Fort Murchison Lodge
Set on the Eastern banks of the slow flowing Albert Nile, Fort Murchison revokes the idea of a well maintained isolated outpost from times where Arab traders frequented the African hinterlands and legendary explorers led expeditions in search of the source of the Nile. Built in the right spot and inspired by the historical background, Fort Murchison is unlike any other in Uganda. The massive tower, the earth colored walls, the touch of Swahili style… will impress you from your arrival up to your departure!
Fort Murchison offers a variety of comfortable accommodations to suit budgets from the mid to lower market, Be it in our beautiful rooms or our comfortable thatched tents a great value for money is guaranteed.
Fort Murchison is situated in the former Aswa Lolim Game reserve, just outside the northern park boundaries of Murchison Falls National Park. It is set in a beautiful surrounding and looks out on the majestic Albert Nile.
Accommodation
Room
Fort Murchison consists of 12 en-suite units comprising of a spacious bedroom with comfortable beds, bathrooms with countersunk basins and showers with plenty hot water from solar heaters. All rooms boast a writing desk and a private balcony with its own sofa. The atmosphere is a mix of African luxury with a touch of Swahili style.
Tent
Aside from the main accommodation, Fort Murchison offers non-self-contained tents. These are comfortably furnished with 2 single beds with mosquito nets, a bedside table and a power outlet for charging your electrical equipment. All tents are placed under a grass thatched roof which creates your private terrace and provides some welcome shade. The tents share a communal ablution block with showers and flushing toilets. No need to worry about linen as all bedding and towels are provided.
Restaurant & Bar
Our rooftop terrace is the perfect spot for your sundowner drink. After enjoying the breathtaking views of the Albert Nile, guests descend towards our restaurant where a fine 4-course diner awaits you.
Our restaurant décor has a Swahili touch and is decorated with picture and drawings from the first explorers’ adventures.
We are proud to only serve you the best. We bake our own bread and as fresh supplies are hard to find in the area, we bring most of our goods from Kampala. We have started our own vegetable garden and have planted plenty of fruit trees going from citrus, mango and pawpaw to jackfruit, passion and avocado trees.
Although we have several solar fridges and freezers we have a limited stock and therefore do not work a la carte but have a fixed menu instead. We kindly ask you to let us know in time if you have any dietary requirement so that we can cater for your request.
Our breakfast, lunch and dinner have flexible times. We will adapt us to your time schedule, Nothing too early; Nothing too late!
Swimming Pool
What’s better after a safari than cooling down at a pool with one of the best views of Uganda?
Aiii, you forgot your bathing suit? No problem, just enjoy the amazing African sunset with a cool drink at our rooftop terrace.
Even the toddlers are thought of with their baby pool which has the right depth and shade cloth covering for sun protection. Our tatched pool lounge is open from dusk till dawn and offers a variety of drinks. Sun beds are placed around the pool for the sunseekers while umbrellas provide shade for the needed.
Activities
The Murchison Falls National Park lays at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the Bunyoro escarpment merges into the vast plains of Acholiland. The park is Uganda’s largest national park (3840 sq.km) and is bisected by the Victoria Nile creating some of the most spectacular waterfalls in East Africa. The river is the park’s centre piece. Its suroundings provide memorable wildlife spectacles with regular visitors as elephant, giraffe and buffalo and permanent residents like the hippopotamus and Nile crocodile.
Game Drives
Most visitors come to Murchison Falls to go on safari. The park provides home for 76 mammal species, including lion, leopard, elephant, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo, hartebeest… Buligi area is the park’s best game viewing spot. Early morning and late afternoon are the optimum times for game drives.
A UWA ranger guide is recommended to help you to make the most of your game drive. Note Fort Murchison does not have any vehicle and can therefore not offer game drives. For rates on park fees visit UWA’s website.
Boat Launch To Murchison Falls
A highlight of your visit to Murchison is the launch trip upstream to view the Falls and wildlife coming down to drink and bathe. The round trips take three hours. You might opt for the alternative whereby you leave the boat at Fajao Gorge, climb to the top of the falls from where you ask your driver to pick you up. Fixed scheduled and private trips are organized by UWA and Wild Frontiers.
Boat Cruise To Delta
An additional boat trip heads downstream to the papyrus delta at the river’s entrance into Lake Albert. This 4-5 hour return voyage offers a good chance of sighting the shoebill stork and a variety of other wildlife. You might opt to step out at a prearranged spot from where your driver picks you up and continues with a game drive. Trips are organized by Wild Frontiers or UWA.
Fishing
The Nile below Murchison Falls provides exciting challenges to anglers including the chance to land a massive Nile Perch (the record is 108kg). Fishing is restricted to designated sites and places are limited so prior booking is recommended. Check with Wild Frontiers or UWA for your different options.
Chimp Trekking
Trails through Kaniyo Pabidi forest provide the opportunity to track chimpanzee and other primates. The forest is a magnificent virgin forest containing both mahogany and ironwood trees where 6 chimp groups have been habituated.
Birding
The bird life is simply spectacular. Due to the diversity in habitats, the tick list reaches over 450 species with the shoebill stork remaining a favorite for many.
The vast landscapes and varied scenery of Murchison Falls National Park can be explored on foot. Trails through Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo Forests provide sightings of many primates and birds, while walks around the Nile-Lake Albert Delta, offer possible sightings of the Shoebill. A hike around the top of Murchison Falls provides a completely different experience of the magnificent waterfall and for birders and nature lovers different walks on both south and north bank can be organized by UWA. For rates visit UWA’s Website
Getting there
Fort Murchison is situated in the former Aswa Lolim Game reserve, just outside the northern park boundaries of Murchison Falls National Park. The lodge is a mere 5 km from Tangi gate, just of the main Karuma-Pakwach road. Watch out for the signpost few km before the Pakwach bridge.
