Rothschild's Giraffe in Lake Mburo National Park
- Sightings
- Common
- Best Months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Dec
- Where
- Lake Mburo National Park
The Rothschild's giraffe (also known as the Baringo or Ugandan giraffe) is one of the most endangered giraffe subspecies on Earth, instantly distinguished by its exceptionally tall stature, pale orange-brown patches, and distinctive white "stockings" that lack markings below the knees. Sporting up to five horn-like ossicones on their heads, these are browsers that play a vital role in trimming the high canopy of acacia woodlands. Using their prehensile, 20-inch purplish-black tongues, they easily maneuver around fierce thorns to feed. Uganda is a place where conservation efforts have successfully protected and expanded their remaining populations across protected savannah networks.
From Our Guides
Reintroduced to Lake Mburo National Park from Murchison Falls in 2015, the Rothschild giraffes' population has expanded rapidly across the northern acacia valleys. They occupy a vital ecological niche by browsing the high canopy that smaller herbivores cannot reach, effectively altering the woodland structure. Spotting them is highly predictable along the main game tracks, where they move in loose social towers, feeding extensively on whistling thorn acacia leaves.
- What Lake Mburo National Park Is Known For
Lake Mburo National Park is the only Ugandan national park with zebras and impalas present in real numbers, alongside elands, topis, buffaloes, and over 350 recorded bird species around its wetland fringes.
- Best Time to Visit Lake Mburo National Park
The dry months of June through September and mid-December through February give the clearest game viewing, when animals cluster around the remaining water sources and the grass is short enough to spot zebra and eland from a distance. The dry season is also ideal for activities like cycling in the park and walking safaris.
The wet season (March-May, October-November) still allows a boat cruise and most game drives, just with thicker grass and muddy tracks.
Last updated October 22, 2026
· Written by Enoch, Huko Safaris
5.0average traveler rating
Local expert: Enoch
Best Months to See Rothschild's Giraffe in Uganda
From our team
Rothschild's Giraffe
Murchison Falls National Park has the largest population. A huge success story is the translocation of these giraffes across the Nile to the southern sector and into Lake Mburo National Park and Kidepo Valley. If you stay at a lodge near Lake Mburo, you might even get to do a walking safari to stand safely on foot near these towering animals: it completely changes your perspective on their scale!
— Enoch, Huko Safaris
Lake Mburo National Park
I recommend booking a dedicated break here rather than treating the basin as a brief roadside stop on the way to the western gorilla forests. Lake Mburo National Park is a place where you learn about centuries of Ankole royal history and track savannah wildlife simultaneously. By skipping the traditional, closed-vehicle format, you will experience the wilderness from an entirely different physical perspective, and that gives a completely different feeling.
— Enoch, Huko Safaris