LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Safaris, Tours and attractions

HISTORY

More than 100 years ago, the area in which Lake Mburo is was a dry Agricultural land owned by two brothers, Kigarama and Mburo. One night, Kigarama dreamed that they were in danger. A heavy storm would strike and the whole area would flood thus killing them. Kigarama told his young brother Mburo to vacate the area but Mburo ignored his advice. Kigarama reallocated to the surrounding hills and within days there was a heavy flood which formed a lake drowning Mburo. Kigarama watched helplessly from the hills as his young brother drowned. The lake was named after the unfortunate Mburo and the surrounding hills named after Kigarama.

In pre-colonial times, in the early 1890’s, there around Lake Mburo was known as Nshara which was referred to by the bahima pastoralists as “karo karungy” , literally meaning “good grazing land”. However, the area was thinly populated due to the presence of tsetse flies that would harm the wild animals. In addition, the “omugabe/king of Ankole used Nshara as a royal hunting ground and forbade the bahima, the local pastoralists, from grazing their cattle from that area except during dry seasons. However, when the area was hit by the rinder pest epidemic, the pastoralists around the Mburo area relocated their herds to Nyabushozi area which lies on the Kampala-Mbarara road.

In 1935, the colonial government declared the area around Lake Mburo as a controlled hunting area. In 1940’s, a severe outbreak of sleeping sickness, carried by the tsetse flies, forced all pastoralists out of the area leaving only farmers and fishermen. This was followed by a drastic tsetse eradication program in the 1950’s, with a premise, that every last wild animal in the area be killed so that the blood sucking tsetse flies would surely starve to extinction. So many African hunters were ordered to shoot every single animal irrespective of age or sex. The wildlife was wiped out almost out of existence and after the grass fires, in July 1950, the whole area was scattered with skeletons and carcasses.

However, some elusive animals such duikers and bush bucks did survive, thus ensuring the survival of tsetse flies. When the authorities realized that it was not possible to eradicate the tsetse flies completely, they decided to eradicate the bushes and trees around which it lived. Hundreds of Kilometers of bush and trees were burnt and cut. However, when the first rains fell, a dense cover of secondary under growth established itself, offering enough cover for the tsetse fly to survive. The authorities finally decided to spray every inch of Ankole area with insecticide. These resulted in the ultimate elimination of the tsetse fly but with an ecological cost since most of the insect species such as small mammals and insectivorous birds were wiped out.

In the early 1060’s, the bahima pastoralists returned back to the controlled hunting area since the tsetse flies had been eradicated. To protect the remaining wildlife, the newly independent Ugandan government at that time created the Lake Mburo game reserve. However, some of the wildlife which survived, including the park’s lions were being poached and killed by the local herders because they occasionally hunted their cattle and also given their long standing reputation as man eaters.

In 1983, the Obote government gazetted Lake Mburo as a National Park establishing the boundaries along with those of the original reserve and possibly evicting 45,000 families without compensation. The park opened to the public in 1984 though the residents who were evicted and their fields destroyed were not happy with the eviction. Many local habitants around the park had negative impressions about the park. When the civil war in Uganda at the time, reached it peak in 1986, many people returned and destroyed the park facilities.

Subsistence poaching once again took its toll. In 1987, after the removal of the Obote government, and the coming to power of the Museveni government, a task force was established to resolve the conflict between the park and the people. It was decided that the park remains but reduce in area by 16%. Some families awaiting reallocation and pastoralists with no land else where were allowed to remain in the park. Fishing was allowed but the number of canoes in operation was controlled.

However tension between the park and the surrounding communities still remained. In 1991, the Mburo community conservation unit with the assistance of African Wildlife Foundation, appointed a community representative for each of the neighbouring countries to work hand in hand with the park management to solve all issues affecting the remaining inhabitants. By 1997, all the remaining inhabitants were reallocated outside the park borders and awarded some financial compensation.

In addition, since 1995, 20% of the park entrance fees are being used for the construction of local clinics and schools. The community Conservation unit in the Park, since its establishment, is consistently working with the local people in developing park management plans and also form park management advisory committee’s which enable representatives to discuss their problems.

LOCATION

Lake Mburo National Park is situated in the south west of Uganda the country near Mbarara district and is the closest Savannah reserve to Kampala city ( 3.5hrs drive), about 243km from Kampala, off the main tarmac road. The park lies between, 1,219metres and 1,828 metres above sea level between rolling hills and open grass valleys.

About Lake Mburo
Nature Walks and Treks
Wildlife Attractions
Game Drives
Birding Safari
Lake Mburo Accommodation

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LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Safaris, Tours and attractions

Short Safaris

Long Safaris

Gorilla Permits | Our Terms & Cancellation

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK Safaris, Tours and attractions

LAKE MBURO NATIONAL PARK
Safaris, Tours and attractions