Semliki Safari Lodge

Semliki Safari Lodge sits inside Semliki Wildlife Reserve in western Uganda, where Central African rainforest meets East African savannah. That collision of habitats is the reason for coming: forest elephant and savannah elephant share the same ground, chimpanzees move through the trees close to the lodge, and leopards range through the reserve after dark. Nearly five hundred bird species have been recorded here, including Albertine Rift endemics, and the reserve is one of the better places in Uganda to find the shoebill.

The lodge holds ten units — seven tented rooms and three chalets — for a maximum of eighteen guests. The tents stand on hardwood floors under thatched roofs, each with an en-suite bathroom, hot shower, and a private veranda looking out over either forest canopy and the Blue Mountains of the Congo, or savannah and the Rift Valley Escarpment. The three chalets have canvas walls, king-size beds, indoor sitting areas, and outdoor verandas with claw-foot tubs. One of the tented units is configured for families.

On-site activities include game drives, guided walks, night drives, boating, and fishing. A US university runs a chimpanzee research project within the reserve, focused on bipedalism, and guests can join the team on forest trails. The lodge has a pool, bar, restaurant, and library. An airport shuttle is included in the stay.