The best accommodations Uganda

In a superb setting overlooking Lake Albert and the Blue Mountains of Congo, this lodge, opened in 2007, offers accommodation in eleven luxurious thatched cottages with warmly decorated thatched roofs. Elaborate cuisine with fresh products and the possibility to set the table in the middle of the bush. Small swimming pool for cooling off, very pleasant in the stifling heat of the Rift Valley. The activities on offer are of course game drives, but also walks, fishing on Lake Albert and visits to fishing communities...

Located on the northern periphery of the park (1.5 km from Nshara Gate), on a rocky spur with stunning views of the surrounding area, Rwakobo is a beautiful address. The cottages, decorated with paintings or photographs, are a success, as are the airy straw hut - serving as a bar-restaurant - and the swimming pool "inlaid" in the granite. Facilities for the youngest, the organisation of cycling and walking tours, the warm welcome of the staff and the ecological concern of the designers add to this beautiful range.

This resort is tucked away in a grove on the small Mushongero Peninsula. The cottages are very pleasant and all have a nice view of the lake, but those facing south have a breathtaking backdrop of the Virunga mountain range. The bar-restaurant, with its terrace and subdued interior atmosphere, will delight big eaters and gourmets alike, as its cuisine is both hearty and excellent. A wide range of activities, such as kayaking or swimming on the pontoons. In short, a superb address!

Almost on the equator, close to the Bwera road and the cotton fields, the Marafiki has four colourful dormitories, with mosquito net beds, and safari tents,mounted on wooden platforms and designed with local materials. These tents have open-air showers with pebbled interior walls. Also of note: the pleasant communal dining room and the panoramic swimming pool. Sale of organic Arabica coffee produced on the slopes of Rwenzori. A good address.

The first-born Kampalace backpackers, this establishment has become a real institution. Located approximately 2.5 km west of the city center, on Albert Cook Road (also known as Nateete Road), it is easily accessible by boda-boda or matatu. The frame is very pleasant, especially for campers who can get their sardines out in a green and tender lawn. The rooms and dormitories are very fruity but rather clean. The minimum comfort will be satisfied by the routards who will appreciate the relaxed atmosphere of the place and the warm welcome of the staff. The bar-restaurant, whose tables are located in a small inner courtyard flanked by a pizza oven, and the Rwenzori Trekking Services office, for anyone who would like to take up the eastern slopes of the moon mountains, is usefully embracing the whole.

Located in a quiet area adjoining the All Friends Place restaurant, this charming guesthouse is one of the city's good options with its clean rooms - equipped with a cosy bed, TV, minibar and safe - harmoniously blending stone, wood and African craftsmanship. The bungalow rooms lined up around the attractive swimming pool are really cosy. Friendly bar itou. Exotic decoration and warm atmosphere. A beautiful and relaxing address. Welcome to the small onions.

Situated in the quiet residential area of Mbale, this hotel offers immaculate and well-equipped rooms (air conditioning, TV, safe...). Some of the rooms also enjoy beautiful views of Wanale Ridge and its waterfalls. As for the "standard" rooms, they were refurbished in 2018. The Mbale Resort Hotel also boasts two restaurants (one of which showcases local cuisine), a swimming pool with bar, beauty salon, gym and sauna. Enjoy your stay.

The Jinja Backpackers, a true institution for backpackers, is dead, long live the Bourbon Backpackers! Taken over by the owner of the eponymous tavern, the premises - drowned in the greenery on the banks of the Nile - were awaiting work at the time of our visit. The relooking operation concerning, in particular, the floor covering and the size of the rooms should be completed when this guide is published. You should therefore be able to judge the work on the basis of the rooms. Held by a friendly team, this address offers cruises on the Nile (count 15 US$ for 60 to 90 minutes).

Located on the road to Kabale, a few hundred meters from the university, this hotel offers forty rooms equipped (television, mosquito net, bathroom with hot water...), quite clean and relatively quiet. Adjacent to the pretty garden and its alleys lined with carefully trimmed hedges, the small bar offers a nice range of fresh drinks to be sipped on the tables set up in the courtyard. The restaurant is not very attractive and the food served there is not bad, but it is rather unremarkable. Wifi available.

