Here are our top 10 Gorilla Lodges in Uganda!

1: Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is a tranquil lodge located on the Nteko Ridge overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a mountain gorilla habitat. The place also overlooks the Kashasha River Valley, Virunga Volcanoes, and the Great Albertine Rift Valley. The Lodge, which is the ideal place to stay as you await trek the gorillas was named Uganda’s leading Safari Lodge at the World Travel Awards in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. 

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge has 9 residences divided into three two-bedroom family villas and six garden cottages. Each cottage features a bedroom, an ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower and a living area with a fireplace and comfortable chairs to enjoy the golden fire glow. Lounge chairs on the outdoor verandas give the perfect vantage point to take in the constantly changing Bwindi views.

The Gorilla Lodge is a true African bush wonderland that lets the landscape do the showing off. All villa rooms have breathtaking views over the imposing Bwindi Forest, and the garden chalets soar above the Virunga Mountains range. Rounding out the experience are rickety walkways, dramatic black volcano rock finishing, and the constant natural freshness.

2: Mount Gahinga Lodge

Mount Gahinga Lodge is the perfect base to go gorilla tracking on the Ugandan side of the Virungas. The property is inspired by traditional design and building techniques and has that timeless African charm. The luxurious bandas reflect the aesthetic magic of the Bufimbira, with their distinct colours. Each Banda has an ensuite luxury shower room, fireplace and private porch.

The place has premium wine, whisky, and cocktail menus and personal butler service for all guests. It also has a direct private footpath with access to gorilla tracking in the National Park, Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge building and charging facilities available in each banda.

3: Gorilla Safari Lodge.

Gorilla Safari Lodge is found at the edge of the thick, lush Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park in Southwest Uganda. This national park is home to wild gorillas, forest elephants and 23 species of bird endemic to the area. It is a 5-minute walk from the briefing point for trekking and makes it a much sought-after lodge for gorilla tracking safaris. There are plenty of activities on offer, including a visit to the Batwa pygmies, mountain biking and guided forest walks to the Bayenda Falls.

The rooms have solar-powered lighting, an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water and flush toilets. Each unit is designed to look like a stand-alone log cabin and blends in with the rainforest, ensuring that the lodge does not look out of place in its wild surroundings. Cobbled paths with wooden bannisters join the rooms, each named after gorillas or gorilla tribes. This remote lodge comprises 18 individual units (sleeping 45 in total) each with private wooden balconies overlooking the wilderness. 3 of these units are inter-leading rooms, making them ideal for families. 

4: Gorilla Heights Lodge.

Gorilla Heights Lodge, which is located in Nkuringo, Kisoro district in Southwestern Uganda is a blend of nature, modern architecture and pure luxury. The lodge offers the most breathtaking views of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on one side and the Virunga ranges on the other and guarantees you proximity to the Nkuringo and Rushaga gorilla families for a thrilling gorilla tracking experience.  Gorilla Heights sits on a 12-acre piece of land with 15 luxurious cottages, a heated swimming pool and a spa with a sauna. The rooms are warmed up from the gas burners and electric heaters and are all ensuite, with in-door showers and freestanding bathtubs for a rejuvenating body soak after a long day of adventure. The bathtubs for the Deluxe cottages are fitted on the private balconies, giving guests opportunities to enjoy the bathtub in the open sky moments.

The Family and Deluxe cottages have modern in-built kitchens and dining spaces for guests to prepare their own meals. All living spaces are furnished with sofas, heaters, mini refrigerators and a 50-inch flat-screen television.  All guests are assigned a personal attendant to cater to their every need. This allows for more intimate and bonding sessions with family and loved ones, surrounded by the luxury that only nature can give.

Children under the age of 6 years stay for free while Children between the ages of 6-18 years qualify for a 50% to 75% discount off the adult rate.

5: Four Gorillas Lodge, Bwindi

The Four Gorillas Lodge in Bwindi Forestoffers contemporary luxury while satisfying the human craving to become one with nature and fellow apes. The cottages are surrounded by dense forest and feature upscale elegance within a cosy homesteading. In this oasis of privacy, serenity and rejuvenation, there are no crowds, just Mountain Gorillas as well as the soothing sound of birds, and breathtaking views. Four Gorillas Lodge is close to the headquarters of the National Park, only 10 minutes away from the Gorilla tracking and briefing centre.

