This is the only permanent lodge located inside the core Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. It is a 60 minute drive from Kihihi Airstrip, and a 2.5 hour road transfer from the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Accommodation consists of 10 canvas tented rooms positioned under riverine trees, including 2 family units. Each room has an en suite bathroom, flush toilet, hot shower, and a private veranda facing the Ntungwe River. Interiors use timber flooring, writing desks, and mosquito netting throughout.
The main area includes a lounge, bar, and dining space overlooking the river. Guests also have access to campfire seating and guided nature walks when park regulations allow. Meals are prepared on site, and staff coordinate daily game drives within the Ishasha sector for guests.
Its setting along the Ntungwe River places guests close to the game drive circuit used for Ishasha’s tree climbing lions. Hippo calls often carry through camp at night, and bird activity along the river builds steadily before each morning departure.
Game drives across the park’s savanna tracks offer consistent sightings of large mammals moving between feeding and resting areas. Guided by experienced rangers, you follow elephants, buffalo, and antelope while scanning for predators along the edges of cover.
A boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel brings you close to one of the park’s most concentrated wildlife areas. From the water, you observe hippos in large groups, elephants approaching to drink, and birdlife gathered along the banks. The slow pace allows for clear viewing.
In the southern sector of Ishasha, you search for lions known for resting in the branches of fig trees during the heat of the day. You move through open ground and scattered woodland, watching carefully for movement above as well as at ground level. Sightings depend on timing and patience.
Within Kyambura Gorge, guided walks lead you into a steep-sided forest where chimpanzees move through the canopy. You follow trails beneath dense cover, listening for calls and watching for movement above. The experience offers a quieter contrast to the open areas of the park, shaped by sound, shade, and close observation.
Around the park’s northern sectors, you move through clusters of crater lakes formed by ancient volcanic activity. From raised viewpoints, you observe water bodies set within enclosed basins, each with its own vegetation and birdlife. Short walks and drives between these lakes reveal how varied the landscape becomes within a small area.
