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Sambiya River Lodge

3.0 star property
3-star guestrooms with patios

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Sambiya River Lodge

Exterior
Outdoor pool
Land view from property
Front of property
Exterior

Reviews

7.8 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

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

Explore the area

Map
Sambiya Village, Murchison Falls National Park, Karuma
  • Murchison Falls
    ‪25 min drive‬
  • Murchison Falls National Park
    ‪32 min drive‬
  • Murchison Falls National Park Northern Gate
    ‪89 min drive‬
  • Pakuba (PAF)
    ‪71 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Family Cottage

Family Cottage | Garden view

Family Cottage

  • 35 sq m
  • Sleeps 4
  • 1 Double Bed and 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Royal Cottage

Royal Cottage

Royal Cottage

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

View all photos for Royal Cottage, Courtyard View

Royal Cottage, Courtyard View

Royal Cottage, Courtyard View

  • 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

  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds

View all photos for Deluxe Cabin

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

Deluxe Cabin

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

About the area

Karuma

On river.You'll be within 9 miles (15 km) of Murchison Falls and 12 miles (20 km) of Murchison Falls National Park. Budongo Central Forest Reserve is within 12 miles (20 km) and Murchison Falls National Park Northern Gate is within 32 miles (52 km).

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

3-star guestrooms with patios
There's a restaurant on site. You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. Business amenities include a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms.

WiFi is free in public spaces. An outdoor pool, a terrace, and gift shops/newsstands are also featured at the business-friendly Sambiya River Lodge. Self parking is free.

This 3-star Karuma hotel is smoke free.

  • 26 guestrooms or units
  • Meeting rooms
  • Business center (24 hours)
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front-desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Wedding services available
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gift shop
  • Television in lobby
  • No smoking on site
  • Bar or lounge
  • Dining venue
Sambiya River Lodge offers 26 shared accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to patios. Business-friendly amenities include desks, printers, and complimentary newspapers. Bathrooms include showers, slippers, and complimentary toiletries. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and ceiling fans. Housekeeping is offered daily and hair dryers can be requested.

Languages

English, Swahili

Property amenities

Family friendly

  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

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

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

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

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

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Sambiya River Lodge

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

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • Additional fee: USD 40 per person, per stay

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

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

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and cash. Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed. For guests' safety, the property includes a security system and a first aid kit in each accommodation.

We should mention

  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

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

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

6/10 Okay

Mary

Travelled 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

Travelled 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

Travelled 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 traveller

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 traveller

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 traveller

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