Lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo National Park. Activities carried out in the Park

On stepping in the African jungle, surrounded by 14 lakes fed by one river Rwizi brings a nature walks free from predators, green rolling hills with spectacular wildlife views and every tourist’s dream travel destination that leaves thrilling unforgettable experiences.

Lake Mburo National Park is a small savanna park covering 260 sq. km and located in Nyabushozi county, Kiruhura district in western region of Uganda on your way to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park about 30km east of Mbarara and the closest park both to Kampala and Entebbe.

The Origin of Lake Mburo National Park

Traditionally known as Kaaro Karungi, the origin of this park started with a story of two brothers known as Mburo and Kigarama who lived in the low-lying savanna plains

One-night Kigarama dreamt that they were to receive substantial amount of rain fall which could cause flooding and destroy their property. Kigarama told the dream to his brother but Mburo took it for granted,

In the African society, dreams were highly respected, Kigarama decided to leave the area and went in the overlooking hills leaving the brother behind.

Finally the dream came true and the area was attacked by the rain that caused flooding and drowning of Mburo with his property, thus the name lake Mburo and the hills named after his brother.

Lake Mburo National Park Entrance

History of lake Mburo National Park

Lake Mburo  was originally gazetted in 1933 as a controlled hunting area and upgraded to a game reserve in 1963.The region was dominantly settled in by Banyankole and Bahima Pastoralists who traditionally herd Ankole Long horned Cattle and still do.

The residents continued to graze their cattle in the reserve, a situation described by western Conservationists, who termed them “invaders” in 1981, but were expelled from their lands after it was upgraded to National Park status in 1983, as hoped for by some in the West.

This upgrade decision was intended by the government of Obote to weaken the Banyankole who were in support of the anti-Obote rebels. The upgrade coincided with the time of the Operation Bonanza massacre of 300,000 people during the Ugandan bush war. Considering no compensation for lost land, many evicted pastoralists remained hostile to the upgrade.

After the over throw of the second Obote regime in 1985, the previously displaced residents of Lake Mburo returned and re-occupied the park’s land killing wildlife, destroying infrastructure and dismissing park staff.

Later on in 1986, the NRM government made initiative to re-gazette the park, however, less than half its original land could be secured.Till date, culturally significant locations like Rubanga where sacrifices were once made to the gods, Ruroko where the semi mythical Bachwezi lived and Kigarama where the King’s servants stayed still exist within the park.