What animals can I see in Lake Mburo National Park?

Lake Mburo is home to 69 mammal species and 332 bird species, including zebras, giraffes, elands, buffaloes and several antelope species. It is the only park in Uganda with impalas, and the only one in western Uganda with Burchell's zebra and eland. Leopards and hyenas are present, and lions have recently been sighted again after years of absence.

How do I get to Lake Mburo National Park from Kampala?

Lake Mburo is about 228 km (roughly 3.5 hours by road) west of Kampala, on the main road toward Bwindi and the Rwandan border. The park has three entrance gates: Nshara Gate, Sanga Gate, and Kyanyanshara Gate.

Is Lake Mburo National Park worth visiting?

Yes. It is one of the few places in Uganda where you can safari on horseback or by boat, not just by vehicle, and its smaller size means closer, more intimate wildlife encounters than in larger parks.

What is the best time to visit Lake Mburo National Park?

The dry months (June-August and December-February) offer the best wildlife viewing, as animals gather near water sources. The wetter months (March-May and September-November) are better for birdwatching and come with discounted lodge rates.

Can I combine Lake Mburo with gorilla trekking in Bwindi?

Yes. Lake Mburo is commonly combined with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking, or with Queen Elizabeth National Park for a longer wildlife circuit.

Is Lake Mburo National Park safe for tourists?

Yes. All game drives, nature walks, and forest walks are led by an armed Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger, and walking alone in the park is not permitted for safety reasons.

What activities are available in Lake Mburo National Park?

Game drives, boat cruises, guided nature walks, birdwatching, cultural visits with the local Banyankole community, and, through partner lodges, horseback safaris and mountain biking.

3 Day Lake Bunyonyi Tour in Uganda

3 Day Lake Bunyonyi Tour in Uganda: The Perfect Relaxation Safari After Gorilla Trekking | Scenic Safari & Island Adventure.

The 3 Days Lake Bunyonyi Tour is an excellently crafted short safari tour for individuals who wish to relax in one of the most peaceful and scenic destinations in Uganda. Referred to by many as Uganda’s Switzerland, Lake Bunyonyi on a Uganda safari is located in the south-western highlands of Uganda at a height of about 1,963 metres above sea level. Lake Bunyonyi happens to be the second deepest lake in Africa, next to Lake Tanganyika. It comprises 29 islands dotted on the clear water, surrounded by terraces sloping to the shoreline, and is the ideal place for relaxation, fun, and authentic culture after trekking with the gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

Safari Highlights

Day 1: Transfer from Kampala to Lake Bunyonyi

Day 2: Canoeing, Batwa cultural visit, birding, and cycling around the lake

Day 3: Morning nature walk and birding, then return to Kampala or Entebbe Airport

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Kampala to Lake Bunyonyi

Your driver-guide will come to pick you up from your hotel in Kampala early in the morning and brief you on the day’s activities. The drive southwest toward Uganda’s highland lake district takes you through some of the country’s most beautiful and varied countryside.

Your first stop is the Uganda Equator crossing at Kayabwe, a fascinating point on the road where tourists can stand simultaneously in both the northern and southern hemispheres and participate in the famous water rotation experiment that demonstrates the Coriolis effect. It is a fun and memorable mid-morning break with plenty of photo opportunities.

Proceeding further southwestwards, you will reach Mbarara town, where you can relax by having a picnic lunch before continuing on your last part of the trip. You will drive from there through the pretty highland town of Kabale, then down to the shore of the lake, where you will see the hilly landscape and views of the islands in Lake Bunyonyi emerging into sight after dusk. By the early evening, you will be in your hotel, where you will have dinner and relax amid the stunning views of the lake surroundings.

Meals included: Lunch and dinner

Day 2: Canoeing, Batwa Cultural Visit, and Birding

After a relaxed breakfast at the lodge with views across the lake, the day begins with a visit to a local Batwa community, one of the most meaningful cultural experiences available anywhere in southwestern Uganda. The Batwa are Uganda’s indigenous forest-dwelling people, and spending time with the community offers genuine insight into their extraordinary history, traditional knowledge, storytelling traditions, and methods of preparing ancestral foods. This is not a staged performance but an authentic exchange that leaves every visitor with a deeper appreciation of the human diversity of the Ugandan highlands.

Returning to the lodge for a hot lunch, the afternoon is given over to the lake itself. A guided canoe excursion across Lake Bunyonyi’s calm waters takes you between the islands, each one with its own history and character, while birds move through the papyrus and trees along the shoreline, and the terraced hillsides reflect in the water around you. The canoe pace is unhurried and deeply relaxing, with time to stop, look, and absorb the extraordinary beauty of the surroundings. For those who prefer, cycling around the lakeshore area is an equally rewarding alternative that reveals the local villages and farming communities in a different and equally enjoyable way.

Evenings at Lake Bunyonyi are particularly beautiful, the hills darkening gradually, the water turning silver, and the sounds of the lake taking over from the activity of the day. Dinner and an overnight stay at the lodge.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Day 3: Morning Birding and Nature Walk, Return to Kampala

After breakfast, the final morning at Lake Bunyonyi is devoted to a guided birding walk along the lakeshore and through the surrounding papyrus swamp and woodland habitats, an experience that rewards early risers with some of the finest birdwatching in southwestern Uganda.

Species regularly encountered during morning birding at Lake Bunyonyi include the African jacana, great white pelican, grey crowned crane, malachite kingfisher, African fish eagle, African harrier-hawk, white-winged swamp warbler, and the papyrus yellow warbler, a range of species that gives dedicated birding tourists a deeply satisfying final morning and casual observers a series of colourful and memorable sightings.

Following the birding walk, you board the safari vehicle for the return journey to Kampala. A comfortable lunch stop in Mbarara town breaks the journey at a natural midway point, and the afternoon drive through Uganda’s rolling green countryside provides a final opportunity to absorb the highland scenery before arriving back in Kampala in the early evening. Guests can be dropped off at any hotel, the airport, or any other requested Kampala destination.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

End of the 3 Day Lake Bunyonyi tour in Uganda.

What Is Included

Full board accommodation
4WD safari vehicle with fuel
An English-speaking driver-guide
birdwatching
cultural visit to the Batwa community
boat ride on the lake
pickup and drop-off
Complimentary bottled water throughout.

What Is Not Included

International flights
Uganda visa fees
travel insurance
laundry services
gratuities
optional activities not listed in the itinerary.