If you’re short on time but craving a genuine wildlife adventure, a 2-day safari to Lake Mburo National Park is the perfect getaway. Tucked between Uganda’s capital Kampala and the southwestern town of Mbarara, Lake Mburo is the most accessible national park from Kampala—making it ideal for weekend travelers, spontaneous explorers, or anyone looking to escape the city without going off the grid.

Despite being the smallest of Uganda’s savannah parks, Lake Mburo punches way above its weight when it comes to biodiversity, activities, and sheer natural beauty. Here’s what you can expect during this compact but action-packed safari.

About Lake Mburo National Park

Located in western Uganda, just a 4- to 5-hour drive from Kampala, Lake Mburo National Park covers 370 square kilometers of rolling acacia woodlands, open savannah, wetlands, and rocky outcrops. It’s the only park in Uganda where you can see zebras, elands, and impalas in significant numbers, and it’s also home to buffaloes, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, leopards, and more than 350 species of birds.

What sets Lake Mburo apart is the variety of experiences available, many of them on foot, by bike, or on the water, offering a more intimate and adventurous take on the traditional game drive.

Day 1: Road Trip, Game Drive & Sunset by the Lake

Your day starts early as you leave the bustle of Kampala behind and head southwest. Along the way, stop at the Equator Line in Kayabwe for a quick photo, a coffee, and a demonstration of the Coriolis Effect, a fun way to split the drive. The drive through central Uganda is scenic and filled with roadside markets, rolling green hills, and herds of Ankole longhorn cattle. You’ll reach the park by late morning or early afternoon.

You will at the park by afternoon, and you check in at your lodge or tented camp near the park, and have lunch. It’s time for your first game drive. The park’s landscape is open and lightly wooded, making wildlife spotting easier than in dense jungle parks. Expect to see wildlife such as the zebras grazing in large herds, elands, the largest antelope species in Africa, impala, which are only found in Lake Mburo in all of Uganda, warthogs, buffaloes, topis, and maybe even giraffes (reintroduced to the park in recent years). Keep your eyes peeled, Lake Mburo has a small leopard population, and dusk is one of your best chances to spot them on the move.

As the sun sets, head to Lake Mburo itself for a tranquil moment by the water. Hippos grunt in the distance, fish eagles call from above, and the golden light reflects off the still lake surface.

Return to your lodge for a delicious dinner under the stars, complete with local dishes, drinks, and a roaring campfire. It’s a peaceful, soulful way to wrap up your first day in the wild.

Overnight stay: Mihingo Lodge, Rwakobo Rock, Arcadia Cottages, Lake Mburo Safari Lodge

Meal plan: Lunch, Dinner.

Day 2: Walking Safari – Boat Cruise & Return to Kampala

Day two starts with one of Lake Mburo’s signature activities, a guided walking safari. Few places in Uganda allow this kind of up-close experience with wildlife, but at Lake Mburo, it’s safe and expertly led. Set out on foot with a Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger at dawn, when animals are most active. Track footprints, identify dung, and get surprisingly close to zebras, elands, warthogs, impalas and bird species like crested cranes, hornbills, and lapwings. You’ll learn not only about the animals, but also about plants, insects, and the park’s ecosystem in ways that a vehicle safari can’t deliver.

Return to the lodge for breakfast, before heading down to the lake for a boat cruise, another highlight of the park. This relaxing trip offers a new perspective on the park’s wildlife.

On the cruise, you may see pods of hippos lounging in the shallows, Nile crocodiles basking on the banks, herds of buffaloes or antelopes drinking from the shore and some water birds like African fish eagles, kingfishers, and African jacanas. This peaceful ride offers amazing photo opportunities and a final chance to soak in the beauty of Uganda’s wildlife in their natural habitat.

Return to the lodge for lunch and a bit of downtime before checking out. Then begin the drive back to Kampala or Entebbe, refreshed, inspired, and full of stories from your whirlwind two-day safari.

Meal plan: Breakfast, Lunch.

Package Includes;

Park Entrance fees

4*4 Land cruiser/ Safari Van

English speaking guide

Accommodation for 1 nights.

Meals and bottled drinking water.

Pick up from and drop off at the Airport or Hotel

Package excludes;

Tips

Visa fees

Air tickets