Mountain gorilla or birding safaris in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park are incomplete without lodging or accommodation facilities for tourists to spend a night. The availability of these facilities is what makes you Visit Bwindi Safari hassle-free. This park covers about 331 square kilometers and offers refuge to the critically endangered mountain gorillas, which is why it is one of the best destinations for gorilla trekking in the world.
Located in the misty valleys in Southwestern Uganda is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. If you are planning for your safari to this park, there numerous lodges and accommodation facilities for you to spend a night thereafter your strenuous adventures in the jungles.
Within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, there are lots of options for your lodging. From luxury safari lodges to budget camping there are lots of good lodges where one can stay. Browse all available lodging or search our broad selection by keyword, location, price and lodging type, an easy system that ensures your gorilla safari gets off to the right start!
Below is a list of accommodation facilities for you choose while in a safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. The lodges are arranged based on the four main tracking sectors of Bwindi which include Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga and Nkuringo area.
Buhoma Sector
Buhoma sector is part of the Northern Bwindi forest block where mountain gorillas reside. Families that are found in buhoma include Rushegura gorilla family, Habinyanja gorilla group and Mubare gorilla family.
Each of these families can easily be accessed when you spend a night or more at the various lodges that are located in this sector. It is very advisable to know the gorilla trekking sector you are to trek in so as to determine where to spend the night to avoid long hour drives early in the morning to the briefing point.
Buhoma sector of Bwindi can be accessed from Kampala/ Entebbe-Rukungiri-Kihihi-Butogota-Buhoma. For Fly in Gorilla safari holidays, this sector can be accessed from Entebbe to Kihihi Air strip or Kayonza Air strip.
Accommodation in Buhoma Sector
Some of the accommodations in Buhoma sector include:
- Gorilla Forest Camp
- Buhoma Lodge
- Volcanoes Bwindi lodge
- Mahogany Springs
- Engage lodge
- Buhoma Community Rest Camp
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest
Sanctuary gorilla forest camp is a luxury facility. It is small in size but it remains as an exclusive accommodation with 8 permanent tented cottages that are inside the park. At times, the rare mountain gorillas can also be viewed around this place. If you this is your favorite choice, then you can book it earlier since it is the most sought after facility due to vibrant tourism activities in Buhoma area. Tourists who prefer tracking these rare species in Buhoma area, the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is the best choice for you. It also features spectacular views for bird watchers and even the best sight at wildlife species.
Buhoma Lodge
Buhoma Lodge is best for intimate. It also features stunning views of the Bwindi national park. It is one of the only two lodges that are strategically located within the heart of park and hence facilitating visitor connectivity to visitor center for early morning briefing. It has a bar, dinning and spa facilities and the most comfortable atmosphere.
Mahogany Springs Lodge
Mahogany Lodge is an up market facility in Buhoma area. It is a newly built luxury lodge in the Northern area of Bwindi. The lodge comes with mixture of traditional and international blends have turned to be one of the most sought after facilities by trekkers. It offers exceptional service to tourists due to its well trained and skilled staff. The lodge is located near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park which allows tourists to participate in different activities like gorilla tracking in Buhoma and Ruhija with five gorilla groups to be tracked around this area. They include Rushegura, Mubare, Habinyanja, Oruzogo and Bitukura; other tourism activities include forest and nature walks, Buhoma village walk that will offer you opportunity to interact with the Batwa pygmies. All the suites have en-suite bathrooms, dressing table and all beds have mosquito nets and it is also among the few accommodations that have electricity power which offers you opportunity to charge your gargets especially the camera for gorilla trekking the following day.
Engagi Lodge:
The lodge overlooks Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Buhoma; it offers value, stylish and comfortable facilities for travelers. It is constructed using local materials and for the local people, who live around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, have got job opportunities. The lodge offers comfortable, affordable luxury lodging facilities with a unique class and style at the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Haven Lodge
Haven Lodge is up market and it is a community project along with Buhoma Community Rest Camp. It has three cottages one of them is a family cottage that accommodates four tourists. It was built with the help of the US government which in most cases support tourism in various ways in Uganda. All the cottages in the lodge have bathrooms, trained and skilled staff who mind about customer service and the food being served is delicious as it accommodates all interests including the western and the Asian, African dishes and others. The cottages and the lodge itself have spectacular views of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Buhoma Community Rest Camp (budget)
This offers shoestring lodging in its dorms, budget lodging in its African bandas. They also consist of bath rooms and self contained permanent tented cottages. Spending a night or two at Buhoma Community Rest Camps means you have helped the local community in a positive way.
Silverback Lodge
Just at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, silverback Lodge which offers wide array of outdoor activities as well as accommodation to tourists in en-suite rooms with private verandas. It consists of twelve rooms that can be occupied by single tourists, couples and friends who travel together. It is built using local materials and resources and it is also near the local community. The staff offers excellent food, rooms with bath, and friendly staff. This is one of the pocket friendly facilities in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for trekkers.
