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Ishasha Wilderness Camp

Ishasha Wilderness Camp is situated within the Southern Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park on the Ntungwe river, an idyllic retreat for people who truly enjoy the wild. This exclusive camp blends the magic of a wilderness tented camp with superb service in this unspoilt and remote region of the National Park. The Ishasha savannahs are famous for its population of tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees. Being within the park the wildlife is free to also pass through the camp and elephants can be seen bathing in the river, buffalo enjoy grazing and resident troops of Black-and-White Colobus and vervet monkeys are frequently viewed. If you are lucky, George, the lone hippo, can also be seen beside the camp. Our attentive security staff are always on hand to escort and assist you should you feel the wildlife is too close! Bush breakfasts and sundowners within the park complete the ‘bush’ experience offered at Ishasha Wilderness Camp.

Read More

Getting there
»» Scheduled or charter flights to a nearby airstrip (Kihihi)
»» Full day drive from Entebbe & Kampala
»» 2 to 3 hours drive from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
»» 2 hours drive from the Central Mweya area of Queen Elizabeth National Park
»» Fly-in packages to Ishasha available

Ishasha may be visited all year round. Photography is particularly rewarding in April and June/July, when the air is clear. Game and bird life is prolific all year round, but bird-watching is good during the summer months (Oct—Nov) for migratory species as well as endemics. This area of Uganda has a temperate climate all year round, 25–30˚C during the day and 8–12˚C at night.

Accommodation

The camp offers Spacious, wooden framed, tent stylized accommodation.

Each of the ten spacious framed canvas rooms, privately nestled along the riverbank, is comfortably furnished and feature en-suite bathrooms. Wake to the delicious aroma of morning coffee served on your private verandah.

The 10 tents are spaced well apart giving you a good deal of privacy and seclusion, especially if you wanted to relax during a busy day on your private veranda at the front of the tents. You will be spoilt by the wonderful views out to the river where you will hear and see hippo splashing about in the water, and if you are lucky a variety of other wildlife drinking at the river.  As you are within the park boundaries it is common to expect wildlife to share the camp with you so you will need to be escorted about after dark.

The tents are spacious with a large king or twin beds and have a carpeted floor area. There is a large modern feeling bathroom area to the rear.  The tents are surrounded by a structured roof and partial walls as well as part of the tent structure being solid providing a very substantial accommodation area.

Dining

The open sided wooden structured guest area houses the small restaurant and very comfortable lounge area. The large soft furnishings in the lounge area provide the perfect place to relax with a post dinner drink and compare wildlife spotting stories with fellow guests. There is also a terrace area which hosts a fire pit making a beautiful spot to listen and watch the night activities at the river just a few meters away. The camp will often serve meals ‘al fresco’ next to the river, weather permiting. 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 flavoured cuisine with all meals being of several delicious courses. Our bar has a selection of local and imported beverages and 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, allowing you to savour the early morning sounds of the ‘bush’ awakening. The open sided wooden structured guest area houses the small restaurant and very comfortable lounge area. The large soft furnishings in the lounge area provide the perfect place to relax with a post dinner drink and compare wildlife spotting stories with fellow guests. 

Activities & Attractions
  • “Sundowners” and “Bush Breakfasts” :  Sundowners can be arranged for the late afternoon at a suitable viewing point either along the ridge area or besides the Ntungwe River to allow guests to savour the vast vistas and atmosphere of this beautiful area of the park. Bush breakfasts are also available to camp guests when pre-arranged and weather allows. Your own personal chef and dining set-up in the wilderness can be combined with an early-morning safari drive.
  • Community Tours & Visits: Agartha’s Taste of Uganda Tour: Situated in a small village on the fringes of the Queen Elizabeth National park, (approximately 45 minutes’ drive from the camp) Agartha is a strong member of the local community group and tirelessly works to improve not only her family’s well-being but also her neighbours’. Agartha takes great pride in sharing with you how the women of her tribe, the Bakiga, prepare their favourite food. Not only do you hear how the ingredients are grown and harvested but you can witness how to shift, grind, cook, and most importantly, keep the much-loved food warm for their husbands. During the tour Agartha weaves in stories of what it’s like to be a Bakiga wife whilst encouraging you to taste what you may have helped prepare together. She then sends you off on your journey with a packed traditional snack and a taste of the local brew if you wish too!
  • Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge: Located just outside the North-Eastern boundary of Queen Elizabeth National Park, (Approximately 2 hours drive from the camp) the picturesque Kyambura Gorge is home to a small community of habituated chimpanzees. Guests can trek the chimpanzees in the company of a Wildlife Authority ranger. Please note that a trekking permit is required and must be purchased in advance of your visit. Our Reservations Team can assist you with this.
  • Cruise the Kazinga Channel: Queen Elizabeth’s Northern Sector, “Mweya” can be visited before/after Ishasha or even incorporated into a full-day excursion from Ishasha Wilderness Camp (Approximately 2.5 hours drive from the camp) The Kazinga Chanel, bisecting this part of the park offers a tranquil river cruise, with excellent chances of spotting elephants on the river-bank, hippos in the water and a plethora of water-birds. Boat cruises depart at scheduled times through-out the day, private trips are also possible.
  • Birding and Wildlife Walks: You may also explore the camp area on foot and do some bird-watching with “Narina Trogon” and “Black Bee Eaters” being two of the rarer bird species sighted at the camp. Short guided walks with National Park staff can be arranged (pre booking and additional fees involved) along the Ishasha river area for close up viewing of hippos and offer a unique bush experience
  • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: This World Heritage forested area is around two hours drive from the camp and offers Mountain Gorilla trekking (pre booking required), endemic Albertine Rift birding and is often combined with visiting the lions in the savannah trees of Ishasha and one of the unique offerings of this special part of Uganda.
Read More

