Yes, a night game drive in Lake Mburo National Park is worth it. Lake Mburo National Park prepares a whole new experience for the visitors on a night game drive. If you think day game drives are fun and adventurous, then the night game drives in Lake Mburo can double the fun and experience. This is because of the unique experience of having a glimpse of the nocturnal species as they use the cover of darkness to their advantage to hunt and explore the savannah grazing. The African wilderness never falls silent amidst the night cover, this is because the night shift begins almost immediately after sunset.
As some wildlife species in Lake Mburo National Park round up their day to prepare to rest for the night ahead, others emerge from the shadows to begin their nighttime. This is why Lake Mburo National Park offers a new style of exploration to encounter even the rarest of animals. We understand that nature may not offer all for exploration, this is why a night game drive is ideal to fully explore the available wildlife species in Lake Mburo National Park.
Night game drives are not like the usual day game drives, and this is why a ranger from the Uganda Wildlife Authority is required to move with the visitors during this experience. The best thing about having a ranger while embarking on this usual experience is that they usually know the exact points of interest where the sought-after night wildlife species can be found. Picking a leaf from this, visitors have more chances of encountering the nocturnal species with the help of a guide ranger. However, nature remains unpredictable even though one may think they know it, since the wildlife species are not tamed and roam freely across the savannah.
Among the animals to encounter while on a night game drive are bush babies, white-tailed mongooses, spotted hyenas, genet cats, side-striped jackals, porcupines, leopards, and hippos. Some animals can be spotted both during the day and at night, and these are hippos and leopards. Hippos spend most of the day in the watering holes and other lakes across the park, and only come out at night when the sun goes down to graze. Leopards can also be spotted during the day, but at night are more active as they use the cover of darkness to stalk and hunt the unsuspecting prey, especially the impalas. Leopards have excellent sight at night, therefore use it to their advantage.
About Lake Mburo National Park
At the apex of savannah adventures in Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park has a place. This park is the smallest savannah protected area in the country. However, what it lacks in size, it compensates for with the amount of fun and unique experiences it brings. Its advantages continue to flow, as it is the closest park to the capital. This gives visitors a quick gateway from the busy city schedules and work life to explore the untamed African wilderness just in their backyard.
It is also important to note that Lake Mburo’s size was initially not like the way it is now. Traveling back to the time of its establishment, Lake Mburo National Park was a little bigger but was encroached on during the politically unstable times of Uganda. From a controlled hunting area in 1933 to a game reserve in 1963, Lake Mburo gained formal national park status by 1983.
Lake Mburo National Park is approximately 370 square kilometers of pure savannah grassland and a bit of woodland. It is located in Kiruhura district in the western region of Uganda, hosting about 350 bird species and 69 mammal species in the park.
The cost of night game drives in Lake Mburo National Park
Night game drives in Lake Mburo National Park cost about USD 30 for foreign non-residents, USD 20 for resident foreigners, and UGX 50,000 for the Ugandans and East Africans. Just like all other activities in Lake Mburo National Park, this cost excludes the entrance fees. Therefore, visitors must pay for the entrance fees and also for the vehicle, in addition to the night game fees.
This account is paid to the Uganda Wildlife Authority through a tour operator like Monteero Safaris. The paid amount also comes with an armed ranger guide from UWA, who guides you through this experience.
Accessing Lake Mburo National Park for night game drives
Accessing Lake Mburo National Park can be by both road and air, depending on what the visitor is interested in. The most commonly used transport means is by road, and it also doubles as the cheapest. Lake Mburo is located about 230 kilometers from the capital, Kampala. Therefore, it takes about 4 hours to get to the park from the capital by road.
The road from the capital to the park is paved or turamcced, therefore offers a smooth and surreal experience. It also offers a quick stopover on the equator in Kibuye, where you can stop for a photo moment. Visitors can also spot the different economic activities of the locals by the roadside, and also the change in the ecology.
Visitors can also fly straight from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airfield to Nyakisharara airstrip in Mbarara. This journey takes about an hour with scenic aerial views of the western side of the country. Visitors upon landing in Mbarara connect to the park by road, taking about 40 minutes. This is the quickest and most expensive means of travel to Lake Mburo National Park.
Conclusively, Lake Mburo National Park offers a variety of activities like walking safaris, birding, day game drives, and boat cruises, apart from the night game drives. This part is a people-centred destination, therefore you can see wildlife species like zebras, impalas, and warthogs, among others, grazing outside the park with herds of the Ankole long-horned cattle.