Discover Safari Stay
Buffalo Safari Lodge
Rwanda Accommodation
Buffalo Safari Lodge
Queen Elizabeth National Park
Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda’s most visited national park, covering 1,978 square kilometres of savannah, wetlands, tropical forest, and the remarkable crater lake landscape of the Bunyaruguru region. The park supports 95 species of mammals and 619 species of birds, making it one of the most biodiverse protected areas in Africa.
The Kazinga Channel, a 40-kilometre natural channel connecting Lakes George and Edward, runs through the heart of the park and is one of the best wildlife-watching waterways in East Africa. The channel’s banks support the highest concentration of hippos in the world, as well as large crocodiles, enormous flocks of waterbirds, and the regular sight of elephant herds coming down to drink in the late afternoon.
The park is also famous for its tree-climbing lions, a population of Ishasha lions in the park’s southern sector that has developed the habit of climbing fig trees to escape flies and predators, and to gain height for surveying the plains. The sight of lions resting in the branches of a fig tree, eight or ten metres above the ground, is one of Uganda’s most iconic wildlife images.
The Lodge and Its Setting
Buffalo Safari Lodge sits at the Katunguru Bridge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, adjacent to the Kazinga Channel and one kilometre off the Kasese-Mbarara road. The lodge occupies 33 acres of wilderness that extend down to the channel, and from the main viewing areas, the channel and the animals that use it are visible throughout the day.
The lodge has been refurbished and transformed from a small budget facility into a 19-room property that genuinely delivers on the promise of its location. The setting is spectacular in the way that only direct waterway access in a park of this biodiversity can be: the hippos are visible from the bar. The elephants come down to the channel near the lodge in the afternoons. The birds are simply astonishing.
My partner and I arrived in the early afternoon on our second Uganda day, having come from Bwindi after three days in the forest. The landscape shift was immediate and striking: from the enclosed green world of the rainforest to the open sky and water of the Kazinga Channel, with a different quality of light and a different register of sounds. Hippos. Fish eagles calling from the dead trees above the water. The distant sound of something large moving through the papyrus on the far bank.
Accommodation
The lodge has a range of room types including standard rooms, deluxe rooms, and family cottages, all built with comfortable furnishings, ensuite bathrooms with hot water, and private balconies or terraces that give each room its own connection to the surrounding landscape.
Deluxe rooms offer expanded space and upgraded fittings, and for honeymoon couples, Africa Bed of Roses Safaris recommends this category for the additional privacy and comfort. The rooms have been designed with the natural environment as the dominant visual element: wooden details, earth tones, and windows positioned to maximise the views of the park.
Elephants roam freely in the lodge grounds, and guests regularly encounter them on the paths between the rooms and the main lodge area. The lodge team manages this with practiced calm, and after the first encounter, most guests begin to regard it as one of the most remarkable aspects of the stay.
Dining and Facilities
The lodge’s restaurant and lounge give guests views of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the channel from their tables, and meals are served on a full-board basis with a menu that combines Ugandan cooking with international options. The food is consistently good, with fresh ingredients and a kitchen that takes pride in feeding guests well after long days in the park.
The bar is fully stocked and positions guests with views across the channel for sundowner drinks that compete with anything the more famous East African destinations offer. We sat there on our first evening, cold Nile Special beers in hand, watching the hippos rotate in the water below and the sky turn through the full sequence of colours that the equatorial African sunset delivers, and agreed quietly that it was one of the finest views we had sat with on the entire trip.
The lodge has a swimming pool for the warmer hours of the afternoon, and the park’s wildlife and birding activity means that lying beside it rarely feels like doing nothing.
Rates For Buffalo Safari Lodge
| Category | Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard Room (per person sharing) | From USD 175 per person per night |
| Deluxe Room (per person sharing) | From USD 300 per person per night |
| Family Cottage | From USD 650 per night |
Rates are on a full-board basis and include accommodation and meals. Park entry fees and activity costs are additional. Contact Africa Bed of Roses Safaris for current confirmed rates and Uganda honeymoon package options.
Activities
The Kazinga Channel boat safari is the most celebrated activity in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Buffalo Safari Lodge’s position directly on the channel gives guests exceptional access. Two-hour boat safaris along the channel are operated morning and afternoon, and the density of hippos, crocodiles, waterbirds, and the animals that come down to drink makes each trip different from the one before.
