Ishasha Wilderness Camp is a budgeted lodge facility situated within the southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe River. It is an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wilderness.
This exclusive camp offers superb quality accommodation and services in this unspoiled remote sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The sector is famous for its tree-climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees in the area.
Being within the park, wildlife is free to also pass through the camp. So, elephants can be seen bathing in the river, buffaloes grazing nearby, and resident troops of black-and-white colobus and vervet monkeys can also be frequently viewed.
You can visit this lodge on your way coming to or from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, for a gorilla-tracking safari.
Ishasha Wilderness Camp is a lodge that is one of its kind in Uganda, with an authentic safari camp and a suitable sense of actually being in the heart of the wilderness. Most of the guests praise the service at the lodge and the relatively cheaper charge by the standards of most safari countries.
The most common and famous activity on this side of the park is lion tracking. So, you can visit for a game drive to see the tree-climbing lions, sleeping and resting on the branches of the fig and acacia trees during day time with their cubs. Over 5 lions can be spotted on one branch of a fig tree resting during day time.
Facilities at Ishasha Wilderness Camp
The lodge has a number of facilities ranging from the tented camp accommodation to many others.
Spacious, wooden-framed, canvas tented rooms are set next to Ntungwe River. Each of the camp’s ten spacious canvas-tented rooms has a private verandah overlooking the river. Comfortably furnished with large mosquito-netted beds, all rooms are en suite with hot ‘bush showers’, with running water for hand basins, and a flushing eco-friendly toilet. So, expect a comfortable stay at the camp.
Restaurant and Bar
The thatched central lounge and dining area provide a comfortable setting for meals and relaxation, although we often serve meals al fresco, next to the river. In the evening, the outdoor fireplace is the perfect place for guests to relax with sundowners and share their day’s experiences.
Meals are freshly prepared with many local ingredients, offering a balance of international and locally flavored cuisine with all meals being of several delicious courses. The bar has a selection of local and imported beverages, so our friendly local staff will attend to your needs.
Hot beverages are available throughout the day on a self-service basis and are delivered to your room with early morning wake-up calls as required. As a result, this allows you to savor the early morning sounds of the bush awakening.
Other Facilities
Being within the park you may be lucky enough to see wildlife moving freely through the camp. The attentive security staff is always on hand to escort and assist you should you feel the wildlife is too close. Because of this, the camp assures its guests that the camp is safe and secure for a night stay.
Bush breakfasts and sundowners within the wilderness of the national park complete the bush experience offered at Ishasha Wilderness Camp. Don’t miss the free Wi-Fi internet, recharging facilities, and a curio/local craft shop, which are available in the central dining area.
Activities at Ishasha Wilderness Camp
The lodge organizes a number of activities within the visitor’s point of interest. Such activities include: –
- game drive safaris in the Ishasha sector,
- sundowners and bush freakfasts,
- community tours and visits,
- chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura Gorge,
- boat cruise along the Kazinga channel,
- birding,
- wildlife guided nature walks,
- hot air balloon
Getting to Ishasha Wilderness Camp
By Road
The Ishasha sector of the park is almost a full day’s drive from Entebbe or Kampala, that’s about 7-8 hours. It’s 4-hours’ drive from Fort Portal, 6 hours from Lake Mburo National Park, and 2-hours drive from Mweya Peninsula – the northern side of the park. It is within a 2 hours drive from Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
By Air
Twice daily scheduled light-aircraft flights land at the nearby Kihihi airstrip, that is, approximately 45 minutes drive from the camp. It is also possible to charter a flight to Kihihi from Entebbe or various locations around Uganda or other major hubs in East Africa.