14 Nov Gorilla Safari Tours in Bwindi Forest National Park

Travel to Bwindi Forest National Park where you can enjoy the gorilla trek safaris and among the lodges to stay include the Chameleon Hill Lodge, situated between Mgahinga & Bwindi National parks and Kisoro Town in south-western Uganda and you will find a place full of inspiration and enjoyment called Chameleon Hill Lodge.

The Lodge is located on the shores of one of East Africa’s most beautiful lakes, Lake Mutanda; you will enjoy spectacular views across the lake with its islands and surrounding hills. In the backdrop the Virunga Volcanoes greet you. You have arrived.

This exclusive, colourful and vibrant lodge enjoys spectacular views across Lake Mutanda with the Virunga Volcanoes as a magnificent backdrop. The lodge offers a special blend of comfort and relaxation, where attention to detail and personalized service are paramount. As well as being the perfect base to visit the mountain gorillas, one can also enjoy a trip on the hand built boat available for excursions.

Activities include; gorilla trekking experience, gorilla habituation experience, golden monkey tracking, golden monkey experience, local market tour, power boat and village walk, boat excursions, Batwa trail, birds and lake shores, volcano climbing, nature valley walk.

• Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

It is remote. It is beautiful. It is intimate. And at over 2,000 metres above sea level, it is Uganda’s highest lodge. Set on a forested ridge near the entrance to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge boasts 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, en-suite bathroom with walk-in shower and separate lounge. Comfortable chairs on the outdoor verandas provide the perfect vantage point to admire the unforgettable vistas of the forest below. Blazing fireplaces create a cozy glow as evening falls.

Guests at Clouds stay in their own cottage. Built of local volcanic stone, every cottage has a large sitting room with fireplace, vast overstuffed armchairs, and hand-woven carpets. Each individual cottage features the work of one of Uganda’s most respected artists (we call them the ‘Clouds 9’). Their work has been so highly regarded by guests that they have commissioned their own pieces and now the work of these artists graces the walls of homes and offices in New York, Toronto, Vancouver, Los Angeles, and London.

Tracking gorillas is high on the agenda for many tourists to Uganda. By all means, come to Clouds to track gorillas, but while you’re here, why not stay on a bit and immerse yourself in the relaxed vibe of the lodge, partake in Community activities, indulge in massage and beauty treatments and just enjoy the rarity of being pampered in such a spectacular setting.

• Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is situated on the South of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park with stunning views over Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, the magnificent Virunga Volcanoes and the Great Albertine Rift Valley. There are 12 individually hand-crafted cottages, each offering the tranquillity of the rain forest, the atmosphere of a mountain chalet and the warm hospitality Ugandans are known for. Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge prides itself on its green credentials and through its various initiatives including solar energy and rainwater harvesting proudly operates as a carbon neutral lodge.

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is located on the Nteko Ridge overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The main areas of the lodge comprise of a cozy restaurant serving fantastic homemade meals and freshly baked bread, a bar and a coffee-shop with amazing views over the mountains beyond.  Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is situated in the heart of the Nkuringo local community and not only provides a fantastic base from which to go Mountain Gorilla Trekking and bird life of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest but also allows it’s guests to experience the rich and vibrant culture of the communities that surround it.

Rooms

Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge’s 12 rooms are split into 3 categories, the Virunga Terrace rooms, the Garden Cottages and the 2 Bedroom Villa.

Virunga Terrace Rooms

The 6 Virunga Terrace rooms offer great value; they all have en-suite facilities, a front terrace and views over the magnificent Virunga Volcanoes.

Garden Cottage Rooms

The 4 Garden Cottage rooms are privately hidden away in the lush gardens. Each individually crafted cottage has a fireplace for the colder nights, is powered by solar and has a large veranda

Two Bedroom Villa

The 2 Bedrooms villa is ideal for families or groups of 4 people, each room is independent but the can be interconnecting. They are also joined by a large veranda with beautiful views overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Each room has a sitting area and fireplace for the colder night.

Lodge activities include; gorilla trekking tours, Hike & Canoe: Kisoro, Lake Mutanda and Nkuringo, hike through Bwindi, Batwa experience, bird watching, community and culture.

• Mutanda Lake Resort

Mutanda Lake Resort offers comfortable accommodation combined with the most beautiful views on planet earth. Situated between Kisoro town, Mgahinga and Bwindi National Parks the Resort makes a perfect base for gorilla trackers, volcano hikers, bird lovers as well as those looking for a secluded place in nature.

The resort is spaciously set up on a 3.5 acres private peninsula stretching into Lake Mutanda. The thirteen cottages are built on a wooden platform, each with private veranda and en-suite bathroom. We offer single, double/ twin and family or triple rooms with comfortable beds and mosquito nets.