6: Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Set on a forested ridge near the entrance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge boasts of eight spacious cottages built from volcanic stone. Spectacular views stretch all the way to the Virunga Volcanoes of Rwanda, as well as across the border into the Congo, where the glow of Nyiragongo Volcano can be seen on a clear night.

Warm and welcoming, each cottage features a bedroom, ensuite bathroom with a walk-in shower and separate lounge. Comfortable chairs on the outdoor verandas provide the perfect vantage point to the unforgettable vistas of the forest below. The lodge is situated within easy walking distance of the trail where guests can begin their gorilla trekking adventure. 

7: Chameleon Hill Lodge

Ah, the Chameleon Hill Lodge, this list would be incomplete without some mention of the colourful and eclectic lodge which is tucked away in the lush hills surrounding Lake Mutanda in Uganda. Lake Mutanda is located between Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in the Virunga Mountains and is a region of forested mountain slopes and wetland ecosystems.

The Chameleon Hill Lodge comprises ten chalets, all with sweeping views of the lake, each with the lodge’s signature unique color scheme and furnished with handmade Euro-African style items. Common areas include a wooden deck, modern lounge with fireplace, and a library.

During your stay, you can track mountain gorillas and golden monkeys, take to the water for boating excursions or get to know local families and communities with immersive cultural activities. Plenty of hiking is available outside of gorilla treks, too, for the active traveller. 

8: Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge

This lodge is one of the finest gorilla lodges at Bwindi with views of the forest canopy across a serene stream. Overlooking the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Volcanoes Bwindi Adventure Lodge offers a truly unique Uganda gorilla safari experience. Separated by nothing more than an idyllic stream, the gorillas themselves are frequent visitors to the lodge.

The lodge has 9 bandas and a personal butler service for all guests.  Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge building and charging facilities available in each banda. The lodge’s award-winning Bwindi Bar is stylish, colourful and features an assortment of premium wine, whisky, and cocktail menus.

9: Mahogany Springs Lodge

Mahogany Springs is located in the northern part of Bwindi National Park in the southwest of Uganda. The park is famed for its 11 habituated gorilla groups that you can trek to. Like other properties in the vicinity of Bwindi, Mahogany Springs is just up the road from both the park headquarters (where you go before your gorilla trek) and the small town of Bwindi.

The main area of Mahogany Springs is cosy yet spacious. It is all built of wood and the main area combines a dining area, a large veranda, a bar and a curio shop. The décor is warm and colourful. The rooms are located off a stoned pathway, through beautiful gardens and the forest in the background. The property is quiet and spacious, offering a very relaxing stay.

There are a couple of different room categories at Mahogany Springs. The superior suites can be twin, double or triple and offer ensuite bathrooms with a private terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding forest. There is also a presidential suite which is good for families. The two bedrooms interconnect and a lounge area are provided. The final room type is the honeymoon suite which is similar to the superior suite but has a few extras, such as a larger bed and a bathtub.

10: Buhoma Lodge

Buhoma Lodge is one of only two lodges situated within the Bwindi National Park itself and is a short walking distance from the meeting point for gorilla tracking and other activities in the area. 

Eight comfortable cottages have been carefully built from local materials and each suite has a private verandah and enormous windows, allowing guests spectacular views of the forest canopy and the Park. The lounge area, complete with bar and dining facilities, offers a cosy place to discuss the day’s activities. 

Inside the spacious cottages, you will find comfortable beds, a well-appointed en suite bathroom with a flushing toilet and a hot shower. Meals are freshly prepared from local produce, offering a balance of international and local cuisine. Hot beverages are available throughout the day on a self-service basis, but morning tea or coffee is brought to your cottage, allowing you to savour the early morning sounds of the forest as it awakens.

To arrange customised staycations and or an adventure/holiday to any part of Uganda or East Africa, reach out to Executive Destinations and Experiences Limited (EDXTravel) today.