On a pretty little bay with a well maintained garden and a beautiful view of the lake, the site is unfortunately denatured (especially seen from the water) by a large concrete extension. Nice cottages but rather sad rooms, although clean and equipped. Possibility to camp in the garden with Heuglin's cossyphs. The establishment has a health club, a swimming pool and an outdoor bar with painted barrel tables. A warm welcome awaits you. This resort is located about one kilometre south of Rutinda.

Located in the American Embassy district, this confidential small Bed and Breakfast is carefully managed by Emmanuel and his family. Appreciated by volunteers invested in charitable missions, it is open to all travellers seeking tranquility. In a charming house with a chapel, the five comfortable and well-kept rooms have a veranda where you can enjoy breakfast while watching birds. Emmanuel can arrange your transfer from the airport and provide you with all kinds of information. Good value for money.

At 600 meters above the road, this establishment was still in the finish during our journey, but at first glance, the price seemed excessive because the whole thing lacked charm. With a view overlooking the forest, the 7 rooms are aligned side by side in a large stone building. They are characteristic of sculpted (too) carved wooden furniture and walls covered with granite briquettes, a local déco soupçon. Installation of safari tents is planned.

The Source of the Smile is one of the most delicious addresses in Jinja. Drowned in vegetation, wooden tables are perfect for drinking a drink, bouncing (there's a small library at the reception level) or pianoting on the keyboard of his laptop, however, a soft music music silence. The rooms, whatever they are, are originally decorated (abstract paintings, elegant suppressants, cylinders of bottles…). A beautiful address!

Off-centre, this ecolodge perfectly meets the expectations of travellers wishing to make a stopover between Moroto and Kidepo National Park. Sleeping in the round thatched huts, buying a souvenir in the complex's shop and taking part in the activities on offer (visit to a karamojong village, sliding on the Kalikruk mineral slide, initiation to traditional craft techniques...) you will contribute to the financing of the development projects instigated by the owners. Meals on order. Clean and convenient.

Nestling on the western edge of the forest, this small, rudimentary camp belonging to the non-governmental organization MAFICO is the ideal starting point for a guided hike in the forest or to enjoy the local attraction: the zip line. The site, separated from the national road by 6 km of sugar cane plantations, can be reached from the town of Lugazi by tree-climbing enthusiasts. The whole is ultra basic, as are the sanitary facilities and the camping area where the lawn shines by its absence... Possibility of lunch and dinner on order.

This small, charming hotel, nestled in a complex that also houses the Mediterraneo restaurant, does not skimp on the decoration of its rooms and corridors. The impeccable bedding under the canopy, the wooden furniture, the soft footstool and the orientalist light fixture adorn most of the rooms, which all have wifi accessand a television. Eleven new rooms, with an African design, have recently been opened. They are of different sizes, comfortable, like the older ones, and well equipped.

The Elephant Plains Lodge, a luxurious counterpart to the nearby Simba Safari Camp owned by the same company, opened its doors at the end of 2018. Perched at an altitude of nearly 1,000 metres, it offers a sublime panorama of Lake George and the savannah expanses of the park. You will be able to enjoy the view from the pool, from the pretty and spacious cottages,each with a terrace, and from the common rooms (lounge, restaurant...) decorated with great care (sofas and armchairs in basketry, wooden works of art...). Good reception.

In a quiet area, the Sunset Hotel has 68 rooms. The reception, the facade and the corridors are undeniably lacking in colour and charm. Most of the rooms are fully-equipped and enjoy views of the Nile and the New Jinja Bridge. The panorama is the same from the restaurant where you can enjoy a meal and from where you can access the lawn by the river. This is a no-frills establishment that can still help you out... A warm welcome.

Situated 2 km from the city centre, close to the bypass road, this hotel offers charming, yet clean and functional rooms. The garden - with its children's playground, its brand new relaxation area (hammam and sauna) and its lawn on which concerts are sometimes held - is quite pleasant. The restaurant is not particularly attractive, but its kitchen brigade is brought in. Work was in progress when we were there to increase the hotel capacity. Transfer (for a fee) from/to the city centre is possible.

This beautiful establishment is run by a Dutch woman from Utrecht, Ineke. The pleasant rooms have a veranda where you can relax to the sound of birds chirping in the garden. The cows grazing in the adjoining meadow can be observed from the small wooden chalet, with its sober but engaging interior, intended for Robinsons d'un soir. The convivial common room serves as a restaurant and brings together the commensals around very good dishes.

