When one thinks of a wildlife safari in Uganda, Lake Mburo National Park is not one of the places that comes to mind for many travelers. For most people the only way to enjoy a wildlife safari in Uganda is by taking a tour to Murchison Falls National Park – Uganda’s biggest park.
Lake Mburo National Park is actually an overlooked gem of a safari destination. It is a small park that is easy to explore even on a self-drive. Available animals are in plenty, it has fewer predators which has allowed other animals to thrive in big numbers. The scenery is one of the best you can experience. There are many activities to do. But the biggest advantage of all is that it is the closest park to Kampala and Entebbe, about 3 – 4 hours drive, meaning you could even visit it in one day, or can arrive in Uganda in the afternoon and immediately go to the park.
Lake Mburo National Park can also be a nice stopover point on the gorilla trip to Bwindi National Park, to break down the journey as you enjoy a nice short nice bush experience before taking on the gorilla jungle.
Below are the entry fees for Lake Mburo National Park and the pricing for the different activities you can do in the park.
Tourist entry fees (per person)
| Entry fee | USD | UGX |
| International visitor (Foreign Non Resident) – Adults | 40 | |
| International visitor Children 5 – 15 years | 20 | |
| Foreign Resident | 30 | |
| Foreign Residents children 5 – 15 years | 10 | |
| East African citizens | 20,000 | |
| East African citizens children 5 – 15 years | 5,000 |
Kids below 5 years to do not pay entry fees
Park entry is valid for 24 hours from the time of entry into the park.
The park opens 7am and closes at 7pm
Car entry fees
| Type of car | Foreign | Ugandan Registered |
| USD | UGX | |
| Saloon cars | 40 | 20,000 |
| Minibuse, Omni-buses | 50 | 30,000 |
| Pick-ups | 50 | 30,000 |
| Tour Company vehicles & 4-wheel drive | 150 | 100,000 |
| Buses & Lorries | 200 | 30,000 |
| School buses | – | 50,000 |
Like tourist entry fees, car entry fees are also valid for 24 hours from the time of entry.
Pricing for activities in Lake Mburo National Park
| Activity | FNR | FR | EAC |
| USD | USD | UGX | |
| Day self-game drive per private car (with no park guide) | 10 | 10 | 10,000 |
| Day guided game drive per private car (with a park guide) | 20 | 15 | 20,000 |
| Night guided game drive per person (using park guides is mandatory for night drives) | 30 | 20 | 50,000 |
| Hiring the park game drive car for Day game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car) | 30 | 25 | 30,000 |
| Hiring the park game drive car for Night game drive – per person (Minimum 3 persons in car) | 40 | 35 | 40,000 |
| Boat cruise on the Lake Mburo | 30 | 25 | 30,000 |
| Day nature walk – per person | 15 | 10 | 10,000 |
| Cycling | 30 | 25 | 30,000 |
| Birdwatching | 30 | 25 | 20,000 |
| Sport fishing permit | 15 for 1 day,
25 for 4 days |
Fees are per person
Activities exclude park entry fees
Cheap accommodation run by Lake Mburo National Park (Uganda Wildlife Authority)
| Type | UGX | |
| Bandas – Rwonyo | Single | 35,000 |
| Double | 40,000 | |
| Family banda | 60,000 | |
| Guesthouses – Rwonyo | Per room (Double) | 130,000 per room |
| Extra person in room | 65,000 per person | |
| Tents | Single | 35,000 |
| Double | 60,000 | |
| Dormitory | Adults | 25,000 |
| Students (within a group) | 5,000 | |
| Children | 10,000 |
Fines and Penalties in Lake Mburo National Park
| Offence | Penalty |
| Off-tracking driving fine | $150 (per person in the vehicle, to be incurred by the driver) |
| Over speeding (speed limit is 40km/hr) | UGX 100,000 per incident |
| Animal accident fee (road kill) | $500 |
| Littering in the park | UGX 100,000 per incident |
| Hooting in the park | UGX 100,000 per incident |
| Sitting on top of the vehicle | $100 per incident |
Short safari trips to/with Lake Mburo National Park you book
2 days safari trip to Lake Mburo Park