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Sambiya River Lodge

3.0 star property
Riverfront hotel with a 24-hour business center and an outdoor pool

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Photo gallery for Sambiya River Lodge

Exterior
Front of property
Outdoor pool
Land view from property
Exterior
Along the river, Sambiya River Lodge offers a serene escape with lush gardens and a refreshing outdoor pool. Explore the surrounding landscape on an ecotour or zip line adventure, then unwind at the bar or enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant. With free WiFi in public areas and helpful concierge services.

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Bar
  • Pool
  • Breakfast available
  • Room service
  • Laundry
  • Housekeeping

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 5 of 5 rooms

View all photos for Family Cottage

Family Cottage | Garden view

Family Cottage

Highlights

Patio
Free cribs/infant beds
2 bedrooms
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
4 bathrooms
Free bottled water
Iron/ironing board
  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Royal Cottage

Royal Cottage | In-room safe, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Royal Cottage

Highlights

Patio
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
2 bathrooms
Free bottled water
Iron/ironing board
Located on the ground floor
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Royal Cottage, Courtyard View

Royal Cottage, Courtyard View | In-room safe, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Royal Cottage, Courtyard View

Highlights

Patio
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
2 bathrooms
Free bottled water
Iron/ironing board
Located on the ground floor
  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Large Twin Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Cabin

In-room safe, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Deluxe Cabin

Highlights

Patio
Blackout drapes/curtains
Ceiling fan
Private bathroom
Free bottled water
Desk
Laundry detergent
Daily housekeeping
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Cabin

In-room safe, desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board

Deluxe Cabin

Highlights

Patio
Separate bedroom
Ceiling fan
Blackout drapes/curtains
Private bathroom
Free bottled water
Desk
Laundry detergent
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

About the neighborhood

Map
Sambiya Village, Murchison Falls National Park, Karuma

What's nearby

  • Murchison Falls - 25 min drive
  • Murchison Falls National Park - 32 min drive
  • Budongo Central Forest Reserve - 35 min drive
  • Murchison Falls National Park Northern Gate - 89 min drive

Getting around

  • Pakuba (PAF) - 71 min drive

About this property

Sambiya River Lodge

Hotel by the river
A terrace, a garden, and laundry facilities are just a few of the amenities provided at Sambiya River Lodge. Active travelers can enjoy amenities like ziplining and ecotours at this hotel. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities such as a bar and a 24-hour business center.
Additional perks include:
  • An outdoor pool
  • Free self parking
  • Continental breakfast (surcharge), a roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge), and a gift shop
  • Meeting rooms, a banquet hall, and wedding services
Room features
All guestrooms at Sambiya River Lodge include perks such as 24-hour room service, in addition to amenities like printers and safes.
Extra amenities include:
  • Showers and free toiletries
  • Patios, a personal chef, and ceiling fans

Languages

English, Swahili

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Free self parking on site
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available
  • Roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)

Food and drink

  • Continental breakfast available for a fee daily 6:00 AM–11:00 AM: USD 25 for adults and USD 20 for children
  • 1 restaurant
  • 1 bar
  • 24-hour room service

Things to do

  • Ecotours
  • Outdoor pool
  • Ziplining

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Banquet hall
  • Front-desk safe
  • Gift shop/newsstand

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Laundry facilities
  • Luggage storage
  • Tour/ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • 24-hour business center
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • This property does not have elevators
  • Hand-held showerhead
  • In-room accessibility
  • Smooth flooring in room
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair-accessible business center
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • 20 on-site accessible parking spaces
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible public washroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
  • Wheelchair-accessible spa

More

  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoke-free property
  • TV in lobby

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bed sheets
  • Blackout drapes/curtains
  • Ceiling fan

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)

Food and drink

  • Free bottled water

Outdoor space

  • Patio

More

  • Chef
  • Desk
  • Free newspapers
  • Guidebooks/recommendations
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laundry detergent
  • Local maps
  • Printer
  • Restaurant dining guide
  • Safe
  • Shared accommodations
  • Slippers

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: noon; Check-in end time: 6 PM
Early check-in subject to availability
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 10 AM

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 8 AM - 10:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
For any questions, please contact the property using the information on the booking confirmation
This property is located in Murchison Falls National Park. The additional mandatory fee covers entrance to the national park.