Run by a Catholic organization, this hotel offers clean and equipped rooms (bathroom, television...). The small garden, near the restaurant, is perfect for drinking a fresh fruit juice. However, this brief description could be out of date during your trip. Indeed, at the time of our visit, the old building housing the above-mentioned rooms was about to be demolished and replaced by a new construction. The design, furnishings, amenities and room prices are therefore likely to change between now and the publication of this guide. Wifi.

Located just outside Rutinda, this beautiful site is popular with backpackers and overland trucks, as these group safaris criss-cross the continent, which can make it noisy on some evenings. The whole is quite basic, but the location of the safari tents, just overlooking the lake, is pleasant. Lively bar overlooking an XXL chessboard. Activities include canoe rental, swimming, bird watching, etc. Transfer possible from Kabale. If you wish to picnic at Bunyonyi Overland without staying there, it will cost US$3 per person.

John Tinka, founder of KAFRED, invites immersion-loving travellers to immerse themselves in the daily life of his household. Living the Ugandan way of life by tending the vegetable garden, preparing meals with family members and sharing the (tasty) meal with your hosts: it's possible at John's house! In a friendly atmosphere, you will be able to chat with young and old alike to learn all about Bigodi and how to prepare the famous rolex. The property, with its own rooms, is located a stone's throw from the KAFRED offices.

Whitecrest Tours & Travel is located at the Lubowa Hill summit, 10 km from the city of Kampala in a quiet and pleasant area, and 30 minutes drive from Entebbe airport. In addition to accommodation, this establishment organizes custom-made safaris from Uganda to eastern Africa, taking your look into the best route possible. The guides are really nice, experienced, passionate and will show you surprising and unexpected places. Other activities are also possible, such as rafting, elastic jumping, horse riding, hiking, boat trips, quad, sports fishing and cultural activities.

Located on Lutoboka Bay, this resort offers a few rooms, the most comfortable of which are equipped with TV, refrigerator and, occasionally, internet access. The restaurant has a nice menu, including the unmissable - and always delectable - grilled tilapia. The Mirembe ("peace" in Luganda) team offers many activities to discover the island (visit to an oil palm plantation, forays into fishing villages, climbing up to Kalangala...). Excellent welcome.

The hotel's rooms, built around a patio, are equipped with a television, mosquito net and a more or less spacious bathroom. Although there has been a significant reduction in power outages in recent years, power outages are still frequent at this establishment, which is located on the national road to Mbarara. During breakfast, you can recharge your batteries with the typical katogo. It is also possible to have breakfast and dinner at the buffet set up in front of a TV screen on the ground floor.

With its 145 fully equipped rooms, its shady restaurant (the Muyembe), its artificial rock shelter bordering the swimming pool and housing the Elephant Bar, its gym and sauna (both included in the price of the night), the Bomah has some nice assets. Comprising 4 and 5-storey buildings, with rooms and not always attractive facades, the hotel is an unmissable landmark in the north of the city. Small drawbacks: the noise, some evenings, the kitchen, not always up to scratch, and the finishing touches in several rooms...

One of the reference addresses for small budgets. The Red Chilli is located about 5 km from the centre, east of the city. The best way to get there from the city centre is to take a boda-boda (10,000 Ush). The infrastructure is quite basic but the whole is well maintained and the staff is friendly. Large garden with swimming pool flanked by a straw bar and a volleyball court, pool table, small restaurant, free internet connection, free regular shuttle to the city centre, ATM and Sunday barbecue. It's all there!

Kalebas Camp is dead, long live the Bunyonyi Kalebas Resort! Completely renovated and restructured in 2018, the establishment has also, in addition to its new name, changed hands. Here it is possible to camp (the garden, where there is no shortage of birds, is very pleasant), to stay in modest rooms (equipped) or to go on safari in tents (not equipped). Here you can also eat, swim and enjoy the local activities(village walk, canoe...). Nevertheless, the infrastructures are rustic to say the least...

Not far from the village of Ibanda, there is a nice community project chaperoned by a nice team. In addition to its excellent location, just a stone's throw from the national park, the warm welcome of the staff and the spectacular views of the massif, Ruboni Community Camp has clean and functional rooms. The expansion of the parking lot and the land allotted to campers was in the pipeline during our visit. Independent travelers will be able to reach this verdant site by boda (20,000 to 30,000 Ush) or special hire (60,000 to 70,000 Ush) from Kasese.