The cottages

All the cottages are built on wooden platforms, each with its own private veranda with panoramic views of the lake. We offer single, double/ twin, triple and 2 family rooms with comfortable beds, mosquito nets and en-suite bathrooms.

Bar and restaurant

The main building where the restaurant is located resembles a Swiss chalet with an African touch. A cozy place where we serve real tasty menus prepared with herbs and vegetables from our own garden. Our food receives raving reviews time after time. In the evenings we prepare the fire place to keep you warm.

Services

The lodge provides free wireless internet from the restaurant, enabling you to share your gorilla photos with your friends back home!

Laundry service is provided at the lodge for guests staying two or more consecutive nights.

The lodge can arrange pick-up services from Kabale /Lake Bunyonyi, Kisoro and Kigali. Transfers from the lodge to the starting point of the gorilla tracking can also be organized. Please note that this needs to be booked in advance.

We can help you in obtaining your gorilla permits. When booking two or more consecutive nights at the lodge, we offer the service of arranging the  gorilla permits which will then be available for pickup at the lodge. We can only offer this service when booking at least one month in advance and please note that it is subject to availability of tracking permits. Kindly contact us for more information.

Lodge activities include; gorilla trekking, bird sun downer boat, mukozi village Lake trip (boat & walking), mukozi village road trip walking, Mutanda island trip, Batwa trail and Garama cave, hike Sabyinyo, climb Mt Muhavura, and golden monkey trekking.

• Bwindi Jungle Lodge

Bwindi Jungle Lodge is located on Lake Mulehe, Mucha, about 10 km from Kisoro town along the road to Rubuguri, about 20 km from the Southern gate of Bwindi National Park in Rushaga and Nkuringo. This is a beautiful location, ideal for the tourist activities in Bwindi National Park (Southern sector) and Mgahinga National Park. The lodge, embedded into a forest cover, enjoys the peace of the Lake, it is a natural birding area and it has a natural bay on the shores of the lake.

This is the natural habitat of the mountain gorillas, though today the forest cover has decreased to the remaining existing national parks. Bwindi Jungle Lodge is made by cottages, all en-suite and with raised veranda overlooking Lake Mulehe, built using the local volcanic stones and timber. The large restaurant and bar enjoys a veranda overlooking the lake and the design and architecture utilize the local tradition of volcanic stones and fencing.

Bwindi Jungle Lodge is located on Lake Mulehe, Mucha, Kisoro District, Nyundo Sub-County, about 10 km from Kisoro town along the road to Rubuguri, the lodge is located a few km away from Kisoro Airstrip, where are landing domestic flights from Entebbe Airport connecting the Southern sector of Bwindi National Park.

While at Bwindi Jungle Lodge you can book the following activities: Gorilla trekking in Bwindi National Park (Rushaga sector) or in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Activities include; canoe trip and village walks on Lake Mulehe, Batwa today at Echuya forest, and canoe boat ride at Lake Mulehe.

• Mutanda Eco – Lodge

Located just 6 kilometres away from Kisoro town in south western Uganda, Mutanda Eco Community Centre (M.E.C.C) is a community owned Eco-lodge located at the south shores of Lake Mutanda. The camp provides accommodation, camping facilities and food. Because of the camp’s proximity to Bwindi and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks, Mutanda Eco Community Centre is the perfect choice for accommodation for anyone considering mountain gorilla tracking.

There are several ecotourism activities that can be carried out at Lake Mutanda and these include swimming, canoeing, boat riding, snake safari, otter viewing and village visits.

We also offer volunteer opportunities for clients interested in supporting community projects. The volunteer experience entails teaching swimming lessons to children, working at the health centers and teaching conservation education at the nearby Chihe Primary School.

Accommodation and food

The Education centre can now offer a variety food menu to the guests. When available, the food is bought from the local neighborhood to boost local businesses.

Suite Camp

The suite camp consists of a structure of a platform on pillars and a roof. The platform is lifted from the ground and provides a floor for a number of tents. The tents are provided by the centre, and work like a simple version of lodging, or an advanced way of tenting where you will not have to bring your own tent. Here one is protected from the ground and from the rain, while keeping the feeling of camping. The roof will also protect the suite camp from different weather conditions. The roof can also provide smaller windmills to compensate for days with less sun. The suit camp is already in place and it has three tents which can accommodate six people.

Cottage/ Banda

We have in place 4 cabin Banda’s that accommodate 10 Pax.

Dormitory with 2 bunk beds which accommodate 4 Pax

Camping site

The centre also offers ample camping place for guests who come with their own tents. The prices for such facilities are affordable and can be accessed on M.E.C.C information board at the centre or one can ask the staff members at the centre.