Contacts:

Phone: +256 751 395 326/ +256 775 716 808

Email: theexectraveler@gmail.com     

#EDXTravel #TheExecTraveler #AuthenticAfricanTravelExperiences #TakeYourPlaceInTheAfricanSun #1000Reasons2ExploreUganda #ChoicestDestinations #TrustedTravelAdvisors #UnforgettableExperiences #UgandaThePearlOfAfrica

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And as usual, the question on everyone’s mind is where to go, what kind of amenities they have and how different are they from every other place. 

If there is one place, our editors will recommend wholeheartedly- it is the 2-in-1 Speke Resort Munyonyo and Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, on the outskirts of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. 

Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest freshwater lake.

As such, the two resorts offer unparalleled natural beauty coupled with the freshest of breezes. The incredibly natural setting aside, the resorts have been tastefully built and finished.

But first of all, a little bit of history about the resorts. 

Speke Resort, the place it is today was started as a weekend holiday home for the Speke Group of Hotels and Ruparelia Group Chairman and owner, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia. He set up Uganda’s first-ever Equestrian Centre, a small bar under a mango tree and a weekend cottage in 1998. It quickly picked up as a popular picnic spot and kept growing.  

Overwhelmed with market demand, Dr. Ruparelia then expanded his dream and decided to build a lakeside resort. By the end of 2000, only the Olympic size swimming pool was ready and functional – the only one in Kampala, then and now. This was followed by the construction of 9 more thatched roof Cottages, 24 Two bedroom suites, 11 one-bedroom suites and 20 Studio rooms. 

Speke Resort was officially opened by H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda, on 17th August 2001 during the Smart Partnership conference, hosted by the resort. Since then the resort has become a popular destination for international and domestic travellers, Heads of State and other government dignitaries as well as a popular destination for big national and international conferences and functions. 

In November 2007, The Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort was specifically constructed to host the  Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held from 23 November until 25 November 2007, in Kampala Uganda. The Commonwealth Resort consists of 65 Presidential suites, several conferences and meeting rooms as well as restaurants and bars.

Set on 90 acres in the Speke Resort complex with majestic views of Lake Victoria, Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort is Uganda’s leading 5-star resort. The completion of this one-of-a-kind purpose-built hospitality facility- officially set apart the 2-in-1 luxury resorts as the largest in Uganda. 

Speke Resort and Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort have earned worldwide recognition as the ‘Presidents’ resort for hosting numerous high-profile guests, from Heads of State and foreign dignitaries to international celebrities, who consider it a home away from home.

The facility boasts a combined 472 Rooms, 20 conference rooms, 3 ballrooms and 10 outdoor venues. Altogether, Speke Resort Munyonyo and Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo have a combined hosting capacity of up to 5000 guests.

The rooms are configured into single Deluxe Rooms, Bedroom Suites, Superior Rooms, Executive Rooms, Executive Suites, Presidential Suites and cottages.- so there is enough variety for all family/group and pocket sizes.  

The two resorts have been several awarded for luxury and quality facilities at such renowned awards as the  Annual World Luxury Hotel Awards. 

The two resorts are member hotels of the Speke Group of Hotels, itself a member of the Ruparelia Group.  

Speke Group offers more than 900 modern rooms, 45 State of Art Conference and meeting rooms, award-winning restaurants and bars, health clubs and spas, and recreation and leisure facilities to make your stay with us a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Now you know why our editors think that you should make Speke Resort Munyonyo and Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo a part of your end-of-year plans, at the individual, family and or business levels. 

To arrange customised staycations and or an adventure/holiday to any part of Uganda or East Africa, reach out to Executive Destinations and Experiences Limited (EDXTravel) today.

Contacts:

Phone: +256 751 395 326/ +256 775 716 808

Email: theexectraveler@gmail.com    

#EDXTravel #TheExecTraveler #AuthenticAfricanTravelExperiences #TakeYourPlaceInTheAfricanSun #1000Reasons2ExploreUganda #ChoicestDestinations #TrustedTravelAdvisors #UnforgettableExperiences #UgandaThePearlOfAfrica

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The forest itself is on the edges of the mighty Queen Elizabeth National Park- a medley of wonders, straddling the Equator and teeming with several animal and bird species—95 mammal species and over 600 bird species to be exact. The park is home to at least 20 carnivores- including the lions, leopards, the side-stripped jackal and spotted hyena among others. Set against the backdrop of the famous Rwenzori Mountains, besides the animals and birds, the park is sequinned with a couple of explosion crater lakes, in and around it.

