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Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
5.0
#2 of 20 lodges in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Location
4.9
Cleanliness
4.9
Service
4.9
Value
4.8
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Buffalo Lodge is a newly refurbished charming property, transformed from a four-room budget facility to an exceptional 19-room luxury space. The Lodge is located at Katunguru Bridge in Queen Elizabeth Park, and sits on 33 acres of wilderness overlooking the famous Kazinga water Channel.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quirky Hotels
Charming
Languages Spoken
English, French, Swahili
Location
Mbarara-Kasese Road Katunguru, Queen Elizabeth National Park 00256 Uganda
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
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Buffalo Safari Lodge has garnered accolades for its spacious and immaculate accommodations, though a few guests have noted occasional water pressure and cooling system issues. Nestled in a picturesque setting that captivates guests with stunning wildlife views, particularly near Queen Elizabeth Park, the lodge's atmosphere is further enhanced by its highly praised staff, known for their warmth and professionalism.
The amenities, including a striking infinity pool and the diverse dining options, contribute significantly to the lodge's reputation for providing excellent value and a memorable stay.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Welcoming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Excellent
Cleanliness
Spotless
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Top-notch
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Wow, what can I say about this lodge other than it is incredible. We unexpectedly found ourselves with an extra night in Queen Elizabeth and literally an hour before checking in, secured the booking via an online booking agent at a very good price. When we turned up, we were the only guests staying there for the night but regardless of our last minute booking, all the stops were pulled out and we were greeted so warmly and treated like royalty. The rooms are beautiful with everything you need included. The food and dining experience was absolutely incredible and as we were leaving early the next morning, asked for a breakfast to go. This was the best breakfast pack up we've ever had. The lodge is situated fairly close to QE and as such, should we return to the area, we would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: September 2019Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nathan Basajjakitalo, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jun 20, 2020
Dear Hayley, We feel delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and we do not take this feedback for granted. Thanks for choosing Buffalo , and we are looking forward to receiving you again.
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From the moment we arrived at the lodge, the ever smiling staffs welcomed us and were so helpful during our stay at the lodge. I really loved the dining area which is the biggest and most well designed i have ever seen. The 3 course meals were fantastic; i was always looking forward to the next meal session. Rooms are spacious with very lovely and large bathrooms. The room i slept in particularly had a flash toilet, a bidet, a bathtub, two showers and two large two sinks. The wild animals that frequently visit the lodge makes the whole stay at the lodge mesmerizing with a very high feel of wilderness and exclusiveness.
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Date of stay: March 2020
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:"Deluxe rooms are wooooow, as in they have almost everything; one can stay inside these...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nathan Basajjakitalo, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jun 20, 2020
Dear Bismark, It was great hosting you and we thank you for taking off time to give us the feedback. We feel proud that enjoyed your stay, and we are looking forward to receiving you again.
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I enjoyed my stay at the lodge. The room was huge, and I loved sitting on the porch, looking at all of the colorful birds. The water in the shower was hot, and the wifi, in the restaurant, worked most of the time. Although the bathroom was huge, there were no shelves or hooks. We had a few issues with our room, but they were solved quickly. I believe that the lodge is a work in progress as construction was continuing on some rooms. The area around the pool was being worked on, also. Due to the possibility of wild animals, staff escorted us to and from our room at night, The path was well lit though. The food in the restaurant included typical Ugandan food, which I appreciated. I would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nathan Basajjakitalo, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jan 19, 2022
Thank you for your kind words, Sternsl! We are so happy that you enjoyed our lodge.Buffalo Safari Lodge is a colony in its kind. Would you mind sharing with your friends are due for a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park too,? We would would love to continue providing good service to awesome clients like you. Come back and see us soon. Cheers!
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We came here to have lunch on the porch and a swim in the pool while staying elsewhere. Very surprised at the high rates, 300 dollars for a double room incl dinner and breakfast for a night is very high even if the room is nice, considering the place is not even inside the park. The view from the porch is of dense bush with a few buffaloes lying in algea green water with a village and powelines in the view not shown on their photos. Dining room and porch is nice enough but I am really surprised that so many people rate this place so high.
