Best lodges for gorilla trekking overnight stay in the Ruhija region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

The Ruhija sector is in the Eastern part of Bwindi impenetrable national park and is one of the four regions in the park where gorilla trekking is carried out. Ruhija is a unique sector because you not only get to go gorilla trekking, but the region is also home to several bird species and the only region where you get to see elephants.

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Ruhija region has several safari accommodation facilities that tourists can use when gorilla trekking and these are categorized into three: budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodation facilities. In this article, we are going to discuss the best lodges for an overnight stay in Ruhija and these include the following:

Ruhija Gorilla safari

Located within the Ruhija sector, the Ruhija Gorilla Lodge is one of the best mid-range safari lodges offering some of the best services to both middle and luxury tourists. Set on the remote sight of the sector, the lodge is the best to use when trekking the Bitukura, Oruzongo, and Kyaguriro gorilla families.

The rooms at the lodge are comfortable and are divided into double, twin rooms, and Family suites. Some of the amenities that are offered at the lodge include Internet, laundry services, a gift shop, hair dryers, security, a mini library, a restaurant, and a well-stocked bar.

Several activities are offered at the lodge and these include gorilla trekking, guided nature walks, biking, community walks, and reading among others.

Ruhija sector is located in eastern Bwindi with 6 habituated gorilla families including Oruzongo, Kyaguriro, Bitukura, Mukiza, Happy, and Rukara gorilla family. Ruhija is at 2350 meters above sea level which makes it the coldest trekking sector in the national park. Its closeness to Buhoma gives chance to tourists staying in Buhoma to trek gorillas in Ruhija, especially during the peak season. The main safari activity carried out in Ruhija is gorilla trekking but other activities that you can engage in include bird watching and guided nature walks.

Kiho Gorilla Lodge

This is a newly constructed mid-range accommodation facility in the Ruhija sector. The Lodge overlooks the dense Bwindi forest offering views of the chained Virunga volcanoes in the distance. Located near the trekking starting point, the lodge has 10 comfortable and elegant cottages built in an African traditional style with local wood.

Kiho Gorilla Lodge offers several services and facilities to the guests and these include a restaurant that is found in the main building which serves both local food types and continental dishes, meeting every client’s dietary needs including breakfast, lunch, and both indoor and outdoor dinner. A well-stocked bar serving both soft and hard drinks, Wi-Fi airport pickups and drop-offs, business centers, health and fitness centers like spas, massage services, ample parking space, meeting rooms, honeymoon offers, and a standby generator.

Agandi Lodge

Agandi Lodge is located within the comfort of the Ruhija sector and has 10 elegant and comfortable cottages that were constructed using local materials and built in the African traditional style. They are comfortable cottages that are fitted with different facilities to ensure that the guests are comfortable. The rooms are equipped with satellite television sets, mosquito nets, comfortable beds and bedding, private wooden balconies where you can relax after a long day, sitting areas, driers, flushing toilets, and en-suite bathrooms that have both cold and hot running water.

The rooms at the Agandi Lodge come in different categories and these are single rooms, twin rooms, double rooms, triple rooms, and family cottages. The cost of each room is different, but an estimate is $200 and above or more depending on the season of travel. 

Agandi Lodge offers different facilities and services including:

• A restaurant that serves both local and continental dishes prepared by experienced chefs and served by well-organized staff.
• Airport pickups and drop-offs
• A well-stocked bar with hard and soft drinks
• Ample parking space
• Laundry services
• Fireplaces where you can sit and relax after a long day of gorilla trekking.
• Business centers like conference rooms and meeting rooms
• Honeymoon packages
• health and fitness centers like spas, saunas, gyms, and steam baths
• A craft shop where you can get gifts like clothes, and essential safari items.
• Wi-Fi to keep communication between you and your family members

Some of the activities that are offered at the lodge include gorilla habituation experience, gorilla tracking, bird watching, guided nature walks, community visits, and cultural trips among others.

Cuckooland Lodge

Cuckooland Tented Lodge is located in Bwindi 40 minutes from the gorilla trekking centre of Ruhija providing comfortable accommodation to the guests. Sitting on 10 acres at the edge of the national park, Cuckooland is the best place for botanists bird watchers, and tourists who love the peace of nature. Cuckooland is a mid-range accommodation facility that has 4 spacious double-furnished tents built on wooden platforms and with grass-thatched roofs. Each of these is furnished with a private flush toilet, shower with both cold and hot running water, a large veranda, a sitting area, and comfortable beds.

The different facilities and amenities that are offered at the Cuckooland Lodge include the following;

• Laundry services
• A private patio or balcony for viewing and relaxing
• All round security
• A well-stocked bar
• A restaurant that serves both international and local dishes prepared by well-trained staff
• Health and fitness facilities like gyms
• Electricity and charging points

The activities that are offered at the lodge include cultural visits to the locals, guided nature walks, gorilla tracking, gorilla habituation experience, and bird watching among others.

Ruhija Community Rest Camp

The Ruhija Community Rest Camp is found in the Ruhija sector

Facilities and amenities offered at the rest Camp include the following:

• 24-hour security and reception
• Free WIFI
• A well-stocked bar with soft and hard drinks
• Free ample parking
• A kitchen
• Laundry services
• A restaurant serving both local and continental meals.
• A  meeting room, conferences
• Its pet friendly
• Bicycle parking
• A kitchen.

Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort

The Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort is located at the Ruhija gate near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Guests can walk to the gorilla trekking starting point which makes it the best when it comes to an overnight stay in the Ruhija sector. The Resort is owned and run by the local community and all proceeds are used to develop the local people.