The New Daniel offers simple but clean and equipped rooms (shower room, Internet connection...). Lovers of vintage should not remain insensitive to the outdated charm of the televisions, which have obviously not been changed since the opening of the hotel at the end of the 1990s... A few tables and chairs are set up outside the building for a drink or a snack. A relatively cheap address compared to other tourist establishments in the area. Good reception.

2.5 km from downtown Jinja as the crow flies and 8 km by car, the Kingfisher is located in Bukaya, on the opposite bank of the nascent Nile. The resort has rooms with half a banda each, which does not guarantee optimal privacy. For the rest - apart from the restaurant's cuisine, which is not always up to scratch - the site is pleasant. The beautiful swimming pool, surrounded by folding chairs under thatched umbrellas, is the end of the end of the establishment.

On the left bank of the Nile, about 5 km downstream from the Bujagali Dam, The Haven is - as its name suggests - a small haven of peace with a sublime view of the Nile and its rapids. A swimming pool with deckchairs, children's games, bandas and bungalows of excellent workmanship, some of which are decorated with interior murals, hammocks and terraces for idly gazing at the serpentine river, good food and a plethora of activities are just some of the things the lodge invites you to bite into...

Renovated at the end of the 2000s, this classified establishment is one of the best in the city. In addition to the pleasant and well-equipped rooms (mosquito net, air conditioning, refrigerator...), the hotel has, among others, a vast garden in the middle of which the water of the swimming pool sparkles, a wellness area (gym, hammam, sauna...), a lounge next to the restaurant and a miniature golf course. In the absence of the Grande Boucle, pedal enthusiasts can hire the hotel's little queens to visit Mbale by calf strength. Good food and a warm welcome.

Located 150 m from the main road, in the small village of Sipi, this establishment offers wooden huts, without primer, to which are attached, under tin roofs, private WC and shower. The dormitories, spartan, are a little far from the common sanitary facilities: beware of slippery stairs after the rain. The space dedicated to the campers is pleasant and the team of the small bar-restaurant concocts rather economic dishes. Very nice view on the biggest and most famous of the three waterfalls. Wifi access point at the level of the reception.

Founded in 2012 by two islanders (Corsica and New Zealand), Karibu is one of the most beautiful addresses on the peninsula. The eight rooms, very clean, are warm and duly equipped (mosquito net, Internet connection...). The garden, where birds abound (among which the colourful bidentate barbican and red-belted souimanga), hides a small swimming pool behind a green wall. The meals, excellent, are concocted, as far as possible, with fresh fruit and vegetables from the property. Good welcome.

Wood and plant fibres are the main materials of the charming cottages, drowned in the greenery, of this resort. The restaurant, under its straw hut, is spacious. With a bit of luck you will see the only monkey (a blue monkey known under the nickname of "president of the island") living in this island haven of six hundred meters long and two hundred and fifty meters wide on which some animals have been introduced (crescent beak, impala, zebra...) that can be observed during a nature walk (free for the guests of the resort).

On the site of the late Timton Hotel, The Mansion was inaugurated at the end of 2016. Completed during our visit, the brand new hammam and apartments should be open to guests when you have this guide in front of you. The hotel also has a swimming pool (accessible to people not staying at the hotel for 10,000 Ush per day for an adult and 7,000 Ush per day for a child), a restaurant and clean and pleasant rooms equipped with mosquito nets, television sets, etc. The Mansion has a large swimming pool, a restaurant and a restaurant. Attractive setting and excellent reception.

The Mountains of the Moon, adjacent to the Botanical Garden, offers comfortable rooms. The soft green lawn is open to the view of guests sitting on the covered terrace. If the chirping of the chicks is not enough to relax them completely, they can relax further in the hotel's sauna, steam room or swimming pool. The more tense ones will even treat themselves to a massage or a cocktail in the lounge bar... A good address.

Quietly, this very pleasant lodge is nestled between sylve(next door!), swamps and farmland. The comfortable cottages,equipped with a balcony where a hammock hangs, are a real success. Under a natural fibre roof, there is a cosy lounge with a corner fireplace, a restaurant and a panoramic lounge with breathtaking views of the Rwenzori and the Kibale forest. The swimming pool and its surroundings are not pricked by cockchafers either! Inaugurated in May 2019, the Turaco Treetops is accessible from the town of Nkingo, split by the national highway.