Game drives cover both the Kasenyi Plains in the north, where large herds of Uganda kob, buffalo, lion, and elephant are reliably sighted, and the Ishasha sector in the south, where the tree-climbing lions are the particular draw. The drive to Ishasha takes approximately two to two-and-a-half hours from the lodge, and Africa Bed of Roses Safaris recommends an overnight stop in Ishasha for couples who want to spend more time with this unique lion population.
Chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura Gorge is a short drive from the lodge and offers the opportunity to track chimpanzees through a dramatic volcanic gorge, a combination of landscape and wildlife experience that is unique to this part of Uganda. Permits for chimpanzee trekking cost USD 200 per person and should be arranged in advance through Africa Bed of Roses Safaris.
Bird watching at the lodge and in the surrounding park produces extraordinary species lists. The Kazinga Channel area is home to the African skimmer, the goliath heron, the malachite kingfisher, and over 600 other species, making it one of the finest birding destinations in East Africa.
Cultural visits to fishing villages on the channel, community walks, and traditional dance performances by local communities can all be arranged through the lodge and provide genuine engagement with the people who share this landscape.
Getting to Buffalo Safari Lodge
The lodge is accessible by road from Kampala in approximately five to six hours via the Kasese-Mbarara road, or by domestic flight from Entebbe to Kasese Airstrip, followed by a one-hour road transfer. Africa Bed of Roses Safaris arranges all transfers and domestic flight bookings as part of the Uganda honeymoon package.
For couples combining Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth National Park, the road between the two areas is approximately four hours through the Ugandan highlands.
Why Queen Elizabeth Is Essential to a Uganda Honeymoon
The Bwindi gorilla experience is irreplaceable. But the open waters of the Kazinga Channel, the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha, the extraordinary birding, and the warmth of a lodge that sits directly beside one of East Africa’s finest wildlife waterways give a Uganda honeymoon its full character. Africa Bed of Roses Safaris consistently pairs Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth as the foundation of the Uganda honeymoon itinerary for exactly this reason.
Frequently Asked Questions About
Buffalo Safari Lodge
The boat safari is usually available as an add-on activity and is not typically included in the base accommodation rate. Africa Bed of Roses Safaris can include it in the honeymoon package. Contact us for current pricing.
Kyambura Gorge chimpanzee permits are more readily available than Bwindi gorilla permits, but advance booking is still recommended for peak season visits. Africa Bed of Roses Safaris manages permit arrangements as part of the Uganda package.
The park is good year-round, but the dry seasons of June through September and December through February offer the most comfortable conditions and the best visibility for game drives. The Ishasha tree-climbing lions are resident year-round.
The lodge’s team manages wildlife movement within the grounds with experience and knowledge. Elephants are present regularly, and the lodge has clear protocols for guest safety. Guests are always informed about current wildlife locations near the accommodation.
Plan Your Uganda Honeymoon with Africa Bed of Roses Safaris
Africa Bed of Roses Safaris designs complete Uganda honeymoon packages combining Gorilla Safari Lodge in Bwindi with Buffalo Safari Lodge at Queen Elizabeth National Park, with all permits, flights, transfers, and honeymoon touches arranged end to end. Contact us to begin planning your Pearl of Africa honeymoon.
Facilities
Welcoming reception area
On-site Bar and Restaurant
24-hour security
Luxury Tented Suites
Swimming Pool
Safari Excursions on Request
Luxury Rooms with Private Bathrooms
Free Wi-Fi in the restaurant and bar areas
Family-Friendly Stay Experience
Romantic Uganda Safari Stays
Curated stays for comfort and privacy
5/5 Based on Our Reviews
What our guests are saying
"Trustworthy tour oparator"
"Lots of wonderful sights"
"Great tour"
4.8/5 Based on Our Reviews
What our guests are saying
"Trustworthy tour oparator"
"Lots of wonderful sights"
"Great tour"
Partnerships & Accreditations
Africa Bed of Roses Safaris is an accredited tour operator under the Kenya Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) and a proud member of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO). As part of the KATO bonding scheme, our services are insured to ensure your honeymoon holiday safari is protected, offering peace of mind even in the rare event of a member ceasing operations.
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