Night game drive in Lake Mburo national park is among the activities that are carried out in search of wildlife species found around the destination. Lake Mburo national park is located in western Uganda and is among the smallest safari parks in the country located between Kampala city and Mbarara. The national park which covers about 370square kilometers is close to the city of Kampala.
The night time safari in Lake Mburo national park is a wildlife viewing experience which differs from the day time game drives around the national park. These wildlife safaris are carried out around the savannah plains as well as swamps, forest, woodland and the lake.
Nocturnal animals in Lake Mburo national park
Nocturnal wildlife species are the type of animals which are sought after during night game drives in Lake Mburo national park which is one of the few national parks in Uganda where this activity is carried out during safaris.
These nocturnal species are more active during the night time during tours around Lake Mburo national park. During game drives at night, tourists can observe the behavior of the nocturnal animals and look out for them in the wilderness of the national park.
During night game drives around Lake Mburo national park, tourists can search for nocturnal wildlife species such as leopards, hyenas, bush babies, porcupines, white tailed mongoose, honey badgers, genet cats, hippos among others. Some of the nocturnal animals can be seen during day gamed rives but are more active during the night time.
The duration of time that is spent during the night game drives in Lake Mburo national park is about 2 to 3 hours during which tourists can search for the nocturnal animals at the destination. The game drives in the night start around 07:00pm and tourists are guided by ranger guides and use a spot light to look out for the animals in the dark around the national park.
Best time for night game drive in Lake Mburo national park
The night game drives are best done during a time when rains are not received around Lake Mburo national park.
The dry season which is experienced around June to September and in December to February is a good time for both night game drives and game drives in the morning and afternoon during safaris in Lake Mburo national park.
This is because the roads in the dry season are easy to navigate in search for the nocturnal wildlife species during tours around Lake Mburo national park.
Cost of the night game drive in Lake Mburo national park.
There are many costs associated with safaris around Lake Mburo national park and the costs associated with night game drives include the following;
Night game drives cost 30 USD per person for foreign nonresidents, 15 USD for foreign residents and 50,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens for safaris around Lake Mburo national park.
Other costs that tourists incur during their safaris around Lake Mburo national park include park entrance fees which are 40 USD for foreign nonresidents, 30 USD for foreign residents and 20,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
These night game drives in Lake Mburo national park can be arranged by lodges or through the Uganda Wildlife Authority which has vehicles that are used to engage in the night safari experiences around the destination.
Transport and accommodation costs are also part of the expenses incurred by tourists during night game drives around Lake Mburo national park. the transport costs can be around 100 to 300 USD per vehicle transfer.
Accommodation costs vary depending on the type of accommodation where tourists stay which range from budget, midrange to luxury accommodation. The costs of the lodges range from 100 USD to 300 USD per night. Some of the lodges around Lake Mburo national park include Mihingo lodge, Rwakobo Rock lodge, Eagles nest lodge, Lake Mburo safari lodge, Mpogo safari lodge among others.
Preparation for a night game drive in Lake Mburo national park
Before taking part in a night game drive in Lake Mburo national park, some of the ways to prepare for the activity include;
Wearing appropriate clothing such as warm sweaters, natural colored clothes, long sleeved shirts and trousers is among the ways to prepare for the search of the nocturnal wildlife species in the park. These clothing items protect the tourists from insects and the coldness during the night game drive in Lake Mburo national park.
It is also important to carry insect repellant for the night game drive in Lake Mburo national park for protection from insect bites in the night. This also helps because insects tend to be drawn to the spot light which is used to look out for the nocturnal wildlife species.
Other items to pack for the night game drive in Lake Mburo national park include a flashlight, a camera and also water for hydration.
Day game drives in Lake Mburo national park
Day game drives in Lake Mburo National Park are among the popular activities that tourists take part in during their Uganda safaris in the park. These game drives take place in the morning and also in the afternoon during the search for the wildlife species of Lake Mburo park.
During game drives in the morning or afternoon, tourists can also enjoy the spectacular views around Lake Mburo National Park and also spot different wildlife species and bird species found around the destination.
Wildlife species which can be seen during game drive in the day in Lake Mburo National Park include zebras, impalas, buffalos, warthogs, bush pigs, hippos, elands, oribi, waterbucks, leopards, hyenas, topi, reedbucks among others.
Other activities which take place around Lake Mburo national park include guided nature walks, horse riding, bird watching, cycling, boat tours on Lake Mburo and also community tours around the neighboring villages.
How to get to Lake Mburo national park
To get to Lake Mburo national park for the night game drive safari experience, tourists can drive from Kampala to the park which takes about 4 hours using the Kampala-Mbarara route.
