How to Access the Park

Lake Mburo National Park is a straightforward process due to its strategic location along the primary highway that connects central Uganda to the western tourism circuit. Because it is the closest savannah park to the capital city of Kampala.

It serves as an ideal destination for short weekend excursions or as a convenient midpoint for those traveling toward the gorilla forests of Bwindi or the plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park.

By Road : 

Most visitors choose to travel by road, a journey of approximately 240 kilometres from Kampala that typically takes between three and a half to five hours depending on traffic.

The route follows the well-maintained Kampala to Mbarara highway, passing through scenic landscapes and the iconic Equator crossing at Kayabwe where many travelers stop for photographs. While the main highway is tarmac, the access roads leading from the trading centres to the park gates are murram or dirt tracks.

Entry Points at Lake Mburo National Park

Therefore, it is highly recommended to use a four-wheel-drive vehicle to ensure easy navigation, particularly during the rainy season when these tracks can become slippery. Travelers have several entrance options depending on their final destination within the park. The Nshara Gate is the first entrance reached when coming from Kampala and is favoured by those staying at lodges on the eastern side of the park.

 Further down the road is the Sanga Gate, located at Sanga Trading Centre, which serves as the main entrance and offers the most direct route to the park headquarters and the lake itself. A third option is the Kyanyanshara Gate, which is mostly used by guests visiting the high-end lodges in the western sector.

For those using public transport, the most common method is to board a bus from Kampala heading toward Mbarara and disembark at either Sanga or Akageti. From these points, local private taxis or motorcycle taxis can be hired to reach the park gates.

By Air/Flight

 For travelers with a higher budget who wish to save time, domestic air travel is an alternative. Scheduled or chartered flights depart from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip and land at the Mbarara Airstrip in Nyakisharara. From the airstrip, it is roughly an hour’s drive to reach the park boundaries.

Regardless of the mode of transport, the accessibility of Lake Mburo makes it one of the most hassle-free wildlife destinations in East Africa.