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African Safaris and Tours
Queen Elizabeth National Park Lodges
Where To Stay In Queen Elizabeth: Ishasha, The Kazinga Channel And Kyambura
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers 1,978 km² of western Uganda, with more than 600 bird species and 95 mammal species recorded. The lodge you choose decides which side of the park you wake up in: the Kazinga Channel, which links Lake Edward and Lake George, in the north; the Kasenyi Plains below the rift escarpment in the north-east; Kyambura Gorge in the east; or the remote Ishasha sector in the south.
- Kazinga Channel and Mweya: Mweya Safari Lodge stands on the Mweya Peninsula between the channel and Lake Edward; The Bush Lodge sits on the channel bank. Boat trips on the channel bring you close to hippo, buffalo and crocodile.
- Kasenyi and the north-east: Elephant Plains Lodge looks over Lake Kikorongo towards the Kasenyi Plains and Lake George.
- Kyambura Gorge: Kyambura Gorge Lodge, a restored coffee store just outside the park, is close to the forested gorge where chimpanzee tracking takes place.
- Ishasha: Ishasha Wilderness Camp pitches its tents on the Ntungwe River, inside the park's southern sector. Ishasha is long known for its tree-climbing lions and is now the focus of a UWA–Wildlife Conservation Society lion-recovery partnership.
For the best months to go, see when to visit Uganda. Malaria risk is high throughout Uganda, Queen Elizabeth included: read Uganda malaria and malaria in Africa. Check the FCDO's current travel advice for Uganda before you travel.
We quote Queen Elizabeth National Park lodges as part of a tailor-made safari, not as standalone room-only bookings. Browse our Uganda safaris or plan your trip with us; we have been arranging African safaris since 1999.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Lodges And Camps
Elephant Plains Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
On the Albertine Rift escarpment in Queen Elizabeth's north-east, Elephant Plains Lodge looks over Lake Kikorongo, where elephants often come to drink, towards the Kasenyi Plains. Six cottages and two two-bedroom family cottages, each with a veranda, plus a pool.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Ten tents on the Ntungwe River, inside the park, make Ishasha Wilderness Camp your base for Queen Elizabeth's remote southern sector. Each has a river-facing veranda, bush shower and solar power. Ishasha is long known for tree-climbing lions and is now a lion-recovery area.
Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Volcanoes Safaris turned an old coffee store on the edge of Kyambura Gorge into this lodge, just outside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Eight hillside bandas, one suited to families or honeymooners, plus a pool and spa. Chimpanzee tracking in the gorge starts close by.
Mweya Safari Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
On the Mweya Peninsula, between the Kazinga Channel and Lake Edward, Mweya Safari Lodge sits inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Most of its 54 rooms, cottages and tents look over the water; an infinity pool, health club and spa complete a hotel-style stay.
The Bush Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Inside Queen Elizabeth National Park on the bank of the Kazinga Channel, The Bush Lodge is built low-impact into the bush: twelve en-suite bandas, self-contained safari tents and simpler tents sharing a bathroom block, with campfire dinners and the channel close by.
Queen Elizabeth National Park Lodges: Frequently Asked Questions
Should I stay in Ishasha or near the Kazinga Channel?
Stay near the Kazinga Channel for boat trips and the Mweya and Kasenyi game-drive areas; stay in Ishasha for the park's quiet southern sector, long known for tree-climbing lions. Mweya Safari Lodge and The Bush Lodge sit on the channel, while Ishasha Wilderness Camp is our base in the Ishasha sector itself.
Can I still see tree-climbing lions from Ishasha Wilderness Camp?
Possibly, but sightings are far from guaranteed. As of September 2026, UWA reports only three known adult lions left in Ishasha and has launched a lion-recovery partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society. Game drives from the camp still cover a remote sector, and elephant, hippo and buffalo are often seen along the Ntungwe River.
Which Queen Elizabeth lodges are inside the national park?
Mweya Safari Lodge, The Bush Lodge and Ishasha Wilderness Camp are all inside Queen Elizabeth National Park. Mweya stands on the Mweya Peninsula, The Bush Lodge on the bank of the Kazinga Channel, and Ishasha Wilderness Camp on the Ntungwe River in the southern sector. Kyambura Gorge Lodge lies just outside the park, on the edge of the gorge.
Which lodge is best placed for Kyambura Gorge?
Kyambura Gorge Lodge, run by Volcanoes Safaris, sits on the edge of the gorge just outside the park. It is a restored coffee store with eight bandas on the hillside, a pool and a spa. The gorge is a sunken forest in the savannah where chimpanzee tracking takes place, and the lodge also arranges game drives and Kazinga Channel boat trips.
Where is Elephant Plains Lodge?
Elephant Plains Lodge is on the Albertine Rift escarpment in the north-east of Queen Elizabeth, overlooking Lake Kikorongo and the Kasenyi Plains towards Lake George. Elephants often come down to drink at the lake, and game drives on the Kasenyi Plains, Kazinga Channel boat trips and a Lake Katwe salt-works visit are all arranged from the lodge.
Which Queen Elizabeth lodges have family rooms?
Elephant Plains Lodge has two family cottages, each with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Kyambura Gorge Lodge has one banda suited to families or honeymooners, and Mweya Safari Lodge offers family cottages. Child policies differ from lodge to lodge, so we check them against your children's ages and your dates when we plan your safari.
Is there a choice between a large lodge and a small camp?
Yes. Mweya Safari Lodge is a large, hotel-style lodge with 54 rooms, cottages and tents, an infinity pool and a spa. The others are far smaller: Ishasha Wilderness Camp has ten tents, Elephant Plains Lodge eight cottages, Kyambura Gorge Lodge eight bandas, and The Bush Lodge twelve bandas plus safari tents, some of which share a bathroom block.
Map of Lodges in and around Queen Elizabeth National Park
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