A tour agency that offers lodging and restaurant services, Grassroots Cottages and Tours is located at Purungo along the Gulu-Arua highway. These simple, yet comfortable structures provide a great place to stay on holidays.
Grassroots Cottages and Tours offers lodging and restaurant services. The cottages are located in Purungo along the Gulu-Arua highway. This simple and comfortable grass thatched structure offers a comfortable stay in the area.
You can enjoy a relaxed holiday with a once-in-a-lifetime experience in one of Grassroots’ self-contained huts. The huts contain modern bathrooms and other room amenities. You can also go all out and pitch a tent under the stars while keeping warm in front of a campfire and eating a great barbeque in the evening.
At Grassroots Cottages and Tours, there is an opportunity to watch scheduled cultural performances by true traditional artists, who will not hesitate to take your breath away with songs and dances that have stood the test of time in Northern Uganda.
The cottages are a short drive away from Murchison Falls National Park and you can therefore spend time exploring the area’s activities, such as game drives, throughout your stay.
Accommodation at Grassroots Cottages and Tours
At Grassroots, you will find 6 accommodation facilities which come with free bottled water. The desks in the rooms are well decorated and furnished while the bathrooms are well equipped with toiletries and rainfall showerheads.
Housekeeping is done daily and you can also get extra beds at a fee.
Check-in is between 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM. However, there is a 10% cost for early check-in. A fee of USD 10 is charged for late check-in between 10:00 PM and midnight. Check-out time is 10:00 AM.
Prices for a one-night stay for 2 people at Grassroots Cottages & Tours start at $76.27, excluding taxes and fees. However, these prices are subject to change due to several factors.
Meals/Dining
Enjoy a meal at the lodge’s restaurant, or choose the room service option which is available during limited hours. After a long day, you can unwind with a drink at the bar or lounge.
Breakfast at Grassroots Cottages is served from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The meal is a complimentary full breakfast.
Services at Grassroots Cottages and tours
Free Parking
If you use private means to get to the cottages, be rest assured that your vehicle will be safe at the lodge’s premises. Parking is free and the security offered is top-notch.
Barbeque grill
The best barbeque grill is used to prepare delicious meat for guests. Barbeque meat is often prepared and served in the evening hours.
Picnic area
At Grassroots Cottages & Tours, you are allowed to carry food and snacks from outside the premises which you can enjoy in the picnic area of the lodge. The picnic area is an expansive lawn with benches to sit on while enjoying the outdoors.
Designated smoking area
For smokers, this is a perfect place to stay. Grassroots offers a furnished and available place for smoking so that the non-smokers in the area are not affected.
Luggage storage
If you carry extra luggage on your trip, the team at Grassroots can safely keep it for you at no extra charge.
Coffee/tea in the lobby
You can get tea or coffee at any time in the lobby.
Airport shuttle
A roundtrip airport shuttle is available on request at a fee of USD 100. The airport shuttle fee per child is USD 50 for children aged 12-18.
Bar
Grassroots cottages and tours have a well-stocked bar from which you can get a few drinks after a long day of safari activities.
Pets allowed
You can stay with your pet at the lodge. This comes at USD 10.
Activities at Grassroots Cottages and Tours Murchison Falls
Grassroots Cottages & Tours is a 5km drive from Murchison falls National Park, therefore you can book safari activities through the lodge and take that wilderness drive while filling your eyes with the amazing sights of the Long-necked Giraffe, Mighty Elephant, Leaping Antelope, Bulky Hippopotamus, and other savannah animals.
You also don’t want to miss Murchison Falls, because it’s not Murchison without the waterfalls.
Other activities include
Birding
Murchison Falls National Park is among the best birding spots in Uganda with over 451 species of birds. The birds at Murchison Falls are best observed during game drives, nature walks across savannah grasslands, and boat cruises along the Nile and Lake Albert Delta.
Birds such as silver birds, blue-napped mousebirds, and weavers can be observed near Paraa and Red chilli in the dry thorn bushes.
Along the Paraa road and while sailing on the Nile, nocturnal birds such as nightjars can be observed. Many other species of birds can be observed during a boat cruise on the Nile.
For the best birding experience, it’s best to have a pair of binoculars, sunglasses, hats, a birding guidebook, strong footwear, a pointer and sufficient water.
Nature walks
One of the most remarkable things to do at Murchison Falls National Park is to hike through the park’s Kaniyo Pabidi and Rabongo forests, where you may view a variety of primates like red-tailed monkeys and silver monkeys, among others.
Many different types of birds, such as the grasshopper buzzard, the booted eagle, and the crested barbet, will also be present.
Sport fishing
Sport fishing is another fun thing to do in Murchison Falls National Park during a Uganda safari. This activity takes place at the base of the falls, where you can catch Nile Perch, Tiger Fish, Catfish, Nile Tilapia, and other fish.
After the activity, you get to keep the fish you caught as a reward for taking part.
During the activity, you’ll have the chance to see Blue Quails, Lesser and Great Swamp Warblers, Common Squacco, White-headed and Black-billed Barbet, Greenwood Hoopoe, Blue-breasted Shining-blue Kingfishers, Striated, Black-headed, Herons and many other bird and animal species.
You can also see kingfishers and other animals quenching their thirst on the shores and riverbanks.
Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
Murchison Falls national park offers boat safaris on the Victoria Nile approaching the falls. The Nile boat safari is the ultimate encounter with water, animals, and beautiful scenery.
Crocodiles, hippos, and monitor lizards are examples of water-dwelling or semi-water-dwelling species that you may encounter here.
During this excursion, the likelihood of observing a waterfall is great. However, one may rent a boat and take a trip at their convenience. The launch voyage occurs twice a day, beginning at 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.
For those most interested in bird viewing, you should take the boat cruise to the delta, where shoebills may be observed fishing.
How to get there
Grassroots Cottages and Tours is located in Purungo along Gulu-Arua road in Northern Uganda. It is about 320km from Kampala via the Kampala-Gulu highway.
Once you follow the Kampala-Gulu highway, turn left onto the Karuma-Pakwach-Arua road and drive for a distance of about 50km. Continue onto Gulu-Arua road, and in a distance of fewer than 10km, Grassroots Cottages and Tours will be on your right.
By air, you can take a one-hour flight from Entebbe to Pakuba Airfield. From there, it is about 1 hour and 30 minutes drive to Grassroots Cottages and Tours via the Gulu-Arua road.
Reservations
To make a reservation at grassroots Cottages, you can call the front desk team or book through the website. The front desk is open daily from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Images for Grassroots Cottages & Tours
In addition, if you are looking for a great Murchison Falls National Park safari experience, check out these nearby accommodations: Sambiya River Lodge, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Mama Washindi Lodge and Budongo Eco Lodge.
Disclaimer: Credit goes to expedia.com for all photos.