Lunch cost 25 dollars plus drinks for a set menu of moderate standard, a soup, chicken with potatoes and a bit of cabbage and a simple fruit salad. The menu choice was chicken, goat or fish, but then they did not have the goat. The fish was said to be poached with vegetables but turned out to be battered and pan fried with the same cabbage, potatoe and same sauce as the chicken. Lucky my gluten intolerant friend did not order the fish as they did not communicate that it would be pan-fried.
When the bill came it turned out that they had charged us 12 dollars per person to swim in the pool! It is not even very big and there are no showers by the pool to rinse chlorine off so this seemed like a totally ridiculous price, most places would let you swim for free when you have paid 150 dollars for lunch or charge like 4 dollars. We complained and asked them to reduce the price to a reasonable level but they refused.
Overall this place seems to think they are so fancy that they can charge really high prices from foreigners who they seem to believe are made of money. However the level of the food and service is not at all on par with places charging similar amounts. Rather they should focus on a mid-range profile for people on a more modest budget. Rooms could cost 180, lunch 20 and swimming 4 dollars. Food would still need to be a bit fancyer than now…
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Francis Kimbowa, Owner at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Oct 28, 2022
Dear Ma'ám, I am indeed sorry to hear of your negative at the property. We strive to constantly improve our service and visitor experience. I have spoken to my manager on ground and, while you did not stay but ordered a meal and wanted to swim, we have decided to invite you back one of these days, if you are free and available, for a free meal or swim experience without charging you this time.. Again, I apologise for the experience that did not meet your expectations. My hope is that you will be able to enjoy your stay this time round, as we have just recently changed the chef and updated our menus, which you will see, when you visit, that they are not basic at all. If you are unable to visit in the near future, we are happy to refund you 50% of what you paid for your last meal at the property. I hope this gesture of goodwill meets your expectations and should you have any questions or wish to arrange your visit again, please feel to call the new Manager on 0772 378565/0702 378565. Best regards Francis | Owner
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We have stay stayed at this lodge, and it is really sitted on a large scale of land, it has big and clean rooms. This was ma first time at Buffalo Safari lodge, and i came with my clients who booked a trip with me under thearth Tours, but when i read their comment form, they spelt out Buffalo to be the best lodge that they have slept in on their entire trip. They even wished to extend a night. The deluxe room is so detailed with a unique bed, art piece, center table, bath tub..... . The quality of service was good, and the staff try there best and pay much attention to the clients needs. Every aspect of the lodge met our expectations.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nathan Basajjakitalo, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jun 20, 2020
Dear Thearth tours, Thank you for the continued support and we promise always to never disappoint you. We also appreciate you for taking your time to share your experience with others, we shall be very happy to receive you and your clients again.
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My wife and I spent 2 nights here during a 10 day safari trip and The Buffalo Safari Lodge was the nicest lodging we had on the whole trip. We have traveled to Fiji, Ecuador, Belize, Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and many sunny locations in the US with this lodge ranking at or near the top of our favorites. The staff was incredibly attentive and the rooms were clean and huge. The proximity of the lodge to the NP was perfect for watching wildlife right from our balcony. We lounged in the pool and watched two elephants play spar, a memory that will last a lifetime.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Aidah Nalubega, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jun 21, 2022
Hello Jason, we are so grateful for your 5-star review. Thanks for sharing your rating with us and the community. You mention about the proximity of the lodge to Queen Elizabeth National Park that is really good, we do not want our guests to drive so long before they start appreciating the wilderness, it actually starts right from lodge where you view some of the wild animals quenching the thirsty in the watering area. Your rating and review is much appreciated.
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I spent two nights at Buffalo Safari lodge and what I can say is, you need to be there to believe. Before checking in, the lodge was in constant contact with us, asking when we will be arriving, they sent us a menu on WhatsApp and we selected what we wanted to take for Lunch.
On arrival at the Lodge, we were warmly welcomed by a very lovely team of committed staff led by Ida. You could see the love for the work they do by the smiles on their faces. The two nights we spent here were fully joy, relaxation, great meals which were always served on time. Drinks are also affordable and DSTV came in handy for some of us who enjoy watching football. The lodge has WIFI to enable one to access the internet.
My cottage had great views of the Kazinga channel, a very large and spacious bed, everything in the room was clean to the point. You have a choice of a warm or cold shower so life was good.