Surjio's is both a pizzeria and a guesthouse. The guesthouse, which was once a presidential lodge, has a lush green garden (with a covered terrace where it is good to quench your thirst and surf on the web), a swimming pool flanked by deckchairs (and sometimes ibis...), a small common room and twenty rooms (without TVs), clean, spacious and decorated with African inspiration. There are also four apartments, each with a fully equipped kitchen.

Located at the eastern entrance to the city, this establishment offers some pleasant, clean and well-equipped rooms in the style of North American motels. Built in 1967, it is now owned by a former Ugandan minister and is named after the Italian company of the same name.... In addition to its notorious restaurant, the Agip Motel offers a range of activities in and around Mbarara: milking cows, discovering the process of making eshabwe (a clarified butter used as a condiment by the Banyankole), etc.

Built in 2001 and host to Commonwealth Presidents and Prime Ministers at the 2007 conference, the beach version of the Speke Hotel is located 12 kilometres from downtown and has the advantage of overlooking the shores of Lake Victoria. Undoubtedly luxurious, the hotel has 59 presidential suites with an Afro-Chic feel and well-equipped rooms, a horse riding centre and Uganda's only Olympic swimming pool. This is a quality resort with good points. Bars and restaurants are up to scratch.

A simple hostel right across the street from the Uganda Wildlife Authority office. The rooms and dormitories are rather basic but the atmosphere is very pleasant and the prices defy all competition. Rental of camping equipment (tents, floor mats, sleeping bags...) and hiking equipment (raincoats, boots...). The kitchen is, in addition, quite good. Rose, the owner, is always happy to give valuable advice on how best to enjoy the surroundings and their natural and cultural attractions.

Located on the shores of Lake George, this lodge is ideal for those seeking tranquility. The cottages are pleasant and well-equipped. The lounge, whose materials have been tastefully chosen, is a real success. From the lounge, you can see the fishermen's pirogues beyond the swimming pool and the grandfather's house. An address of excellent craftsmanship. The track leading to the lodge is easily spotted from the main road, about 15 kilometres south of Kasese.

The Nabugabo Holiday Centre has fully equipped and clean cottages, a spacious and pleasant campsite and a small beach from which you can take a dip in the lake. The site, where the vervets and birds have a great time, is generally restful during the week. The staff, very friendly, organizes or helps to organize activities around the lake (boat trips, bird watching...). Between breakfast and dinner, you can watch the fishermen at work on their pirogues.

An unpretentious downtown guesthouse to help out. The rooms are fine but can sometimes be noisy. The restaurant offers Ugandan culinary specialties: matooke, posho, kalo. The White House, which has never seen a US president pass by, has an internet café (rather slow connection; 1,500 Ush/hour). The location of this establishment should delight independent, non-vehicle travellers since the Link bus company's terminal and a boda-boda station are just a few steps away.

Located in the district of Boma, the YES Hostel is installed on the grounds of the eponymous Christian NGO. The money generated by the hostel is entirely donated to the organization that helps orphans. The dormitories and the two rooms share common sanitary facilities. Dishes can be ordered and eaten under the shelter built in the garden or in the common room with a table tennis table, board games, a small bookshop and some puzzles.

The Heritage Lodge is located on a three hectare wooded island. Quiet and remote from other tourist-friendly islands, Ha'buharo Island is home to safari tents and two cottages, nestled in the greenery, clean, equipped, overlooking the watery expanse, environmentally friendly and lulled by the babbling of birds. The restaurant, where the famous crayfish from the lake are on the menu, is pleasant. Lake recreation and cultural activities are offered by the lodge, accessible in about thirty minutes by speedboat and ninety minutes by canoe from Rutinda.

Twelve kilometres from Kasese (accessible by boda-boda for a few thousand Ugandan shillings), close to the mining barracks of Kilembe, this structure is the base camp of Rwenzori Trekking Services, so it is here that you will sleep before or after your crazy ascent if you go through this agency. The rooms, which share communal sanitary facilities, are basic but clean. Possibility to eat on the spot(steaks, vegetables, pasta...). Office of the above mentioned agency in the premises of this backpackers.