Getting there
»» Scheduled or charter flights to a nearby airstrip (Kihihi)
»» Full day drive from Entebbe & Kampala
»» 2 to 3 hours drive from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
»» 2 hours drive from the Central Mweya area of Queen Elizabeth National Park
»» Fly-in packages to Ishasha available

Ishasha may be visited all year round. Photography is particularly rewarding in April and June/July, when the air is clear. Game and bird life is prolific all year round, but bird-watching is good during the summer months (Oct—Nov) for migratory species as well as endemics. This area of Uganda has a temperate climate all year round, 25–30˚C during the day and 8–12˚C at night.

Accommodation

The camp offers Spacious, wooden framed, tent stylized accommodation.

Each of the ten spacious framed canvas rooms, privately nestled along the riverbank, is comfortably furnished and feature en-suite bathrooms. Wake to the delicious aroma of morning coffee served on your private verandah.

The 10 tents are spaced well apart giving you a good deal of privacy and seclusion, especially if you wanted to relax during a busy day on your private veranda at the front of the tents. You will be spoilt by the wonderful views out to the river where you will hear and see hippo splashing about in the water, and if you are lucky a variety of other wildlife drinking at the river.  As you are within the park boundaries it is common to expect wildlife to share the camp with you so you will need to be escorted about after dark.

The tents are spacious with a large king or twin beds and have a carpeted floor area. There is a large modern feeling bathroom area to the rear.  The tents are surrounded by a structured roof and partial walls as well as part of the tent structure being solid providing a very substantial accommodation area.

Dining

The open sided wooden structured guest area houses the small restaurant and very comfortable lounge area. The large soft furnishings in the lounge area provide the perfect place to relax with a post dinner drink and compare wildlife spotting stories with fellow guests. There is also a terrace area which hosts a fire pit making a beautiful spot to listen and watch the night activities at the river just a few meters away. The camp will often serve meals ‘al fresco’ next to the river, weather permiting. 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 flavoured cuisine with all meals being of several delicious courses. Our bar has a selection of local and imported beverages and 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, allowing you to savour the early morning sounds of the ‘bush’ awakening. The open sided wooden structured guest area houses the small restaurant and very comfortable lounge area. The large soft furnishings in the lounge area provide the perfect place to relax with a post dinner drink and compare wildlife spotting stories with fellow guests. There is also a terrace area which hosts a fire pit making a beautiful spot to listen and watch the night activities at the river just a few meters away.

Activities & Attractions
  • “Sundowners” and “Bush Breakfasts” :  Sundowners can be arranged for the late afternoon at a suitable viewing point either along the ridge area or besides the Ntungwe River to allow guests to savour the vast vistas and atmosphere of this beautiful area of the park. Bush breakfasts are also available to camp guests when pre-arranged and weather allows. Your own personal chef and dining set-up in the wilderness can be combined with an early-morning safari drive.
  • Community Tours & Visits: Agartha’s Taste of Uganda Tour: Situated in a small village on the fringes of the Queen Elizabeth National park, (approximately 45 minutes’ drive from the camp) Agartha is a strong member of the local community group and tirelessly works to improve not only her family’s well-being but also her neighbours’. Agartha takes great pride in sharing with you how the women of her tribe, the Bakiga, prepare their favourite food. Not only do you hear how the ingredients are grown and harvested but you can witness how to shift, grind, cook, and most importantly, keep the much-loved food warm for their husbands. During the tour Agartha weaves in stories of what it’s like to be a Bakiga wife whilst encouraging you to taste what you may have helped prepare together. She then sends you off on your journey with a packed traditional snack and a taste of the local brew if you wish too!
  • Chimpanzee Trekking in Kyambura Gorge: Located just outside the North-Eastern boundary of Queen Elizabeth National Park, (Approximately 2 hours drive from the camp) the picturesque Kyambura Gorge is home to a small community of habituated chimpanzees. Guests can trek the chimpanzees in the company of a Wildlife Authority ranger. Please note that a trekking permit is required and must be purchased in advance of your visit. Our Reservations Team can assist you with this.
  • Cruise the Kazinga Channel: Queen Elizabeth’s Northern Sector, “Mweya” can be visited before/after Ishasha or even incorporated into a full-day excursion from Ishasha Wilderness Camp (Approximately 2.5 hours drive from the camp) The Kazinga Chanel, bisecting this part of the park offers a tranquil river cruise, with excellent chances of spotting elephants on the river-bank, hippos in the water and a plethora of water-birds. Boat cruises depart at scheduled times through-out the day, private trips are also possible.
  • Birding and Wildlife Walks: You may also explore the camp area on foot and do some bird-watching with “Narina Trogon” and “Black Bee Eaters” being two of the rarer bird species sighted at the camp. Short guided walks with National Park staff can be arranged (pre booking and additional fees involved) along the Ishasha river area for close up viewing of hippos and offer a unique bush experience
  • Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: This World Heritage forested area is around two hours drive from the camp and offers Mountain Gorilla trekking (pre booking required), endemic Albertine Rift birding and is often combined with visiting the lions in the savannah trees of Ishasha and one of the unique offerings of this special part of Uganda.

Ishasha Wilderness Camp Gallery

Ishasha Wilderness Camp Gallery

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