The Red Chilli Rest Camp is located in the heart of Murchison Falls National Park at Paraa, only 500 metres from the ferry that takes you to Nile Delta game drives and to Falls & Delta cruises.
At Paraa, Red Chilli Rest Camp is situated in the heart of Murchison Falls National Park, 500 metres from the ferry that departs all vehicles for Nile Delta game drives and boats for Falls & Delta cruises.
Occasionally, you don’t even have to leave the camp to witness the wildlife, as hippos and warthogs are frequent visitors.
Red Chilli Rest Camp provides budget-friendly to moderately-priced accommodations in the park, including furnished safari tents and bandas with shared or private bathrooms, as well as the only camping facilities with modern showers, toilets, a cooking area, and security lights.
The camp offers a genuine safari experience and is ideally situated for exploring Uganda’s largest national park. However, there is absolutely no Wi-Fi at the camp; have conversations around the campfire instead!
Accommodation and Rates at Red Chilli Rest Camp
At Red Chilli Rest Camp, the lodging options range from DIY camping to safari tents and family bandas with ensuite facilities.
All bandas include mosquito netting, electric lighting, solar hot water systems and ceiling fans.
Sheets and towels are provided. The en-suite twin and family bandas also offer power outlets, while guests staying in the ordinary twin bandas or safari tents can charge their cameras, etc. At the bar.
Please be aware that electricity is accessible at Murchison from 9 am to 12 am. At night, paraffin lanterns are provided in safari tents, and candles are available in bandas.
The generator supplies power from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily. An inverter with battery backup offers light and fans in the family bandas outside of these hours.
Bedding is provided in the tents, but not towels.
Twin safari tents are specially treated with insect repellent and equipped with mesh windows, so cautious use does result in a night free of insects.
Camping
At Red Chilli Rest Camp, you may pitch your own tent in the wilderness and have a genuinely memorable experience for only $8 per person, per night. The camping area can accommodate up to 100 guests, however, you have to carry your own tent.
Basic Twin Safari Tent
Sleeps 2 on twin beds with linen. The camp’s restrooms are located in ablution buildings within the camp’s premises. A basic twin safari tent experience costs $35 per tent.
Basic Twin Banda
Two single beds with bed linen, mosquito nets, and an electric fan during generator hours. The camp’s restrooms are located in ablution buildings within the camp’s premises. A basic twin Banda experience costs $80 per person.
Twin or triple En-suite Banda
Red Chilli Rest Camp offers $55 and $65 for twin and triple en suite bandas, respectively. Includes a regular double and single bed with linens, towels, mosquito netting, an electric fan during generator hours, lights, plugs, and solar hot water.
Family En suite Banda
Bandas with two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a balcony are available for $90 for up to 4 guests and $100 for up to five guests. They are equipped with one regular double bed and three single beds with linens, towels, mosquito nets, an electric fan, lighting, and electrical outlets, as well as solar hot water.
Premium Self-Contained Banda
Eco-Banda with a spacious family room for $85 (up to 2 guests; $10 for additional guests).
Two bandas contain a double bed and a single bed, while the remaining two bandas contain a double bed, a single bed, and bunk beds. All bandas are furnished with linens, mosquito nets, solar fans, lamps, USB ports, and solar-heated water.
Meals and Dining at Red Chilli Rest Camp
Under an open thatched canopy at Red Chilli Rest Camp, is a fully supplied bar and restaurant with excellent views of the Nile.
The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch à la carte every day. Dinner is a daily selection of three distinct courses (one always veggie). A grilling area is also available for self-catering.
The restaurant serves both local and international cuisines and is open every day from 6:30 a.m. until 9:45 p.m. The bar is open until midnight. Every night, a bonfire is lit to complete the safari experience. There are also newly constructed restrooms and showers with accommodations for disabled guests.
Breakfast is offered between 07:20 and 10:30. Lunch is served between 11:30 and 15:00 while dinner is provided between 18:30 and 21:00.
Red chilli also accommodates other dietary restrictions upon request.
Services/Amenities offered by Red Chilli Rest Camp
- Evening campfire
- Restaurant and bar
- Outdoor seating areas
- Garden
- Barbeque area
- Onsite wildlife viewing
- Power points for charging laptops and phones
- Laundry service at an additional cost
- Designated smoking area
Tourist Activities at Red Chilli Rest Camp
Evening/Night Game drive
You can hire the camp’s specially equipped open-air vehicle for an exhilarating evening or night drive during your stay at Red Chilli Rest Camp.
A night game drive with the use of a spotlight increases the likelihood of observing lions and leopards, as well as other nocturnal species such as hyena, porcupine, genet, and civet.
Red Chilli Rest Camp is one of a select few operators authorised to provide this service within the park, and it is a treat to experience the park’s enchantment after the sun has set and everyone has returned to their campsites.
Feel free to discuss specific arrangements with camp administration or your driver. The price includes a driver and a ranger of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. This activity starts at 16:45.
Chimpanzee Tracking
Humans and chimpanzees share 98.8 per cent of their DNA, and observing these amazing animals in their natural habitat is a beautiful experience.
