Kichumbanyobo is the main southern entrance to Murchison Falls National Park, on the road up from Masindi, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority runs a basic public campsite here. It is exactly what it sounds like – a cleared area with minimal facilities where you pitch your own tent – but it is inexpensive, it is right at the gate, and for a self-sufficient overland or budget group trip it does the job. We supply the tents, bedding, cooking kit and a cook for guests who want to stay here without carrying everything themselves.
Where it is
Right at Kichumbanyobo Gate on the Masindi-Paraa road, the southern entrance to the park. That puts the top-of-the-falls trailhead around 45 minutes to an hour inside the gate, and the Paraa ferry – the crossing to the northern game-drive tracks – around an hour and a quarter. Budongo Forest is a short way back down the road toward Masindi.
The setting
The campsite is a simple cleared and grassed area in woodland near the gate, quiet at night once the day traffic has stopped, with birdlife in the trees and the occasional larger animal passing outside the fence. It is a functional overnight, not a destination.
Rooms
Pitches only – you bring or hire a tent, a mattress and bedding. A head torch is essential. Mosquito nets are provided with hired tents.
Facilities and food
Basic shared pit or flush toilets and a cold or bucket shower, a water point, and space for a camp kitchen. There is no catering, no power and no Wi-Fi – you self-cater or we send a cook and supplies. Park rangers at the gate can advise on drives and the falls hike; we arrange the activities themselves.
Who it suits
Kichumbanyobo UWA Campsite suits fully equipped campers, overland trips and budget groups travelling with a cook and kit, who want the cheapest legal overnight at the southern gate. It is not for anyone wanting a bed, a meal provided as standard, or any comfort.
What it costs, as a guide
A public campsite pitch is a small nightly fee of roughly US$8 to US$15 per person, plus a modest charge if you hire a tent and bedding rather than bringing your own. There is no catering, so you self-cater or we send a cook. 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
Kichumbanyobo UWA Campsite is at the main southern gate on the Masindi road, so it is a cheap, practical overnight for a self-sufficient camping trip – you are through the gate first thing for the top of the falls, and a manageable drive from the Paraa ferry for the game drives. We use it only for fully equipped campers or budget group trips where we bring the kit and a cook.
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 Kichumbanyobo UWA Campsite
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 Kichumbanyobo UWA Campsite, 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.
