Elephante Commons | Gulu | Uganda

Elephante Commons is a not-for-profit innovation hub, cafe and lodge that brings together local entrepreneurs, creatives and families in the heart of Gulu. It combines a community cafe, co-working and office spaces, event venues and a bunkhouse that helps visitors stay close to the action while supporting locally led change.

All cafe and bunkhouse profits are reinvested into Elephante’s community programs, which support local leaders working in areas like business, education, health, the environment and creative arts.

Plan your visit, then use PikiPiki the Gulu ride app to move easily between Elephante Commons, the city centre, bus parks, universities and nearby neighbourhoods without roadside haggling.

Location – Jomo Kenyatta Road, close to Gulu CBD

Elephante Commons sits on Plot 75, Jomo Kenyatta Road in Laroo, a central and well known stretch of Gulu City. It is a short ride from Gulu’s Main Market and other CBD landmarks and about five minutes from the wider Elephante 5-acre community space on the edge of town. Elephante Commons+3Near Place+3Africa Buzz+3

Typical opening hours are:

• Monday to Saturday: 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

• Sunday: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm

From Elephante Commons, you are within easy reach of:

• Gulu Main Market and central offices

• Gulu University and Lacor or Gulu Independent hospitals via a short ride

• Road links heading toward Murchison Falls, Kidepo and other northern Uganda destinations

Once you arrive, you can open the PikiPiki app, set Elephante Commons as your pickup point, choose a boda, see the fare upfront, track your rider in real time and pay using mobile money or cash.

Bunk House Lodge and Accommodation

Elephante’s Bunk House gives visitors a hostel-style place to stay inside a private compound, linked directly to the cafe and community spaces. It is popular with overland travellers, mission and NGO teams, family groups and students. Elephante Commons+2Elephante Commons+2

Key features include:

• Communal lodging with bunk-bed rooms, which can also be booked privately for groups

• Private lounge and all-weather common space for dining, working or relaxing

• Outdoor fire pit and hammock area

• Breakfast and Wi Fi included

• Access to the cafe menu via room service

• Free private parking on site

One hundred percent of Bunk House profits help sustain Elephante’s nonprofit work, so every overnight stay directly supports local partners.

Guests can use PikiPiki for quick trips to bus parks, offices, partner organisations and supermarkets, then come back to a relaxed community setting rather than a traditional hotel.

Cafe, Food and Atmosphere

Elephante Commons Cafe is one of Gulu’s most talked-about restaurants, regularly rated among the top spots in town for food, coffee and community.

The menu covers:

• All-day breakfast

• Local Ugandan dishes and African favourites

• Global cuisine including Mediterranean plates and Mexican-style options

• Wood-fired pizzas, burgers and salads

• Kids meals such as chicken nuggets and mini quesadillas

• Desserts like carrot cake and chocolate-covered doughnuts

• Coffee, teas, juices and soft drinks Tripadvisor+3Elephante Commons+3Msafiri+3

There is indoor and outdoor seating in a green, leafy setting and the cafe also offers delivery within Gulu City. All cafe profits support Elephante’s wider community centre and programs.

After a meal, guests can either stay and work from the garden or request a PikiPiki ride to other cafes, offices or guesthouses around town, then ride back to Elephante later in the day.

Space, Partners and Innovation

Elephante Commons describes itself as an innovation incubator and community centre hybrid, backing local leaders across business, education, health, arts and environmental projects.

Highlights include:

• A 5-acre campus about five minutes from the city centre that provides space for partners such as Hashtag Gulu’s Youth Centre, Kijani Forestry’s tree nursery and training programs, and other social enterprises.

• Free or subsidised office and meeting space for at least 18 local organisations, with Elephante covering utilities and shared infrastructure so partners can focus on their missions. Real Estate Blog Post+1

• Incubation services that combine space, mentoring, networking and visibility for locally led initiatives across sectors like job creation, literacy, creative arts and environmental sustainability.

If your team is working on a project in Gulu, you can meet partners, attend workshops or book space at Elephante, then use PikiPiki to visit field sites, NGOs and government offices around the city.

Events, Wellness and Community Life

Elephante is one of Gulu’s main community event venues, hosting a steady calendar of activities that bring together residents, visitors and partner organisations.

Regular and recurring events include:

• Dance Hub sessions with Watwero Dance Initiative on the rooftop Pearl Theatre

• Community yoga classes in the garden, led by Gulu Yoga Community

• Movie nights at the Pearl Theatre

• Living Stones Community Church services on Sundays

• Trainings, workshops, mentoring groups and family fun events

The wider 5-acre space is being developed into a community campus with:

• Dance and yoga studio

• Demonstration agriculture centre

• Sports court for basketball, tennis, netball, futsal and more

• Sand volleyball and games area

• Playground and future daycare

• Tree nursery and a library with over 50,000 books planned

Visitors can attend an evening event, then request a PikiPiki ride home instead of walking out to find a random boda at night.

Services and Amenities

Across the cafe, lodge and community spaces, Elephante typically offers:

• Free Wi Fi

• Cafe and event catering

• Delivery within Gulu City for cafe orders

• Indoor and outdoor seating, gardens and rooftop spaces

• Private parking

• Hostel style bunk rooms with breakfast and Wi Fi included

• Event and workshop venues with chairs and basic AV support

• Phone and WhatsApp contacts for bookings and enquiries

For movement to and from Elephante and around Gulu, visitors can rely on PikiPiki for safe, app based transport with verified riders, live ride tracking and mobile money payment.

Why Visit Elephante Commons with PikiPiki in Gulu?

• Not-for-profit innovation hub that channels cafe and lodge profits back into local community projects

• Highly rated cafe with vegetarian, vegan and global options plus great pizza and burgers

• Bunk House lodge that is ideal for teams and travellers who want communal, affordable accommodation with character

• Active events calendar featuring dance, yoga, church services, movie nights and more

• Growing 5-acre campus five minutes from town with youth programs, sports, agriculture and a future public library

• Simple access via PikiPiki to Gulu’s CBD, universities, hospitals, bus parks and nearby neighbourhoods

If you want more than just a place to eat or sleep in Gulu and prefer to plug into a community of local changemakers, Elephante Commons plus PikiPiki gives you an easy way to connect, move around the city and support locally led work at the same time.