Back to Jacana Safari Lodge. The lodge is an unassuming yet firmly established vintage fortress at the foothills of the forest. It is actually in the forest itself, right on the shores of Lake Nyamusingiri.

Although built in 1999, the lodge’s architecture and finish are a delicate blend of the old and the new. It is a fantastic rustic work of wood whose vintage appeal has grown darker to regular polishing. The cottages calmly sit under canopies of gigantic trees that have lost count of the number of times they have seen the rising of the sun. The crisscrossing canopies form an overarching quiet avenue with distant whispers of crickets ushering you to a haven known by a few.

Every structure makes you feel it is the end of the lodge until you turn to the walkway and find the bespoke ornaments, hidden in plain sight for you to discover.

The sundowner bar is a stupendous detail of both wood and stone with an open foyer to give you a 180 degrees view of Lake Nyamusingiri as you ‘water’ yourself from the bar. 

Enjoy your lunch in the open deck dining area in comfy seats and take in the sights sipping on a glass of wine on the colourful hammocks. On the lower edge is an exquisite swimming pool that gives you a levelled glance at the usually calm Nyamusingiri waters. Mornings and evenings will grant you an extra sight of local fishermen going about their hustle on the lake.

You can catch an afternoon boat cruise on the Captain’s Table, a six-seater artistically built floating dining square boat complete with a tent shield on top that takes you to the middle of the lake to savour more views.

While sitting on the balcony of your spacious cottage, it is easy to lose yourself in the majestic views of the forest as you are serenaded by the raucous cacophony of birds and monkeys- that after a while feels as rhythmic.

The nearby Mount Kaitampungu backdrops Imaramagambo Forest, all the way to the nearby Kalinzu Forest is also a display to behold.

A night in the executive cottages calls on you not to miss out on serenity as it combs through the woods. 

Jacana Lodge is located astride the famous home of chimpanzee trekking, Kyambura Gorge which is peripheral to Uganda’s medley of the wild, Queen Elizabeth National Park as the Kicwamba escarpment watches over it. The lodge is located five kilometres off the Rubirizi – Kasese highway just before descending into the Kyambura Gorge.

Lake Nyamusingiri on whose shores the lodge sits is part of the belt of crater lakes of Bunyaruguru. Next to it is Lake Kyasanduka, and a few kilometres north of the forest is Lake Rwizongo. Atop the Kicwamba escarpment is two twin lakes: Katinda and Murambi. Each of these lakes has its own allure of unique sights and scenes, trust me, you can never get tired of soaking in.

It’s never a dull moment when visiting this area of Rubirizi District.

To access Jacana, you have to go through Imaramagambo Forest which is guarded by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. 

While at Jacana, you can also visit the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha and the gorillas of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or do a game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park. 

The proprietors of Jacana Safari Lodge, also own and run another exquisite luxury— the Equator Snow Lodge, located just 2.3Km from the centre of Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Kasese, making it an ideal alternative location in this adventure-rich part of Uganda.

To arrange customised staycations and or an adventure/holiday to any part of Uganda or East Africa, reach out to Executive Destinations and Experiences Limited (EDXTravel) today.

Contacts:

Phone: +256 751 395 326/ +256 775 716 808

Email: theexectraveler@gmail.com    

#EDXTravel #TheExecTraveler #AuthenticAfricanTravelExperiences #TakeYourPlaceInTheAfricanSun #1000Reasons2ExploreUganda #ChoicestDestinations #TrustedTravelAdvisors #UnforgettableExperiences #UgandaThePearlOfAfrica

The post Relax, rewind and refuel your body at Jacana Lodge—a hidden jewel in this western Uganda’s axis of adventure appeared first on Executive Destinations & Experiences.

Located at the heart of one of Uganda’s tropical rain forests called Kibale National Park, the lodge sits quietly, but in a loud way, sits amongst some of this region’s oldest trees, some as old as 200 years and standing over 55 metres tall.