The different rooms that are found at the Resort include exclusive tents, well-furnished bandhas, and camping grounds. The Ruhija Gorilla Friends Resort is one of the best budget safaris that you can use and some of the facilities and amenities offered at the lodge include comfortable beds including singles, triples, double beds and twin beds, en-suite bathrooms, flushing toilets, a well-stocked bar, a restaurant that serves both continental and local delicious dishes, a craft shop, WIFI and private verandas that offer great views of the surrounding areas.

The different activities that are offered at the lodge include gorilla trekking, the gorilla habituation process, the Ruhija community walk, enjoying community traditional dances for the period you have requested, guided forest walks, and many more. Some of the things that you can bring include insect repellent, a walking stick, hike boots, a hat and sunscreen, drinks and snacks, a camera, binoculars, cash for purposes, and a waterproof bag pack among others.

Gorilla Mist camp

Gorilla Mist Camp is one of the finest deluxe lodges in the Ruhija sector of the Impenetrable National Park. The Gorilla Mist Lodge is a mid-range accommodation facility offering 12 comfortable rooms to guests trekking in the Ruhija sector.

The rooms at the Gorilla Mist Camp are single, double, and twin rooms and these are fully furnished with bathtubs, a shower that has both cold and hot running water, solar electricity in all the rooms, a flush toilet, a balcony, and comfortable beds. Some of the facilities and amenities that are provided at the camp include reliable Wi-Fi, ample parking space, a restaurant that serves continental and local dishes, a well-stocked bar,  a massage parlor, laundry services, and clear and beautiful views of the Rwanda hills.

The restaurant at the lodge opens as early as 5:30 am to prepare breakfast for the guests, prepares lunch from 12:30 to 2:00 pm, and dinner from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The staff at the restaurant is well-trained and qualified to prepare all the continental meals including Caribbean, European, American, Indian, and African meals.

Gorilla Mist Camp offers airstrip transfers from Kayonza airstrip and Ishasha airstrip with pickups from Kabale but note that this can only be done with scheduled pickups.

Safari activities that are offered at the Gorilla Mist camp include gorilla trekking, bird watching, guided walking safaris, guided forest walks, taking on the Batwa trail, and cultural trips to the Batwa villages.

ITFC Camp Bwindi

The ITFC also known as the International Tropical Forestry Commission is a budget-friendly accommodation facility that is located in the Ruhija sector. The guest house offers accommodation in a dormitory style and can accommodate a maximum of 8 people in the dormitory facility that is adjacent to the park staff camp and the second property which is referred to as the local trading Centre can accommodate a maximum of 12 people. For tourists who are interested in camping, the front lawn is available but you will need your camping gear and this is near the staff quarters.

Bookings although rare can be made through your tour operator and some of the basic things that are provided at the camp include comfortable beddings, paraffin for the lanterns, and firewood. Basic foodstuffs are also available at the trading centre but you will need to self-cater throughout your stay at the camp. And to keep warm, you are encouraged to carry a sleeping bag because of the cold nights.

Bakiga Lodge

The Bakiga Lodge is one of the best mid-range lodges in the Ruhija region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and a registered NGO with proceeds used to develop the surrounding communities. The lodge is constructed atop a valley that overlooks the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the surrounding areas. Bakiga Lodge’s top priority is to offer comfortable accommodation to the different guests visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

The lodge has 10 self-contained cabins that are fitted with different amenities and facilities including running showers with hot and cold water, comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms, flush toilets, a veranda, and private balconies where you get to see the panoramic views of the forest.

The lodge has created a positive impact on the environment by harvesting rainwater that is used at the lodge for flushing toilets, in showers, cooking, cleaning the lodge, and washing bedding. The lodge has 9 harvesting tanks and all the toilets and showers are connected to the tanks. The showers and toilets are connected to the septic tank to avoid polluting the ground around the national park.

The activities that are offered at the lodge include the following:

• Gorilla trekking
• Gorilla habituation experience
• Guided nature walks to the Mubwindi swamp
• Bird watching
• Guided nature walks through the forest
• Cultural trips to the Batwa villages.

Ihamba Residence

The Ihamba residence is a guest house that is found in the Ruhija region of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The community-based organization runs on harvested water and solar and is one of the best budget-friendly lodges to use around Bwindi and is located atop a hill with panoramic views of the surrounding areas. The Ihamba Residence is managed by Change of Bwindi, a community-based organization that helps in the preservation of the forest.

The Ihamba Residence has 5 comfortable and spacious cottages, which were built in an African-style setting and use local raw materials including stone and local wood. The lodge has double rooms both on the upper and ground floor, as family, individual, and group rooms. Each room at the Ihamba residence is well-decorated and offers facilities like en-suite bathrooms, flush toilets, solar power, a mosquito net, toiletries, pillows complimentary bottled water, a sitting area, terraces, and comfortable bedding.

Other facilities that are offered at the Ihamba lodge include a fireplace at the guesthouse, laundry services, a well-stocked bar with hard and soft drinks, a restaurant in the main building serving both local and continental dishes, Wi-Fi, and airport pickups among others.

Activities offered at the Ihamba Lodge include cultural visits to the villages, guided nature walks, gorilla trekking, and bird watching among others.

What to consider when planning gorilla trekking in Ruhija

Booking of the gorilla permit: Gorilla permits in the Ruhija sector need to be booked in advance, especially during the peak season when they are in high demand. These can be booked through a tour operator and if you are looking at getting a specific sector like Ruhija, then you have to book 6 months before the trek date by putting in a special request. The cost of the gorilla permit is $800 for foreign non-residents, $700 for foreign residents, $500 for African citizens, and UGX 300, 000 for East African citizens.

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