Murchison River Lodge

Murchison River Lodge sits on the southern banks of the Victoria Nile, between the Albert Delta and the Paraa jetty, inside Murchison Falls National Park. The lodge spreads across 30 acres of natural bush, with rooms positioned for views across the Nile and the savannah plains beyond.

It’s one of the most family-friendly properties in the park — cottages designed around two adults plus four children, plus the option of cheaper safari tents, river tents, or a campsite for travellers with their own equipment.

Wildlife regularly wanders through the lodge grounds, especially at night, and guests are escorted between buildings after dark.

Best for: Budget-conscious families, self-drivers, campers, and travellers wanting flexibility across cottage, tent, and camping options in the southern Murchison Falls area.

Accommodation at Murchison River Lodge

The lodge offers four tiers of accommodation, all within the same 30-acre setting.

Thatched Cottages (×4) Open-plan family cottages with two single beds downstairs and a double bed on a mezzanine. Wide veranda with sofa and hammock. Each cottage sleeps up to four children (4–12) plus two adults, or four adults travelling together.

Classic Safari Tents (×13) En-suite tents under thatched roofs, set among the trees. Configurable as twin, double, or family (two adults plus two children). Each has a porch with table and chairs.

River Tents (×3) En-suite twin-share tents positioned close to the Nile, with direct river views.

Campsite — Comfortable Tents or Own Equipment Pre-pitched comfortable camping tents from $70 pp, or a dedicated area to pitch your own tent ($50 pp). Solar lighting, flushing toilets, and shared ablution facilities.

Amenities at a glance:

• En-suite bathrooms (cottages, classic tents, river tents)
• Restaurant and bar
• Swimming pool
• Free Wi-Fi
• Childcare activities
• Mosquito nets
• USB charging points
• Laundry service

Dining at Murchison River Lodge

Meals are served in a wide-open thatched building that lets in the bush air and river sounds. Two-course lunches and three-course dinners use locally sourced produce — including fish from the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert.

Complimentary tea, coffee, homemade cake, and evening bar snacks are available throughout the day. The bar carries wines, beers, spirits, sodas, and juices.

Families and Children

Murchison River Lodge is genuinely set up for families. The thatched cottages sleep two adults plus four children (4–16) at fixed rates, and the lodge runs childcare activities so parents can join game drives. The pool, hammocks, and bush surroundings make it well-suited to longer family stays.

Activities at Murchison River Lodge

The lodge’s south-bank position gives access to the full Murchison Falls activity range, including the headline boat safaris, game drives, and chimp tracking.

Motorboat Safari to the Base of the Falls A 3-hour return trip up the Victoria Nile to the foot of Murchison Falls. Reliable sightings of hippos, crocodiles, buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffe, elephant, and lion along the banks.

Motorboat Safari to the Nile Delta A 3-hour boat trip downstream along the Victoria Nile to the Lake Albert delta — the best chance to spot the elusive shoebill stork and papyrus-endemic birdlife. Available as an early morning ride with breakfast onboard or as a sunset cruise.

Game Drive Safaris Cross via the Paraa Vehicle Ferry to the rich savannah grasslands of the Buligi area between the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert. The southern side of the river is more wooded — quieter wildlife but a useful route to the Top of the Falls.

Chimpanzee Tracking — Kaniyo Pabidi Forest The nearby Kaniyo Pabidi Forest has over 800 chimpanzees, with around 90 across six habituated troops. Other primates include black-and-white colobus, blue monkeys, and olive baboons.

Hike to the Top of the Falls A 45–60 minute trail to the top of Murchison Falls, easily combined with a game drive or boat safari for a longer day out.

Hot Air Balloon Safari Dream Balloons operates from a take-off site on the river’s north bank, around 18 km from the lodge. Flights last 45–60 minutes and end with a bush breakfast.

Bird Watching and Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Murchison Falls has over 450 bird species. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, en route to the park, offers guided walks to track Uganda’s only wild white rhinos — a useful stop on the drive from Kampala.

How to Get There

• By road from Kampala — around 5 hours (305 km / 189 mi) via Masindi, entering through Kichumbanyobo Gate and Mubako Gate.
• Scenic alternative — via the escarpment road through Bulisa and Wanseko.
• By air — Bugungu Airstrip is around 25 minutes’ drive from the lodge. Small chartered flights from Entebbe make it easy to connect a gorilla safari in Bwindi with northern savannah days at Murchison.

How to Book Murchison River Lodge

Nkuringo Safaris partners with Murchison River Lodge and can usually secure better rates as part of a wider Uganda safari itinerary.

We can help you:

• Bundle Murchison River into a tailored Uganda safari
• Combine the lodge with other Murchison Falls properties or onward stops in Bwindi, Kibale, or Queen Elizabeth
• Arrange road transfers, the Paraa ferry crossing, or fly-in transfers via Bugungu Airstrip

Email hello@nkuringosafaris.com or use our online enquiry form and a local expert will reply quickly.

Price Information

Price From: USD 50 pp per night (Private camping with own equipment) Price Range: 1–2 (Budget to Mid-range)

Sample rack rates (per person, per night):

Thatched Cottages

• Twin/Double — $150 pp
• 3rd or 4th guest in cottage — $100 pp
• Single — $185 pp
• Family (2 adults + 4 children, 4–16 yrs) — $330 per night

Thatched Safari Tents

• Twin/Double — $115 pp
• 3rd or 4th guest in tent — $85 pp
• Single — $135 pp
• Family (2 adults + 2 children, 4–16 yrs) — $260 per night

River Tents

• Twin/Double — $115 pp
• Single — $135 pp

Comfortable Camping Tents

• Twin/Double — $70 pp
• Single — $85 pp

Private Camping (own equipment) — $50 pp Includes shaded pitch, ablution facilities with flushing toilets, and solar lighting.