Boat Cruise in Lake Mburo National Park

Overview Lake Mburo National Park, located in Kiruhura district in the western region of Uganda, covers 260 km2, with the smallest portion of Uganda’s savanna. It was originally gazetted in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and later upgraded to a game reserve in 1963. Later, during the reign of President Milton Obote, it was officially named a national park in 1983. The region was settled by Banyankole Bahima pastoralists who have Ankole cattle to date. Lake Mburo National Park is the closest park to both Kampala and Entebbe, which is about 3 hours and 30 minutes from Kampala. It is part of a unique system of wetland and savannah habitats, with Lake Mburo being the largest of the five lakes found within the park boundaries. Lake Mburo is known for a tale: - A long time ago, in Ankole lived two brothers, Kigarama and Mburo, who stayed in the valleys within the national park grazing. One dark night, Kigarama had a very terrible dream where the valley was heavily flooded with water, and both he and his brother Mburo died, leaving everything destroyed. Out of fear, Kigarama told his brother about the dream and advised him to leave the valley and go somewhere in the hills, something Mburo refused to do, but Kigarama left the valley and went to the hills. Later, the dream became a reality, the valley was flooded, and Mburo was killed, and everything was destroyed, forming Lake Mburo, with the hills surrounding it named Kigarama in memory of the two brothers. Lake Mburo National Park lies in the rain shadows between Lake Victoria and the mountains of Rwenzori. Unlike most of Uganda’s other national parks, Lake Mburo lacks elephants and lions, which has allowed a stable population of zebra, impala, eland, topi, and other grazers to thrive. Covered by open savanna, which supports a healthy population of buffalo, warthogs, bush pigs, and hippos. The wetlands inhabit 20% of the park's surface, and the lakes in the park contain 6 different fish species like tilapia, lungfish, mud fish3c, catfish, and tiger fish, ideal for sport fishing activities and tournaments. The landscape includes open savannah, rocky hills, acacia woodland, papyrus swamps, and seasonal wetlands. This diversity makes it an excellent area for both wildlife viewing and birding. The park supports a wide range of flora and fauna, making it one of Uganda’s ecologically diverse savannah parks despite its size. It is home to over 69 mammals and over 350 species of birds. It is a distinct place with unique wildlife like Impalas, zebras, elands, buffaloes, leopards, oribi, warthogs, waterbucks, hyenas, reedbuck, topis, hippos, crocodiles, klipspringer, hyenas, side-striped jackals, and many more. Bird species like shoebills, African finfoot, papyrus gonolek, grey crowned crane, African fish eagle, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, double-toothed barbets, red-faced barbet, African wattled lapwing, martial eagle, ross’s turaco, yellow-breasted apalis, piapiac, bare-faced go-away-bird, tropical boubou, red-chested sunbird, pin-tailed whydah, kingfishers, saddle-billed stork, and many more. The many lakes add to the beautiful scenery, hence many tourists come and see the hidden treasures of the park. A boat cruise is a leisurely trip on a boat that allows passengers to explore waterways such as rivers, lakes, or seas, often for sightseeing, relaxation, or wildlife viewing. It is typically guided and provides a unique perspective of the surrounding landscape, wildlife, and scenery. Unlike fast-paced boat rides, boat cruises are usually slow and tranquil, making them ideal for enjoying nature, photography, and experiencing the water in a calm, relaxed manner. Boat cruising in Lake Mburo National Park is a popular and serene way to explore the park’s aquatic life and scenic beauty. The experience offers visitors an opportunity to view wildlife, especially water-dwelling species, from a unique perspective while gliding along the waters of Lake Mburo, the largest lake in the park, making it the best place to view savannah wildlife in Uganda. The boat cruise normally takes 1-2hours which provides ample time to explore the lake and its wildlife while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere with the morning or late afternoon more ideal as the temperatures are cooler, and animals are more active and near the water; the soft morning or evening light makes for a unique experience and photographic opportunities. The boat trips are launched every 2 hours starting at 8:00 am with the last one at 5:30 pm, which enables the sunset view; however, the duration is open to negotiations. During the trips, you will be accompanied by an experienced guide who will have all the information in regards to any questions that may arise from the guests on the boat and safety precautions to be followed while on the boat to ensure a smooth experience. The starting point for boat cruises is usually the Rwonyo jetty landing site on Lake Mburo. This area is easily accessible from the park's main entrance and various accommodations within the park. While on the boat cruise, visitors can spot mammals like hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, warthogs, waterbucks, bushbucks, impalas, topis, and many more plus birds like African fish eagle, African finfoot, malachite and pied kingfisher, black-headed heron, grey heron, African jacana, papyrus gonolek, shoebill, black crake, yellow-billed duck, and many more. This boat cruise can be coupled with other activities like game drives, birding, guided nature walks, horseback riding, sport fishing, and cycling for a full experience. A boat cruise on Lake Mburo is a peaceful and rewarding experience, offering the chance to view Uganda’s wildlife from a different perspective. Whether you're keen on seeing hippos up close or are a bird enthusiast, this is one of the best ways to experience the aquatic ecosystem of Lake Mburo National Park.