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Sambiya River Lodge

Property class: 3
3-star guestrooms with patios

Choose dates to view prices

Photo gallery for Sambiya River Lodge

A circular outdoor seating area with a fire pit, stone flooring, and surrounding chairs.
A bedroom with a canopy bed, a nightstand with a lamp, a chair, and a view of the outdoors.
A swimming pool with lounge chairs, surrounded by trees and a building with lights.
A wooden staircase leading to a lobby with a brick floor, stone walls, and framed artwork on the walls.
A thatched-roof entrance to Sambiya River Lodge surrounded by lush greenery.

Reviews

7.6 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Parking included
  • Restaurant
  • Breakfast available
  • Business services
  • Bar

Explore the area

View in a map
Sambiya Village, Murchison Falls National Park, Karuma
  • Place, Murchison Falls National Park
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Murchison Falls
    ‪39 min drive‬
  • Airport, Pakuba (PAF)
    ‪70 min drive‬

Room options

View all photos for Deluxe Cabin

A bedroom with a wooden bed, a nightstand, a bedside table with a lamp, and a canopy bed.

Deluxe Cabin

  • Garden view
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed

View all photos for Royal Cottage

A bedroom with a canopy bed, a stone wall, a zebra-patterned chair, and a wooden door.

Royal Cottage

10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
(1 review)
  • 1 bedroom
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Queen Bed

About the area

Karuma

On river.You'll be within half a mile (1 km) of Murchison Falls National Park and 9 miles (15 km) of Murchison Falls. Murchison Falls National Park Northern Gate is 27.8 mi (44.8 km) away.

What's nearby

  • Murchison Falls National Park - 1 min walk - 0.0 km
  • Murchison Falls - 39 min drive - 18.1 km

Getting around

  • Pakuba (PAF) - 68 min drive

About this property

Sambiya River Lodge

3-star guestrooms with patios
Sambiya River Lodge offers its guests an outdoor pool and a children's pool. There's a restaurant on site. You can enjoy a drink at the bar/lounge. WiFi is free in public spaces.

Business amenities include a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. A terrace, gift shops/newsstands, and tour/ticket assistance are also featured at the business-friendly Sambiya River Lodge. Self parking is free.

This 3-star Karuma hotel is smoke free.

  • 26 guestrooms or units
  • Meeting rooms
  • Business center (24 hours)
  • Breakfast available (surcharge)
  • Self-service laundry
  • Front desk (limited hours)
  • Storage area for luggage
  • Front-desk safe
  • Tour and ticket information
  • Concierge
  • Wedding services available
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gift shop
  • Television in lobby
  • No smoking on site
  • Bar or lounge
  • Dining venue
Sambiya River Lodge offers 26 shared accommodations with safes and complimentary bottled water. Rooms open to patios. Business-friendly amenities include desks, printers, and complimentary newspapers. Bathrooms include showers, slippers, and complimentary toiletries. Additionally, rooms include irons/ironing boards and ceiling fans. Housekeeping is offered daily and hair dryers can be requested.

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Property amenities

Family friendly

  • Children's pool
  • Laundry facilities
  • Outdoor pool

Internet

  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge)
  • Free self parking on site
  • 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

Accessibility

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

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 accommodations

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

  • Pets and service animals are not allowed at Sambiya River Lodge

Children and extra beds

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

Property payment types

Important information

Fees

Guests will be asked to pay the following charges at the property:

  • Additional fee: USD 40 per person, per stay

We've listed all charges provided to us by the property.

Optional extras

The fees and deposits listed below will be charged at the time of service, check-in, or check-out.

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

This may not be a comprehensive list. Fees and deposits are subject to change and might not include tax.

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, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm 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
Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy.
A cash deposit, credit card, or debit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification may be required upon check-in.
Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.
    This property is managed by a professional host. The provision of housing is linked to their trade, business, or profession. This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children. If you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room. This property accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and cash. Noise-free guestrooms cannot be guaranteed. For guests' safety, the property includes a fire extinguisher, a security system, and a first aid kit in each accommodation.

We should mention

  • Registered guests are the only ones allowed to be in guestrooms.
  • Pets and service animals are not allowed on site.

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

How close is Sambiya River Lodge to the airport?

Sambiya River Lodge is 23.6 mi (68-min drive) away from the Pakuba (PAF) airport, the closest popular airport to the property.

How much does it cost to stay at Sambiya River Lodge?

As of Sept 11, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Sambiya River Lodge on Oct 1, 2026 start from CA $291, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

Does Sambiya River Lodge have an airport shuttle?

Sambiya River Lodge offers an airport shuttle.

Does Sambiya River Lodge offer free breakfast?

Free breakfast isn’t provided at Sambiya River Lodge, but continental breakfast is offered for a fee of USD 25 for adults and USD 20 for children. It's available every day from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Is there a casino at Sambiya River Lodge?

No, there is no casino at this hotel.

What time is check-in at Sambiya River Lodge?

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

Is there free parking at Sambiya River Lodge?

This hotel offers free self parking.

Does Sambiya River Lodge have a pool?

Sambiya River Lodge features an outdoor pool and a children's pool.

Does Sambiya River Lodge have a restaurant?

Yes, there is a restaurant on site.

Does Sambiya River Lodge have a spa?

There are no spa services available at this hotel.

How close is Sambiya River Lodge to downtown Karuma?

Sambiya River Lodge is 17.1 mi away from Karuma.

Sambiya River Lodge Reviews

Reviews

7.6

Good

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

7.8/10

Cleanliness

8.6/10

Staff & service

6.8/10

Amenities

6.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

Reviews

Verified review

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
Verified review

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
Verified review

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
Verified review

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
Verified review

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
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Jeen

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

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
Verified review

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
Verified review

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