ACTIVITIES DONE IN LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
What are some of the activities done in Lake Mburo national park?
Some of the activities here are Game drives, Sport Fishing, cultural visits and tours Not forgetting Hiking and nature walks. Below some of these activities have been discussed in detail.
Game Drives to begin with;
One of the most significant thing to do in a national park is a game drive, this gives thrilling views in a Ugandan National Park on a Uganda SAFARI. The drive within this park doesn’t take a lot of time, the park covers a smaller area that covers about three hundred seventy square kilometers (370 km2). The park Lake Mburo is placed with about 14 small lakes and rugged hills, that stretch all over the park. The most exhilarating scenic views here are usually enjoyed when the sun is rising and setting, a myriad of rays strikes over the short golden grass of the park creating an ever-memorable views at your visit in the park. Most of these can be enjoyed while on the Game Drive.
Game Drives usually begin at 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. then 12:00 noon to 4: 00 P.m. not forgetting night game drives can also be arranged with UWA offices. Some of the wildlife one will encounter during this scenic game drive are impalas, zebras, Buffaloes, hyenas, warthogs, leopards, Kiplingers, Bush babies, Porcupines, Duiker, Topis and many more.
While on a game drive in Lake Mburo National Park one can decide to follow
the Zebra track – this offers an impressive view of Zebras alongside other species like the Bushbucks, oribi and reedbucks. The track will take you to Ruroko track Junction that takes you through the wetland and the thick Acacia woodland marked by the olive trees. The Zebra track in Lake Mburo will introduce you to The Kazuma track which passes through a grassland with wood species, you will climb the beautiful Kazuma Hill providing you with the best views in Lake Mburo National Park.
Next, we have the Kigamba Loop trails that goes through the woods and spaced thicket which opens you to bushbucks. The Lakeside Track allows you to explore the water environment featuring water fauna.
SPORT FISHING
Lake Mburo National Park is gifted with numerous lakes these have fostered sport fishing as an activity, the magical park blessed with Lake Mburo one of the major Lakes in the park presents you with a thrilling activity of sport Fishing, in which the most common fish found is a Tilapia but the lake has about six other different fish species. Tourists or visitors can come with their fishing gears but their travel companies that can arrange for these gears and fishing permits. These can be got from Uganda Wildlife Authority.
The main Fishing sport at Lake Mburo National Park is Cat Mazinga, usually visitors are not allowed to cross the fishing Boundaries while here. Tourists find this place so calming as there is a nice restaurant here that can cook the fish with the best spices. You can relax and chill from here after the fishing Safari. While fishing you will be able to see hippos and crocodiles.
Cultural Encounters in Lake Mburo National park
There is a rich heritage around Lake Mburo National Park from the Banyankole Community. This community allows experiential Tourism. The Culutural encounters have given an opportunity to tourists to take part in activities like Hand Milking, Brushing Cows, sick animal treating, playing with grazing instruments and traditional meat Roasting.
The tribe that surrounds Lake Mburo National Park, the Banyankole also do crop farming and the banana Plantations, while here visitors get chance to participate in crop Planting or harvesting, weeding and the process of banana preparation.
While here visitors also participate in Traditional Performances, the dances which are so thrilling to encounter. These are done in people’s homesteads and other Organized cultural Centers.
One Other Interesting Activity is QUAD BIKING during the cultural Encounters, it’s a private activity that is conducted in Lake Mburo by the Mantana Tented Camp, Quad Biking is one of the most exciting activities that one should do in Uganda safari camps.
Birding in Lake Mburo National Park.
Lake Mburo National Park is the smallest savannah National park featuring a very rich diversity of rolling hill, woodlands, forests, seasonal and permanent swamps, lakes, Savannah Vegetation and Striking landscapes. Several activities Besides Birding are carried out in Lake Mburo National Park including Horseback Riding.
Uganda is the Best Birding destination in the Whole world with over one thousand bird species, Lake Mburo with over 350 bird species both Migratory and Residential birds some of these birds are: The following are found as you drive towards Rwonyo Camp, the Park Head Quarters and these are:
Crested Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Arrow-marked Babler, Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, Brown Parrot, Barefaced Go-away-bird. Blue-napped and Speckled Mousebird, Lilac-breasted and Broad-billed Roller, and Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, African Grey Hornbill, Spot-flanked Barbet, Nubian Woodpecker, Trilling Cisticola, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Northern Black Flycatcher, Chin-spot Batis, Greater Blue-eared Starling and Marico sunbird.
And the following bird species are found in a more open grassland this is North of the camp and these are: Coqui Francolin, Red-necked Spur fowl, Black-bellied Bustard, Temminck’s Courser, African Wattled Plover, Rufous-naped and Lapped Larks, Rufous-chested Swallow, Yellow-throated Longclaw and Southern Red Bishop.
Some other birds can be seen at the Lakeside birds like African Finfoot. While here look for this bird. Some other bird species to consider checking out for are African Darter, Water Thicknee, Hamerkop, African Water Rail, Spur-winged Plover, the Giant, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers, and Yellow-throated Leaflove most the above can be found in waterside thickets.
Key Bird Species in Lake Mburo National Park include ; African White-backed, Reppell’s Griffon, Lappet-faced and White-headed Vultures, African Marsh Harrier, Black-chested, Brown and Banded Snake Eagles, Bateleur, African Harrier Hawk, Shikra, Gabar and Dark Chanting Goshawks, Lizard and Augur Buzzards, African Fish, Tawny, Steppe, African Hawk, Long-crested and Martial Eagles and the Grey Kestrel.
