Masindi Hotel is located in Masindi Town in north western Uganda. Masindi Hotel is one of the oldest hotels near Murchison Falls National Park. It was built in 1923 by the now defunct East Africa Railway and Harbors Company. The hotel was a stopover point for goods being transported from Congo and Sudan, destined to for the European markets during early 20th century.
Humphrey Bogart and Catherine Hepburn stayed at this Hotel while filming the African Queen movie. Ernest Hemingway also stayed and recovered at the Hotel within one week after being involved in two plane crashes in Murchison Falls and Butiaba Airstrip.
Immediately after independence, the Hotel was taken over by the Ugandan government but was later privatized in 2000 and renovations were done. The hotel was near Butiaba, an International Airport by then where planes traversing the continent landed, refueled and stayed overnight with most passengers sleeping in Masindi Hotel.
The hotel has turned into an ideal gateway for travelers going to Murchison Falls National Park, Budongo Forest, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and the spectacular route along the rift valley escarpment and Lake Albert. Today, Masindi Hotel is one of the best midrange accommodation options around Murchison Falls National Park. Their dining serves yummy continental meals and the bar serves various drinks. It’s also an ideal place for bird lovers.
Game drives
Taking a game drive through different established tracks in the park is the main activity at Murchison Falls National Park. You can also take an early morning game drive and spot nocturnal animals like hyenas and hippos. The common wildlife seen during a game drive are; elephants, lions, antelopes, giraffes, water bucks, warthogs and so much more.
Birding
Bird enthusiasts should not miss to carry their binoculars while going to Murchison Falls National Park. The park is home to 451 bird species recorded, 50 of which are restricted to the area. Some of the common species include; malachite and pied kingfishers, standard winged nightjar, blue headed coucal, giant heron, Denhams bustard, secretary bird, swamp fly catcher, read throated bee eater, red winged grey warbler, African jacana and saddle billed stork among the rest.
Chimpanzee tracking
Budongo Forest is the biggest Mahogany forest found in East Africa. The forest is not only home to chimpanzees but also 465 species of trees, 290 species of butterflies, 24 species of mammals, 130 moth species and so much more. Chimpanzees share 98 percent DNA with humans making them our close relatives. An encounter with these great apes will be one of your life time memorable experiences.