Chimpundu is a compound term derived from two words: chimp and mpundu (a Runyankore word for chimpanzee). The lodge neatly unfolds in the middle of Kibale National Park staged by the Fort Portal—Kamwenge highway to usher you into a state-of-the-art sanctuary deserving of guests who love tranquillity, nature and luxury in one. 

The lodge is built with such finesse and modelled with a careful finishing that venerates your stay with honour.

The 14 lavish cottages are well spaced, yet so near each other to give off a beautiful feeling of being alone, yet not lonely—a perfect recipe for what a getaway should be. 

The guests get to appreciate the esoteric architectural design of the cottages and the wooden suspended walkways in the forest, which are complemented by the large wooden and other local raw materials furnishings and finishings— a rustic aesthetic and reminder that you are amidst Kibale Forest National Park.

The Park is biologically diverse with over 120 mammals, which include several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. The forest and its surroundings also harbour up to 370 species of birds, including 23 that are endemic to this part of the Albertine Rift. 

It is estimated that there are over 1,500 chimpanzees, divided into at least a dozen different communities, four of which are habituated to humans. The Kanyantale community has been subject to daily tourist tracking since 1993.

A combination of a raucous cacophony of singing and chirping birds and the stridulating crickets forms an omnipresent soundtrack to this nature’s movie that is occasionally interrupted by the resident primates, especially chimpanzees and monkeys, each craving for attention.

As the sun sets over the giant trees and night draws, loud silence takes over, punctuated by mood lights that illuminate the suspended wooden walkways, creating an ethereal ambience for just about anything- be it a casual chat by the balcony or a glass of wine or simply cuddling, for romantics.

The rooms are a whole vibe and a whole topic for another day- but words like spacious, warm, cosy and well-appointed, give you an idea of what we are talking about.

At sunrise, a cup of coffee on the balcony immerses you, in this natural and unforgettable feeling of being one with nature. You get to watch sunrays tear through the thick canopies to shine a new light on you. A standalone swimming pool at the corner of the lodge waits to grant you that stretch the body longs for as you sip on a glass of wine from the wide assorted collection at the hotel.

For bird lovers- there is a variety in the natural forest, but you can also get to visit the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The word bigodi is derived from Rutooro (language) kugodya which means to walk sluggishly—which is what you need to do, to be able to take in the over 138 bird species, which include hornbills, the African pitta and the kingfisher.

A trek in the Kibale National Park will lead you to chimpanzee families as they go about life in the wild- there is over a 90% chance of seeing chimpanzees. On a good day during your nature walk in the park, you will chance upon a forest elephant. Kibale has a few of them and only the lucky ones get to see them.

Chimpundu Lodge is appropriately located- because away from the Kibale Forest National Park, the nearby Kasenda and Kasunganyanja crater lake belts offer up to 50 explosion crater lakes, each of which is beautiful in its way. Other nearby attractions include the Semliki National Park which is famous for the male and female hot springs as well as a lowland tropical forest that hosts 441 recorded bird species and 53 mammals.

For adventure freaks, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, which is less than a two-hour drive away, is another attraction. The Park is home to the famous Rwenzori Mountains as well as 70 mammals and 217 bird species.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is also a 2-3 hours’ drive away from the Lodge. The park that straddles the equator is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.

The Katwe explosion craters as well as Lakes Edward and Lake George, which are connected by the Kazinga Channel are another major attraction in this park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is also popular with big cats and other carnivores- up to 20 species that include lions, leopards, side-stripped jackals, spotted hyenas and lions, including the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha as well.   

To arrange customised staycations and or an adventure/holiday to any part of Uganda or East Africa, reach out to Executive Destinations and Experiences Limited (EDXTravel) today.

Contacts:

Phone: +256 751 395 326/ +256 775 716 808

Email: theexectraveler@gmail.com    

#EDXTravel #TheExecTraveler #AuthenticAfricanTravelExperiences #TakeYourPlaceInTheAfricanSun #1000Reasons2ExploreUganda #ChoicestDestinations #TrustedTravelAdvisors #UnforgettableExperiences #UgandaThePearlOfAfrica

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