Cuckooland Lodge
This Lodge is located where visitors can easily experience the wilderness of Bwindi. It takes visitors about 20 minutes to walk from the parking and if you can not make it then there is something wrong. Spending a night here is the perfect way of exploring Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Ruhija Sector
The Ruhija sector of Bwindi National Park is placed in the North Eastern part of Bwindi. From Buhoma Headquarters, this the drive to this part may take 2 hours to the starting point of gorilla trekking. Ruhija part is home to gorilla families like Bitukura group, Oruzogo gorilla family and Nyakagezi gorilla family which is open for research purpose but when the demand is so high, it may be opened for tourism. This sector can also be accessed when one spends a night in Buhoma sector too.
On the road, this sector can be accessed from Kampala-Rukungiri-Kihihi-Kanungu-Ruhija
Some of the accommodations in Ruhija sector include:
- Ruhija Gorilla Lodge
- Gorilla Mist Camp
- Trekker’s Tarven
- Ruhija Community Rest Camp
Bakiga Lodge:
The lodge lies within Ruhija sector, a moderate facility that you can choose to spend your night as you enjoy your gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It offers affordable and moderate prices for lodging facilities and it is composed of intimate with 2 tented cottages and 2 other cottages with their bathrooms.
Ruhija Gorilla Safari Lodge
Ruhija gorilla safari lodge is a moderate and up market lodge around Ruhija area of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It is a convenient facility for trekkers who visit Ruhija. It has spacious rooms with bath, mouth watering meals and good service.
Rushaga Sector
The Rushaga Sector is close to Nkuringo and it is located in the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. In its vicinity are gorilla families like Nshongi Gorilla group, Kahungye gorilla family, Mishaya gorilla group, Busingye group and Bweza gorilla family. This sector can be accessed when you drive from Kampala- Mbarara-Kabale-Lake Bunyonyi-Kisoro-Rubuguri- NKuringo.
Rushaga Gorilla Camp
It is one of the newly built budget and moderate lodging facility in Rushaga area. Rushaga sector is credited for larger habituated gorilla groups in Bwindi impenetrable Forest but in the past it didn’t have many lodges compared to current status. The ever rising lodges have facilitated gorilla tracking safaris in Bwindi. This camp features rooms and tented cottages have bath and there are also delicious meals and cold drinks for you to relax with. It also offers you opportunity to engage in hiking, biking or pay a visit to adjacent community.
Nshongi Gorilla Camp;
This camp is mainly set for tourists who are interested in budget accommodation. They use kerosene lamps but hot water is provided tourists to take a shower given the cold conditions of the area. It equally provides absolute African experiences with traditional dances, campfire, cold beer and sodas. Staying in this lodge also gives clients opportunity to view some forest elephants.
Bwindi Jungle (Up-market).
It is also a newer accommodation facility for gorilla trekkers who choose to track mountain gorillas in the Rushaga sector. It comes along Lake Mulehe and spectacular views of Virunga Mountains. It features private, en-suite cottages, best customer care; meals are also prepared with an Italian touch. You can also participate in hiking along the trails, village visit and canoe boat ride on the Lake.
Gorilla Safari Lodge
It is an up-market accommodation which provides high quality and best facilities in the Rushaga area. It features as the only facility with relatively affordable prices and strategic location just close to Bwindi National Park Headquarters where gorilla trekking usually takes place or Gorilla Habituation Experience. The cottages have bath and a fireplace to relax from.
Gorilla valley lodge:
Situated in Southern Bwindi national park is Gorilla Valley Lodge which features as one of the most liked accommodation facilities in the park especially for trekkers. It has good rooms with bath and beds. The staff offers wonderful service and warm welcome always to visitors as well as mouth watering meals. It is popular because of what it offers to tourists and as a result of the escalating number of gorilla groups for trekking safaris.
Nkuringo Sector
Nkuringo Bwindi sub sector is part of the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. This part is the habitat to Nkuringo gorilla family.
For Fly in gorilla safari holidays, this sector can be accessed from Entebbe to Kisoro Air strip.
Some accommodations In Nkuringo or Rushaga include
- Nkuringo Gorilla Camp
- Clouds Lodge
- Nkuringo Safari Lodge
Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
Clouds gorilla Lodge is a luxurious facility that lies on top of the world, which provides stunning views of the rare mountain gorillas, birds, wildlife species and comfortable facilities. It also gives a clear view of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest below and the Virunga Volcanoes. The cottages are en-suites and in the sitting place is a fireplace for visitors comfort.
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge:
This is a moderate accommodation for travelers who come to track gorillas in Nkuringo habituated groups. It has cottages with bath. It is found in southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and provides spectacular views of the area.
In conclusion, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park has many lodges and accommodation facilities for tourists who come for gorilla trekking, birding as well as other wildlife safaris. Other lodges include Gorilla Resort, Lake Kitandara Tented Camp and Volcanoes Bwindi Camp mention but a few.