The Bush Lodge
The Bush Lodge is a classic safari camp in northern Queen Elizabeth National Park, with 12 luxury en-suite tents and 10 budget shared-bathroom tents on raised wooden platforms along the seasonal Kamera River. The main dining tent overlooks the Kazinga Channel and the Rwenzori Mountains. Built on ecological principles, with animals free to wander through camp, it’s a strong base for Kasenyi big-cat game drives and Kyambura chimp tracking.
Northern Queen Elizabeth NP
Kazinga Channel & Rwenzori Views
Luxury & Budget Tent Options
Outdoor Bush Showers (24/7 Hot Water)
Open Camp — Animals Roam Free
Wi-Fi Available
The Bush Lodge sits in the northern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park, on the seasonal Kamera River. It’s a small-scale, eco-built safari camp with two clear accommodation tiers — luxury en-suite tents and simpler budget tents — both within the same immersive bush setting.
The main dining tent looks out over the Kazinga Channel and the Rwenzori Mountains, and the camp is unfenced — wildlife roams in and out, especially at night.
The location works well for two of QENP’s marquee activities: big-cat game drives on the Kasenyi Plains and chimpanzee trekking in nearby Kyambura Gorge.
Best for: Mid-range and budget travellers wanting an immersive, classic safari-camp experience with the flexibility to choose between luxury en-suite tents or no-frills budget tents on the same site — without paying luxury-lodge prices.
Accommodation at The Bush Lodge
The camp offers two accommodation tiers across 22 tents.
Luxury Safari Tents (×12) En-suite tents on raised wooden platforms, built from canvas and local materials. Features include:
- Giant mosquito-netted windows with a 180° view of the surrounding bush
- Private terrace overlooking the seasonal Kamera River
- En-suite bathroom with running water hand basin and flushing toilet
- Outdoor bush shower with twin showerheads and 24/7 hot water — designed for couples to shower together under the stars
Budget Tents (×10) Non-self-contained tents under grass-thatched roofs with private terraces. Each has a comfortable bed, bedside table, and power outlet for charging. Bedding and towels are provided.
Bathrooms are shared in a communal ablution block with showers and flushing toilets.
Amenities at a glance:
- En-suite bathrooms (luxury tents)
- Outdoor bush showers with hot water
- Restaurant and bar
- Wi-Fi available
- Charging facilities
- Mosquito nets
- Laundry service
- Open, unfenced camp setting
Dining at The Bush Lodge
Meals are served in the large main dining tent overlooking the Kazinga Channel and Rwenzori range. When the weather allows, dinner moves outside under the stars — a 4-course meal with paraffin lights and a campfire.
The chef caters to vegetarian menus and other dietary requirements, but it’s important to flag these at booking.
Early wake-up calls come with coffee or tea, and packed breakfasts or lunches can be arranged for early game drives or full-day activities.
Activities at The Bush Lodge
The camp’s northern QENP position gives access to the park’s two headline activities — big-cat game drives on the Kasenyi Plains and chimpanzee tracking in Kyambura Gorge.
Wildlife Game Drive — Kasenyi Plains Kasenyi is one of the most productive wildlife-viewing areas in Uganda — open grassland with reliable lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and Uganda kob sightings, plus the antelope-breeding grounds that draw the big cats. At least two nights are recommended to fully cover the area.
Boat Safari on Kazinga Channel The Kazinga Channel runs between Lake Edward and Lake George and is one of the densest hippo concentrations in Africa. Scheduled launches and private boat charters both run from sites near the lodge — a reliable afternoon activity with elephant, buffalo, and prolific birdlife on the banks.
Chimpanzee Trekking — Kyambura Gorge Kyambura Gorge is a low-key chimp tracking forest within QENP. Sightings aren’t as reliable as Kibale but the experience itself — descending into a steep forested gorge — is more dramatic. Other primates include red-tailed monkeys, black-and-white colobus, baboons, and vervet monkeys.
Bird Watching Queen Elizabeth has 600+ recorded bird species. Highlights around Bush Lodge include the African finfoot, blue-headed bee-eater, and various falcons. Worth booking a dedicated birding drive if it’s an interest.
How to Get There
- By road from Kampala — around 6–7 hours via Mbarara to the northern park sectors.
- By road from Bwindi (Kihihi) — around 4 hours through the southern Ishasha sector and up.
- By air from Entebbe to Kasese — 1-hour flight plus a 2.5-hour drive.
- By air from Bwindi (Kihihi airstrip) — 15-minute flight to Mweya or Kasese, plus a short drive to camp.
How to Book The Bush Lodge
Nkuringo Safaris partners with The Bush Lodge and can usually secure better rates as part of a wider Uganda safari itinerary.
We can help you:
- Bundle Bush Lodge into a tailored Uganda safari, including gorilla trekking in Bwindi
- Combine the lodge with other Queen Elizabeth properties or onward stops in Bwindi or Kibale
- Arrange road transfers from Kampala, Bwindi, or Kibale, or fly-in transfers via Kasese or Kihihi
Email hello@nkuringosafaris.com or use our online enquiry form and a local expert will reply quickly.
Price Information
Price From: Rates not published on the source page — confirm with operator before publishing. Price Range: 1–3 (Budget through Mid-range, depending on tent category)
The source page does not include published rates. Once confirmed, this section should detail:
- Luxury Safari Tent — single, double/twin, child rates
- Budget Tent — single, double/twin, child rates
- Meal plan (B&B / HB / FB) inclusions
Price from
Enquire
Price Range
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Northern Queen Elizabeth NP
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Kazinga Channel & Rwenzori Views
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Luxury & Budget Tent Options
-
Outdoor Bush Showers (24/7 Hot Water)
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Open Camp — Animals Roam Free
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Wi-Fi Available
Some of Our
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bush Lodge sits in the northern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park, on the seasonal Kamera River with views of the Kazinga Channel and the Rwenzori Mountains. It’s well-positioned for game drives in Kasenyi Plains and chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge.
Rates aren’t published on the source page. As a budget-to-mid-range camp with two distinct accommodation tiers (luxury en-suite tents and shared-bathroom budget ten
Bush Lodge is the most flexible option in northern QENP — luxury and budget tents on the same site, with a deliberately rustic safari-camp feel. Kasenyi Safari Camp offers a more polished mid-range option closer to the Kasenyi Plains. Kyambura Gorge Lodge is a luxury alternative right at the chimp-trekking gorge. Ishasha Wilderness Camp is the southern QENP luxury option for tree-climbing lion country. For travellers who want the immersive bush-camp feel without paying luxury rates, Bush Lodge is the strongest pick.
Luxury tents are en-suite with running water hand basins, flushing toilets, twin-headed outdoor bush showers with 24/7 hot water, raised wooden platforms, and 180° mosquito-netted views. Budget tents are non-self-contained with shared bathrooms in a communal ablution block, but include comfortable beds, bedding, towels, and charging points.
The unfenced setting (animals can wander through camp at night) means parents need to factor in close supervision for younger children. The two accommodation tiers offer flexibility for mixed-budget family groups, and the activities — boat safari, game drives, Kyambura — work well for all ages. Children under 15 can’t trek chimpanzees in Kyambura.
You can book through Nkuringo Safaris to bundle the stay with permits, transfers, and a wider Uganda itinerary — usually at better rates than booking direct. Email hello@nkuringosafaris.com or use the online enquiry form.
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