Baker’s Lodge is an intimate luxury camp on the south bank of the Victoria Nile, a short distance downstream from the Paraa ferry. It opened in 2015 and is named for Sir Samuel Baker, the explorer who reached the falls in 1864 and named them. The lodge is small – just ten cottages – and every one is built right on the edge of the river, on a raised deck, so the Nile is always in front of you: hippo grazing the far bank at dusk, elephant coming down to drink, fish eagles overhead. It is the choice for travellers who want the water, the quiet and the personal service of a proper safari camp.
Where it is
The lodge is on the south bank, roughly ten minutes’ drive from the Paraa ferry crossing. That puts the top-of-the-falls trailhead about 40 minutes away, and the Budongo Forest chimpanzee-tracking start point within reasonable reach for a morning trek. The northern game-drive circuit is a ferry crossing and a short drive away – the ferry runs on a timetable, so an early game drive means an early crossing, which the lodge and your guide plan around. Bugungu Gate, on the Hoima road, is about 40 minutes south.
The setting
Baker’s is strung along a bend of the Nile among riverine trees and papyrus, with the main lounge, dining area and a small plunge pool set at the centre and the cottages spread out along the bank on either side. The camp is deliberately low-key and low-impact – solar power, canvas and thatch, no fences – and because it is so small it feels private. The river frontage is superb for birds and for watching game come to the water, and at night the sound is all hippo and frogs.
Rooms
Ten cottages, each a large canvas-and-thatch structure on a raised timber platform right at the water’s edge, with a king or twin bed under a mosquito net, an en-suite bathroom with a proper shower and hot water, indoor and outdoor seating, and a private deck facing the river. There is one family cottage. The cottages are well spaced for privacy. Power is solar with a generator backup; there is no air-conditioning, but the river position keeps them cool.
Facilities and food
A central lounge and bar, a dining area where meals are usually served as a set three-course menu with choices (and full flexibility for dietary needs given notice), a small plunge pool, and a fire pit by the river for the evenings. Wi-Fi is available in the main area but slow. The lodge arranges all the park activities – game drives, the launch cruise, the falls hike, birding walks, sport fishing and Budongo chimpanzee tracking – and can lay on a private bush breakfast or a sundowner.
Who it suits
Baker’s suits couples, honeymooners, photographers and anyone who wants a small, quiet, river-focused camp with attentive service and does not need a big pool or a lot of facilities. It is a genuine highlight of a Murchison trip for the right traveller. Families with young children and travellers who want to be right on the northern game tracks may be better matched elsewhere.
What it costs, as a guide
Luxury lodges and tented camps at Murchison typically run from around US$250 to US$650 per person per night sharing a double, full board, with the small riverside camps at the top of that range and a suite or a fly-in package higher again. Park entry fees, your vehicle and guide, and the activities are all separate – a full safari quote from us wraps everything into one figure. Rates move with the season and the room type and change from year to year, so the prices here are indicative and for planning only; we always confirm the exact current rate for your dates directly with the property before you commit to anything.
How it fits your safari
Baker’s Lodge is on the south bank, which makes it the natural base for the top-of-the-falls hike and for a Budongo chimpanzee trek. For the northern game drives you cross on the Paraa ferry, about ten minutes away, so we usually pair a night or two here with a night on the north bank if the itinerary is game-drive heavy, or run the whole stay from Baker’s for a slower, more relaxed trip.
Good to know
Rates, room types and exact facilities change from season to season, so we confirm the current price and availability for your dates directly with the property before you commit to anything – there is no charge for this and no obligation. Power at most Murchison lodges is a mix of mains, solar and generator and may switch off overnight, so a head torch and a power bank are worth carrying; Wi-Fi, where it exists, is slow and best treated as a way to send a message home. Meals are usually full board, and any lodge will pack a breakfast or lunch box for an early game drive if we let the kitchen know. A yellow-fever certificate is required to enter Uganda and malaria prophylaxis is recommended for the whole country.
Check availability at Baker’s Lodge
Send us your travel dates and the style of safari you have in mind and we will come back within 24 hours with current rates and availability at Baker’s Lodge, along with a full day-by-day itinerary and a clear quote – no deposit to enquire. Browse our Murchison Falls safaris, read the park guide, see the rest of our Murchison Falls accommodation, or get in touch now.
