Murchison River Lodge

It has been six years since we opened, and Murchison River Lodge continues to be the number one accommodation provider in and around Murchison Falls National Park. The park is a firm favourite on every visitor's itinerary to Uganda, not only because of the incredible wildlife and birdlife, but the varied boat trips on the River Nile are in a league of their own and that's before you add the incredible Murchison Falls to the list.

We offer 3 different types of comfortable accommodation to suit the mid range budget, and employ a local staff of up to 50 men and women. Our accommodation is inclusive of full board, so all meals (including complimentary afternoon tea and biscuits) are homemade on site using a combination of ingredients sourced locally and from the city of Kampala. 

The lodge has a swimming pool, pool lounge with wifi (deliberately positioned away from the main bar and restaurant) river access and shaded camping area for guests travelling with their own gear.

The entire lodge was built from scratch using teams of men from the local area. It took around 2 years to clear the bush, lay pipes, dig foundations and erect the main bar and restaurant, campsite ablution block, 2 cottages and 5 safari tents - the rest of the accommodation and facilities were discreetly added over time. The overall plot is 24 acres with views across the River Nile to Murchison Falls National Park and downstream towards the Blue Mountains of the Congo. 

Due to our remote location the lodge is run entirely off solar, not a line of electricity is in sight. This means that all fridges, freezers, water pump, pool pump and power points are dependant on solar which can limit guests who may wish to use a hairdryer, but when in Rome......! The majority of our staff live on site, or within a 10 mile radius and work regular shifts. We have two deputy managers and five head's of department who run their specific teams, and then the managers who oversee everyone, guests included.

The lodge can comfortably accommodate up to 45 guests. Uganda doesn't have a rainy season so we're open the whole year round. However we do have peaks and troughs, it's busy over the major holidays and school breaks, but it's rare that during the quiet months (May and October) we have less than 20 guests staying per night. The majority of guests are travelling from overseas and their stay at the lodge is usually for 2 or 3 nights. The domestic market are travelling more, as are people with families. We appeal to everyone which means that a lot of our guests are returning guests.

Is there wildlife in the area? Yes, plenty! The lodge is on the edge of a national park. Hippos visit the lodge grounds most evenings, baboon's can be a nuisance and vervet monkey's a pest. Lizards are often in the rooms, and elephants have been known to wander through camp. If you love your photography this is the perfect place to photograph. If insects, or wild noises in the night bother you then the African bush isn't the ideal location for you to escape to.

As owners we are hands on, yet the lodge runs superbly without us having to be on site. We live 6 hours away with our young family in a town on the edge of Lake Victoria, but are in regular contact and visit often. Our General Manager lives in Kampala and is in daily contact with the managers via telephone and email with updated bookings and guest arrival information. We have all lived and worked in Uganda for the last 12 years and as a team since the lodge opened, so there's not much we don't know about problem solving in the African bush. You will always be in safe hands!

Our commitment to providing a great service, looking after all staff, implementing training programs and constantly striving to improve the lodge means that the majority of our staff have been with us since the beginning.  This is a true testament to not only how important our guests are, but also how important the men and women who work alongside us are too.