Uganda Eco Tours features a selection of some of the accommodation facilities in Uganda that meet the criteria to be regarded as ecolodges basing on the ecotourism principles and guidelines. Below are some of the luxurious hotel and Lodge establishments which have:
- contributed to sustainable development through working together with local communities
- conserved both the natural and the cultural environment
- whose physical and cultural context has been fit through attention, landscaping, colour, as well as use of local architecture
- have had minimal impact on the natural surrounding by adopting strategies like sustainable means of water acquisition
- careful handling and disposal of solid waste and sewage
- as well as offering interpretive programs to educate both its employees and tourists about the surrounding and cultural environment.
Apoka Safari Lodge
Apoka is in the heart of Kidepo Valley National Park, tucked into the North-Eastern corner of Uganda. The editor of Canada’s La Vie de Luxe magazine listed Apoka lodge in the launch of the issue using the following words:
“True luxury is about experience – having the opportunity to explore the world’s chicest hideaways…our team of writers have scoured the globe to bring you just that: the top 50 places in the world to stay, from grand yachts to urban oases to glamorous trains…”
“From the vantage point of your private veranda, off your wood, thatch and canvas “cottage room’, – one of Apoka’s ten, perched atop large rocky outcrops – soak up the gorgeous savannah panorama of remote Kidepo Valley National Park in northeast Uganda, among the most beautiful – and underrated – destinations in East Africa. Watch the parade of giraffe, elephant, buffalo, antelope, zebra and some 200 bird species. The interiors and amenities of Apoka complement the natural landscape outside – cream and chocolate carpets, plush white towels, Egyptian cotton bed linens, outdoor bathtubs carved out of the rock face. Join the other guests as they track game with well-trained guides along sandy riverbeds. Then retreat to your luxurious, blissfully isolated room underneath the stars, as lions roar in the distance.”
Everything is handmade by local craftsmen, the dining room, the lounging area and the bed rooms are capacious with natural canvas walls surrounding a rocky kopje with endless views across the savannah. The beds are big and hand-hewn with soft duvets draped with mosquito nets, hand-woven woolen carpets, extra large plush towels, oversized dressing gown. Each room has its own en-suite bathroom with double sink and large tropical shower with hot and cold shower. All rooms have electric lights, power points. There is also a swimming pool and outdoor stone bathtub in the sheltered terrace that is big enough to fit the whole family.
Semliki Safari Lodge
Set on over 500 sq.km of wilderness, the lodge is situated in the Toro - Semliki Valley Wildlife Reserve, in the Western Rift Valley and is a member of classic safari camps in Africa. It is the only accommodation in here, offering a truly private experience where comfort and authenticity has been taken seriously. The lodge is built out of local materials providing a feeling of traditional rustic comfort. The rooms comprise of large canvas tents with permanent thatched roofs. The interior is made of hand carved four poster bed draped in muslin, with Persian carpets and soft fleecy blankets on the beds with other soft touches. Each tent includes en-suite bathrooms with running water and private verandas with a stunning panoramic view complimented by a pool which overlooks the Blue Mountains of the Congo. The lounging area is very spacious and comprises of sofas piled with cushions, there is plenty of lounging space, and loads of books to read, warm muffins brought to you in bed with your morning tea or coffee. The food at the lodge has often been referred to as the 'Best food in Uganda' - everything is home-made; from the bread baked daily, to the soups, the relishes and chutneys.
Kampala Serena hotel
Kampala Serena Hotel is an inspirational blend of 5-star polish, pan-African flamboyance, social style and tourism. It is one of the world class hotels in Uganda; set on 72 acres of landscaped grounds and water gardens in the heart of Kampala city. The hotel has been created around a central water theme, which manifests itself both in the extensive water gardens and in the hand-carved devises and shimmering mosaics with which it is decorated. A haven of cool and green environment where one can have an introduction of Uganda natural habitats and cultural amenities. This hotel has an unlimited wide range of facilities ranging from the personalized selection of all-inclusive rooms, extensive swimming pool, cocktail bars, pearl of Africa restaurant, Bambara residents lounge, Maisha mind body and spirit spa, to a garden auditorium and the roof-top terrace for private cocktails.
The Rain forest lodge - Mabira
This upmarket ecolodge is situated in Mabira forest and exhibits the peace and calm of an equatorial hardwood rainforest in the heart of Uganda. The Lodge has been built using local, onsite materials to create a stunningly unique atmosphere for visitors to truly appreciate the beauty and magnificence of the Mabira Forest Reserve. The rooms are secluded with balconies overlooking the forest, and windows that provide a thorough view of the forest. Other facilities here include a Swimming Pool, Sauna and Massage area, a well stocked canopy bar with daily cocktail specialties, a restaurant that serves continental dishes, and a multi-level encircling open lounge with comfortable seating providing beautiful views of Mabira Forest.
Jacana Safari Lodge
Located at the edge of one of the park’s crater lakes, in the dense Maramagambo forest, this tree house lodge is made of independent luxury chalets and a family cottage grown out of the dense foliage of the forest. The rooms are commodious to provide you with maximum comfort, and secluded with hot water showers, enclosed verandas offering picturesque views of the lake. The distinctive and unique design of jacana makes it the best ecolodge in the park; with the delicate use of rock, poles, wood, rope, organic furniture and rich textures that blend perfectly with the smells, sights and sounds of the primeval tropical forest. Other facilities include a large stone fireplace with large lounging sofas which forms a cozy atmosphere comfortable for after-dinner storytelling and tales of the day’s activities; a warm dining room and bar, swimming pool overlooking the lake, sauna and massage area; and the Captain’s Table - a one-of-a-kind floating pontoon on the Nyamisingiri crater for any meal of the day or for sundowners and exploration.
The Nile Safari Lodge
Nestled peacefully amongst the rich papyrus forest on the southern banks of the River Nile, the Lodge is one of the few wildest places in Africa offering the most luxurious accommodation in park. Rooms are designed in wooden chalets and luxury tents, all fitted with en-suite washrooms, with no air-conditioning, each with a private balcony suspended over river Nile which allows you to enjoy stunning views and to give a true feeling of wild Africa. From the deck of your own room, you will perceive sound of the silent ripple of water whispering untold secrets, hippos snort with contentment from their watery home, catch a glimpse of Giant Nile crocodiles bask on sand banks, whilst elephant herds wading through the papyrus islands. This magical wilderness is complimented by a restaurant, bar, an ambient lounge and a superb extended deck underneath the protection of a giant fig tree, an open fire place, the crystal clear swimming pool offering the best escape from the hot equatorial sun after a day of activities in the park. The staff at the lodge is exceptionally compassionate offering a personal touch service to each visitor.
Gorilla Forest Camp
Situated about 500m inside the park entrance at Buhoma, this is a very nice tented camp that is cut into a lush forest glade. Gorilla Forest Camp has been designed to blend seamlessly into this most atmospheric of environments, carefully-appointed towards the misty valleys and looming, forest-clad mountains that protect this fragile eco-system. It offers large private self contained twin-bed tents raised on wooden platforms, each with en-suite facilities and hot and cold running water, WC, basin and unusually – a bathtub looking out onto the forest. Each tent has a spacious wooden verandah where guests can relax, enjoy a private meal and absorb the exotic mystery of the surrounding rainforest that provided the inspiration for the animation of Disney’s The Jungle Book. The Gorilla Forest Camp offers a bar and dining cottage overlooking the rain forest, as well as a raised natural platform for open air dining. At night, a traditional African campfire is lit from where a lecture might be given by a visiting primatologist.
