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Sambiya River Lodge

3.0 star property
Riverside nature retreat offers adventure by day and relaxation by night, with lush gardens providing the perfect backdrop for outdoor dining under the stars

Choose dates to view prices

Sambiya River Lodge offers tranquility with gardens and an outdoor pool. Guests can book ecotours or zip line adventures, then enjoy drinks at the bar or meals at the restaurant. Free WiFi in common areas and helpful concierge services are available.

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Parking included
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Restaurant
  • Breakfast available
  • Business services

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Cabin

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

Deluxe Cabin

Highlights

Patio
Separate bedroom
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
Private bathroom
Free bottled water
Iron/ironing board
In-room safe
  • Garden view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Royal Cottage

Royal Cottage | In-room safe, desk, blackout curtains, iron/ironing board

Royal Cottage

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)

Highlights

Patio
Separate bedroom
Blackout curtains
Ceiling fan
2 bathrooms
Free bottled water
In-room safe
Laundry detergent
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed
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About the area

Located in Karuma, Sambiya River Lodge is in a rural area and on a river. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Murchison Falls National Park and Murchison Falls. Discover the area's wildlife on a nearby safari, or try your luck with game drives and game viewing. Visit our Karuma travel guide
Map
Sambiya Village, Murchison Falls National Park, Karuma

What's nearby

  • Uganda is a great country for safari and being on a boat up the Nile to Murchison Falls is exciting. Make sure you can do the walk along the waterfall as well.
    Murchison Falls National Park
    1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Murchison Falls
    38 min drive - 17.4 km

Getting around

  • Pakuba (PAF)
    68 min drive

About this property

Sambiya River Lodge

Hotel by the river
A terrace, a garden and laundry facilities are just a few of the amenities provided at Sambiya River Lodge. Active travellers can enjoy amenities, such as ziplining and ecotours, at this hotel. The on-site restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Stay connected with free WiFi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities, such as a bar and a 24-hour business centre.
Additional perks include:
  • An outdoor pool and a children's pool
  • Free self-parking
  • Continental breakfast (surcharge), a round-trip airport shuttle (surcharge) and meeting rooms
  • A TV in reception, a gift shop and wedding services
Room features
All guest rooms at Sambiya River Lodge have thoughtful touches, such as 24-hour room service, in addition to amenities, such as printers and safes.
Extra amenities include:
  • Showers and free toiletries
  • Patios, a personal chef and ceiling fans

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Return airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site
  • Limited on-site self parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking available

Food and drink

  • Daily continental breakfast available 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM for a fee: USD 25 for adults and USD 20 for children
  • A bar/lounge
  • A restaurant

Things to do

  • Children's pool
  • Ecotours
  • Outdoor pool
  • TV in common areas
  • Ziplining

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Conveniences

  • Gift shop/newsstand
  • Guidebooks
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (daily)
  • Tour and ticket assistance
  • Wedding services

Business services

  • 24-hour business centre
  • Meeting rooms

Outdoors

  • Garden
  • In a national park
  • On a river
  • Terrace

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • 20 accessible parking spaces
  • Hand-held showerhead
  • No lift
  • Smooth flooring in room
  • Well-lit path to entrance
  • Wheelchair accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible business centre
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible parking
  • Wheelchair-accessible path of travel
  • Wheelchair-accessible pool
  • Wheelchair-accessible public bathroom
  • Wheelchair-accessible restaurant
  • Wheelchair-accessible spa

More

  • Banquet hall
  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoke-free property

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided
  • Blackout drapes

Bathroom

  • Free toiletries
  • Hair dryer (on request)
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Slippers
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste (on request)
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • 24-hour room service
  • Chef service
  • Free bottled water
  • Restaurant dining guides

More

  • Ceiling fan
  • Desk
  • Free daily newspapers
  • Iron/ironing board
  • Laundry detergent
  • Printer
  • Safe
  • Shared accommodation

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
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
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

No pets or service animals allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available.
Cots (infant beds) are not available

Payment types at the property

Important information

Fees

You'll be asked to pay the following charges at the property. Fees may include applicable taxes:

  • Additional fee: USD 40 per person, per stay

We have included all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

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

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

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 fire extinguisher, a security system and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
Please note that cultural norms and guest policies may differ by country and by property; the policies listed are provided by the property

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms
No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property

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

Frequently asked questions

Does Sambiya River Lodge have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool and a children's pool.

Is Sambiya River Lodge pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Sambiya River Lodge?

Self-parking is free at this property.

What time is check-in at Sambiya River Lodge?

Check-in start time: noon; check-in end time: 6 PM.

What time is check-out at Sambiya River Lodge?

Checkout is at 10 AM.

Does Sambiya River Lodge provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle.

Where is Sambiya River Lodge located?

Situated on a river, this hotel is 7.9 mi (12.7 km) from Murchison Falls and 10.1 mi (16.2 km) from Murchison Falls National Park. Murchison Falls National Park Northern Gate is 27.8 mi (44.8 km) away.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on selected room rates because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Sambiya River Lodge Reviews

7.6

Good

7.8

Cleanliness

6.8

Amenities

8.6

Staff & service

6.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 3 out of 9 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 9 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 9 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 9 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 9 reviews

Reviews

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

10/10 Excellent

William

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Once you understand the power schedule everything is fine. Great place.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lydia

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

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

6/10 Okay

Mary

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

6/10 Okay

Jeen

Veel en veel te duur!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2026

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

8/10 Good

Peter

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