There are numerous regions in Uganda where chimpanzee tracking is possible, but the Budongo forest is one of the greatest locations in the country.
The forest is the largest natural mahogany forest in East Africa, with an area of 825 square kilometres and a total population of 600 chimpanzees. Approximately 100 of these are completely trained for tracking at Kaniyo Pabidi.
Following the pre-tracking briefing, you will walk or drive to the trailhead to begin a once-in-a-lifetime experience: hiking in the footprints of a habituated chimpanzee family.
Along the way, your guide will share tales and facts about the forest and the different kinds of monkeys, birds, and large creatures that may be spotted.
Upon discovering the chimpanzees, you will spend a wonderful hour seeing them as they go about their daily activities, including feeding, playing, grooming, caring for their young, screaming, and shrieking in their natural habitat.
Visit Murchison Falls
Take a half-day excursion to the falls on the south side of the river Nile. A ranger will lead you to the numerous breathtaking vantage points of the roaring Murchison Falls and its sister falls, Uhuru.
Timing is flexible, you can even bring some refreshing beverages and a breakfast/lunch or sundowner from Red Chilli.
This excursion can be extended to a full day to include a game drive on the honeymoon track, which begins before you reach the falls and where lions and numerous other mammal species are commonly spotted.
Please note that this expedition requires a basic degree of fitness and proper footwear, as well as some hiking.
Boat cruise
A trip to Murchison would not be complete without a cruise along the mighty Nile!
Sunset and cocktail cruises
As the sun sets, the boats will take you to see hippos and crocodiles along the Nyamsika sandbar or further downstream among the little reed islands. Enjoy refreshments and your preferred evening beverage while watching the sunset.
Cheese and wine, beer and nachos, and even champagne are available upon request. The sunset and cocktail cruises take 1-2 hours and cost $20 per adult.
Sunrise/Early morning cruise
This is an early morning boat cruise to witness the awakening of the riverbank landscape, with the choice of freshly brewed coffee and a home-cooked breakfast on board. It costs USD 30 per adult and lasts 1-2 hours.
Boat cruise to the bottom of the falls
Since the 1950s, the trip upriver from the jetty at Paraa on the South side to witness Murchison Falls at the top of Fajao Gorge has been the most popular activity at the park.
Atrip is scheduled every afternoon departing at 2.30 p.m., as well as in the mornings at 8.30 a.m. and 11 a.m., upon request. Prior arrangements can be made for boat pick-ups and drop-offs from the North bank at Paraa and lodges along the South bank of the Nile.
In addition, Red Chilli offers a unique waterfall Sun-downer tour with drinks and snacks included that departs daily at 3.30 p.m. (subject to minimum numbers) as well as private trips on an exclusive basis.
This boat cruise to the bottom of the falls costs USD 32 per adult and takes about 3 hours.
Nile Delta boat cruise
Cruises of the Nile delta (4-5 hours) start at USD 55 per adult. The Victoria Nile delta, 20 kilometres downstream of Paraa, is home to uncommon wetland birds, including the shoebill and papyrus endemics.
The boats at the Paraa jetty on the South Bank depart at 7:00 a.m. for scheduled cruises of the delta region that provide a ‘breakfast on board option.
Daytime game drive
While resting at Red Chilli Rest Camp in Murchison Falls, you can schedule a wildlife drive in the camp’s specially fitted open-air vehicle.
The price for a four-hour wildlife drive includes the driver and an Uganda Wildlife Authority ranger guide and is $120 for up to six guests.
The majority of people prefer to explore the Nile Delta region on the north bank of the Nile, but as the largest protected area in Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park has numerous other beautiful sites to explore as well.
How to get to Red Chilli Rest Camp
By public means
You can board a bus from Kampala to Pakwach or Masindi, but there is no public transportation from within the park (approx. 80Km).
On request, the team at Red Chilli Rest Camp can organize your pick up from Kampala. Please contact the front desk team for pricing and availability.
By Road
Take the Gulu route from Kampala to the Kafu bridge, then turn left to reach Masindi. When you get to Masindi, you’ll want to take the dirt road to the right of the Shell station in order to access Murchison Falls National Park.
Turn left (signposted) after 10 to 15 kilometres and proceed to the park entrance. From there, it is roughly 60 kilometres to Red Chilli Rest camp, which is indicated from the main road immediately before the river.
You may also enter the park by the Tangi or Wankwar gates on the north bank of the Nile, but please note that the ferry crossing times are severely enforced:
Timing of Ferry Crossings
07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00 and 19:00
Park hours are from 07:00 to 20:00.
Reservations
Rest Chilli Rest Camp has a live booking system on its website. You can also book via email at reservations@redchillihideaway.com.
Images for Rest Chilli Rest Camp
In addition, if you are looking for a great Murchison Falls National Park safari experience, check out these nearby accommodations: Murchison Backpackers Hostel, Heritage Safari Lodge, Global Village Guest House, Twiga Safari Lodge, Nile Safari Lodge, Sambiya River Lodge, Kabalega Wilderness Lodge, Pakuba Safari Lodge, Mama Washindi Lodge and Budongo Eco Lodge.
Disclaimer: Booking.com is credited with all photos.
