Masindi Hotel is located in Masindi Town in northwestern Uganda. It is one of the oldest hotels near Murchison Falls National Park. The hotel was built in 1923 by the former East Africa Railway and Harbors Company. At that time, it served as a stopover for goods being transported from Congo and Sudan to European markets.
The hotel has hosted famous guests such as Humphrey Bogart and Catherine Hepburn, who stayed there while filming The African Queen. Ernest Hemingway also spent a week at the hotel recovering after surviving two plane crashes in Murchison Falls and at Butiaba Airstrip.
After Uganda gained independence, the hotel was taken over by the government before being privatized and renovated in 2000. In the early days, it was close to Butiaba, which was then an international airport where planes refueled and passengers often stayed overnight at Masindi Hotel.
Today, Masindi Hotel is an ideal gateway for visitors traveling to Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, and the scenic route along the Rift Valley escarpment and Lake Albert. It is one of the best mid-range accommodation options near the park. The restaurant serves continental meals, the bar offers a range of drinks, and the hotel is also a good spot for bird lovers.
Activities near the hotel
- Game Drives: Game drives in Murchison Falls National Park follow well-established tracks. Early morning drives are the best time to see nocturnal animals such as hyenas and hippos. Other animals often seen include elephants, lions, antelopes, giraffes, waterbucks, and warthogs.
- Birding: Murchison Falls National Park is home to 451 recorded bird species, 50 of which are found only in this region. Common species include malachite and pied kingfishers, standard-winged nightjar, blue-headed coucal, giant heron, Denham’s bustard, secretary bird, swamp flycatcher, red-throated bee-eater, red-winged grey warbler, African jacana, and saddle-billed stork.
- Chimpanzee Trekking: Budongo Forest, the largest mahogany forest in East Africa, is home to many chimpanzees. The forest also hosts 465 species of trees, 290 species of butterflies, 24 mammals, and 130 moth species. Chimpanzees share about 98 percent of their DNA with humans, making an encounter with them one of the most memorable experiences for visitors.
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