when they visit the park in the rainy season and the weather conditions don’t allow it.
Other activities to do in Lake Mburo
Night game drives
Lake Mburo national park is one of the parks in Uganda with the best night game drives. The night game drives in the park start from 7:00 am and last for 2 – 3 hours giving you an opportunity to see some of the nocturnal animals such as bushbabies, hare, hyenas, white-tailed mongoose, serval cat, civet, side tripped jackal, thick-tailed galago, honey badger and you can even come across a leopard in night game drives. Night game drives in Lake Mburo are done with a help of professional guides from the Uganda wildlife authority.
Game drives
Game viewing in Lake Mburo is one of the activities done in the park and it can be done at any time of the year. The game drives in the park are done in the morning and late afternoon. The game drives in Lake Mburo national park can be best enjoyed on a comfortable 4×4 safari vehicle which will give you great views of the animals. Game drives in Lake Mburo national park expose you to zebras, duikers, leopards, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, waterbucks, topis, elands, and giraffes which have been recently introduced among others.
Birding
Lake Mburo national park is home to more than 315 bird species making it one of the best birding destinations in Uganda. The birds to see on a safari in the park include the rare shoebill stork, Tabora cisticola, great snipe, African fish eagle, saddle-billed stork, African finfoot, papyrus yellow warbler, African-wattled lapwing, grey crowned crane, emerald spotted wood, African finfoot, jacana, white-winged tit, black papyrus gonolek, black papyrus gonolek, and Abyssinian ground hornbill among others.
Horseback riding
Another exciting activity in Lake Mburo national park is hosing riding. The horse-riding activity is organized by Mihingo lodge and it’s done under the guidance of the trained staff in conjunction with the park rangers. The horseback riding in Lake Mburo national park is done for 1-3 hours and it takes you through the beautiful savannah national park as you spot different park animals such as duikers, leopards, zebras, hippos, elands, lions, crocodiles, warthogs, waterbucks, topis, and giraffes which have been recently introduced among others. Horse riding is only done by people who sleep at Mihongo lodge because they are the people behind this activity.
Where to stay in Lake Mburo national park?
There are so many accommodation facilities in Lake Mburo national park where one can sleep during their safari in Lake Mburo national park. These accommodation facilities range from budget to mid-range to luxury as well as camps but where to sleep depends on your travel budget. The accommodation facilities in Lake Mburo national park include Mihingo Lodge, Rwakobo Rock, Eagle’s Nest Lodge, Lake Mburo Safari Lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Arcadia Cottages, Leopard Rest Lodge, and Rwonyo rest camp.
Best time to visit Lake Mburo national park?
Just like any other Ugandan national park, Lake Mburo national park can be visited at any time of the year but the best time would be the dry season where there is little or no rainfall, the roads leading the parks are passable, the vegetation in the parks is thin for clear views of animals and the tracks in the park are no muddy or even slippery.
