Lake Mburo is Uganda's smallest savanna park, and its compact size combined with a lack of dangerous grazing animals in most areas is what makes it one of the only Ugandan parks where you can walk and horseback ride among wildlife rather than viewing everything from a vehicle. It's dry acacia country dotted with the lake itself, and it's the one place in Uganda where you're reliably guaranteed zebra, alongside impala, eland, and defassa waterbuck. Coming here as a day trip from Kampala means a long drive for a relatively short time in the park, so it works best paired with an overnight or as a stop en route to Rwanda or western Uganda's bigger parks.
| Distance | 240 km west of Kampala |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 3-3.5 hours by private car; 4 hours on Mbarara-bound coach then transfer |
| Getting there | Private car or 4WD (essential for park tracks) |
| Address | Lake Mburo National Park, Kiruhura District, Uganda |
How to get there
- Private car or 4WD (essential for park tracks)
- Post-Bus to Mbarara then boda boda to park gate
- Organised day tour from Kampala (~USD 120 all-in)
Location
Lake Mburo National Park, Kiruhura District, Uganda
Highlights
- Walking safari — one of very few Ugandan parks where this is permitted
- Zebra, impala, topi, eland, and hippos without the long northern drives
- Boat cruise on Lake Mburo: hippos, Nile crocodiles, and shoebill stork sightings
- Night game drive (unique in Uganda) for leopard, genet, and porcupine