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Additional fee: USD 40 per person, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

  • Fee for continental breakfast: approximately USD 25 for adults and USD 20 for children

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards and cash
Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed
Safety features at this property include a security system and a first aid kit
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have elevators
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

Property is also known as

Sambiya River Lodge Karuma
Sambiya River Karuma
Sambiya River Lodge Hotel
Sambiya River Lodge Karuma
Sambiya River Lodge Hotel Karuma

Frequently asked questions

Does Sambiya River Lodge have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Sambiya River Lodge pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Sambiya River Lodge?

Self parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Sambiya River Lodge?

Check-in start time: noon; Check-in end time: 6 PM.

What time is check-out at Sambiya River Lodge?

Check-out is at 10 AM.

Does Sambiya River Lodge provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle.

Where is Sambiya River Lodge located?

Situated on a river, this hotel is within 12 mi (20 km) of Murchison Falls, Murchison Falls National Park, and Budongo Central Forest Reserve. Murchison Falls National Park Northern Gate is 27.8 mi (44.8 km) away.

Sambiya River Lodge Reviews

Reviews

7.8

Good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 3 out of 8 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 8 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 8 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 8 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 8 reviews

8.0/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

6.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

William

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Once you understand the power schedule everything is fine. Great place.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

6/10 Okay

Mary

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
There was an incident of theft unfortunately conducted by the staff. After the manager was informed, he took proactive measures to correct the mistakes and restore our lost money. The lodge offered two free meals to compensate, and the staff was fired. Unfortunately, we also had another incident where two bats flew into our room and mosquitos nets, tried calling the reception desk via what’s app but nobody replied for two hours, then the power was out, the internet was cut. We couldn’t go out to the lobby to ask for help due to wild animals active at night, while having a fever in the middle of the night. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Lydia

Traveled with family and small children
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Beautiful grounds if u love nature. Staff available and have good customer care. Overall was a great stay. Highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gerald

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Customer service is top notch. All staff were very nice. Place is clean, my daughters especially enjoyed the experience of an out side shower. Food was delicious. I will definitely recommend this place and plan to go back.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

8/10 Good

Peter, Kampala, Uganda

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Best value for a wilderness lodge!
Blows the similar competition away for price when booked with Expedia. Comfortable and quiet, and great staff. Three complaints, but not deal breakers. The solar showers only provide hot water around midday. Morning showers are cool. The internet only comes on at meal times - and then off the rest of the day and night. Not necessarily a bad thing though. But last week, for the first time the water smelled strongly of iron rust. Probably the solar heater needs to be cleaned.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2018

6/10 Okay

Verified traveler

Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
This lodge isn't near the safari area, it's about a 45min drive to get there. The rooms are nice but lacking services, such as no hot water for half the time, smelly towels, not enough towels, etc. The food is good but it's buffet style.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Non avevano la prenotazione
L’hotel non aveva contezza della prenotazione da me effettuata con expedia all’inizio di maggio per agosto, cioè 3 mesi prima. Arrivata nella struttura dopo un lungo viaggio, alla reception sono cascati dalle nuvole! Nessuna prenotazione a suo nome signora!! Hanno detto che expedia non ha mai comunicato loro del mio arrivo! È colpa del sambyia river lodge o di expedia? Ancora oggi non lo so! Certo che d’ora in avanti non potro più fidarmi di expedia! Per fortuna alla struttura avevano posto e dunque la stanza mi è stata data lo stesso, se no non so che fine avrei fatto, nel mezzo di nulla. Per il resto l’hotel è piuttosto “run out” si vede che ha conosciuto tempi migliori, comunque passabile. Personale gentile, buona la cena
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2018

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Midden in Murchison Falls NP
mooi Lodge Park. De eigenaresse bleek er niet te zijn waardoor het personeel wat minder hard en enthousiast aan het werk was (voetbal was interessanter dan ons naar onze lodge brengen; ivm veiligheid vanwege wild in het park). Het is absoluut een mooi park op een prachtige locatie (al zit je aan de "verkeerde kant" van de Nijl voor een Safari. Als je het pontje wilt halen dus extra vroeg uit de veren ;-) Eten is er redelijk goed maar wel aan de prijs. Vlak bij de Nijl zit Camping Red Chilli; heerlijk eten voor weinig (zowel lunch als diner). Leuk hip gezellig personeel. Sambiya River Lodge is mooi en goed maar wel heel erg duur!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2018