Lake Mburo National Park lies about 30 km east of Mbarara and is the nearest national park for visitors staying in the district. It is known for its zebra and impala herds, which are easy to see on a short game drive.

The park covers about 370 km² of rolling grassland, acacia woodland, swamps and lakes. Lake Mburo itself takes up around a fifth of the park. Hippos, buffalo, warthogs and leopards live here, and around 350 bird species have been recorded.

Popular activities include game drives, boat trips on the lake and guided nature walks. The park is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA): check current entry fees and book activities with UWA before you travel.

Getting there

Take the Mbarara–Masaka road east; signposted turn-offs lead to the park gates. Most of the park lies in neighbouring Kiruhura District. Rwenjeru Community Campsite, on the park's edge about 2.5 km off the main road at Biharwe, offers camping, bird watching and walking safaris.

Photos: Vincent Mugaba (CC BY-SA 4.0), Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Alvinategyeka (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.