The River Station
Lodge · Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, on the Kazinga Channel · Wildplaces Africa
High-end
Outside the gate
Safari company
The River Station stands on the Kazinga Channel inside the Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, which belongs to the wider conservation area and sits outside the national park in law. That distinction matters at the gate, because the reserve and the park carry different tickets. Mweya and the Kasenyi plains are within reach by road or by water, the gorge chimpanzees are the close activity, and Ishasha is three hours away by road.
Pros and cons
Pros
- A private plunge pool in every one of the eleven rooms
- Two shared activities a day are already in the rate
- Reachable by road from Kampala, not just by charter flight
- A dedicated family suite, for a minimum of two guests
- Open year-round, by the owner's own description
Cons
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kyambura costs $100 a person on top
- Premium drinks and tips are billed on top
- A transfer from Kasese or Mweya costs $175 each way
- Separate from the national park in law; you are in the wildlife reserve
What's here
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Family rooms
- En-suite bathrooms
Read from The River Station's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Queen Elizabeth National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryCharged per 24 hours rather than per night.
- $40per person, per day
- VehicleA Ugandan-registered 4x4, the usual hire car, at UGX 30,000; a foreign-registered 4x4 pays $150.
- $8per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $264 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
Entry is sold in 24-hour blocks that begin when you pass the gate, so a trip that starts at midday and ends at 16:00 two days later is charged as three days, not two.
The full fee schedule for Queen Elizabeth National ParkRates at The River Station
From $990 per person, all inclusive. Rack rates from the lodge's own factsheet, valid 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, in US dollars per person per night. A double cottage costs $990 in the green season and $1,760 in high season sharing, and $1,340 or $2,025 for sole use. The family suite costs $1,200 and $2,150 with a two person minimum. Children from 5 to 12 pay $180 and from 13 to 18 pay $360 or $705. Included are full board, non-premium drinks, the bed night fees, two shared activities a day, a shared night drive, shared boat trips, laundry and sundowners. Premium drinks, tips and anything unlisted are excluded. Green season is April, May, October and November. A transfer from Kasese or Mweya costs $175 each way and chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura Gorge costs $100 per person.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates, read in September 2026 from each property's own website, rate card or factsheet. Twenty-three of the forty-two publish a rack rate of their own. The other nineteen say on request, and no agent or tour operator figure has been used to fill a gap. Watch the basis, because it decides whether two numbers can be compared at all: some quote per person per night sharing, others per room, per tent or per cottage, and meals sit inside some rates and outside others. Park entry is extra almost everywhere at $40 per foreign non-resident adult per 24 hours, plus the vehicle, and the Kazinga Channel cruise is $30 on top.
Questions about The River Station
Is The River Station good for a honeymoon?
Strong features line up for it: every one of the eleven rooms has its own private plunge pool, and the lodge sits on a bluff over the Kazinga Channel with sweeping views. No named honeymoon package is published, so ask about a couples-focused room when you book rather than assuming the family suite.
Can you self-drive to The River Station?
Yes, the lodge states it is accessible either from Kasese airport, about an hour's drive away, or by road from Kampala, so self-drive is an option alongside flying in. A transfer from Kasese or Mweya is also arranged by the lodge at $175 each way if you would rather not drive yourself.
What does the rate at The River Station include?
The per person rate covers full board, non-premium drinks, the bed night fee, two shared activities a day, a shared night drive, shared boat trips, laundry and sundowners. Premium drinks and tips are excluded. Chimpanzee trekking in the Kyambura Gorge costs $100 per person on top, and a transfer from Kasese or Mweya costs $175 each way.
Is The River Station good for families?
There is a family suite for a minimum of two guests, and children aged 5 to 12 pay $180 a night with older teenagers paying more. Children under 5 stay free of charge, according to the lodge's own rack-rate factsheet.