Ida took us to the new cottages being constructed and I must admit that these cottages are the first of their kind in Uganda. These cottages were planned in a way that you can turn them into twins, doubles, triples, family cottages deepening on your interest, and the number of people. They have enough space and convenience for groups or families.
Buffallo safari lodge is also near UWA headquarters as well as Kasenyi plains where game drives are done. This helped us in avoiding long drives to and from the lodge to the game drive area. I can go on and on but all i can say is that the service offered is value for money.
Go stay at Buffalo Safari lodge and you will get to know what am talking about
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Date of stay: February 2022
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Aidah Nalubega, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jun 21, 2022
Dear Edison, we are so happy to hear you had a great experience at Buffalo Safari Lodge. Your review made our day! Our whole team works very hard to keep our customers happy. We appreciate you for taking your time out to give this detailed and a 5 - star review. We really appreciate it! Thanks again and we hope that we can host you again.
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Buffalo safari lodge rooms where Soo exceptional, beautiful and well designed with African way of setting,the staff was friendly and welcoming not forgetting the delicious food prepared by chef Matia😋😊..I really appreciated and loved the atmosphere and surrounding. oooh I loved seeing a huge elephant that came at night around my cottage ...I was Sooooo excited seeing the elephant just so close.
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Nathan Basajjakitalo, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jun 19, 2020
Thanks Joan for taking your time to share with the world about the best experience you had while at the lodge. we remain committed to keep working harder and keep performing beyond your expectations. We are looking forward to receiving you again at Buffalo.
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This lodge is well located amidst the the savannah with well maintained rooms, raise roof to control heat, beautiful swimming pool and meals are at the very best.
Top of all the stuff is always willing to help and serve the best. Top class. I highly recommend it for anyone planning to spend on a mid range hotel in the savannah.
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled on business
Room Tip:It's a home away from home. The weather sometimes is very harsh
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Francis Kimbowa, Owner at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jan 20, 2023
Dear WetalaJ, We highly appreciate you taking the time to share your review, your compliments mean a lot to the Buffalo Safari Lodge family. Your compliments motive us to keep creating unforgettable stories for our valued guests. Hoping to welcome you back soon. Best regards,
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Buffalo Safari Lodge was the most exquisite, immersive, hospitable and breath taking location I have stayed. It boasts the most incredible views of Queen Elizabeth National Park where you can literally watch elephants, buffalo, hogs and birds for hours at a time whilst sipping on a cold beer by the pool side. The staff and all the facilities were fantastic. The rooms were clean, well equipped and safe. The restaurant and food served was very good and attentive to all our needs. The chef came out to meet you every day to make sure you were happy with the meals. The laundry service was very quick and our clothes came back fresh, dry and ready to use. Our wonderful waiter, Alfred, was world class and made sure our entire experience was relaxed and without troubles. He always went above and beyond. The management were amazing and helped me to organise a cake and beautiful setting for my fiancés 30th birthday. I am very grateful for their assistance and all the effort they made. It was an unforgettable stay and I would highly recommend it to anyone! Don’t hesitate to stay here, you won’t be disappointed. Thank you
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Date of stay: June 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Escort provided when sunsets to and from your room to provide safety from animals that may come...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Christine Kayongo, General Manager at Buffalo Safari Lodge
Responded Jul 9, 2023
Dear sarahsG3473MO, We highly appreciate you taking the time to share your review, your Kind words mean so much to Buffalo Safari Lodge family. We are all so grateful to know that you had an amazing experience with us. Moreover, thank you for acknowledging our fantastic staff, facilities and breathtaking views. Rest assured that all your compliments have been passed on to the team, Alfred in particular is rapturously speechless and overwhelmed to know that his services managed to surpass your expectations. Your gracious comments will serve as an added inspiration to consistently maintain the high standards which you have experienced during your stay with us. Thank you for recommending us and it will be our pleasure welcoming you back to the Lodge assuring you of personalized service and best attention at all times. Once again a happiest birthday to your fiance. Yours sincerely, Buffalo Safari Lodge Team
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There are more places to choose from in the Queen Elizabeth National Park area.
PRICE RANGE
$273 - $320 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
LOCATION
UgandaWestern RegionQueen Elizabeth National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
19
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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