Gorillas & Wildlife of Uganda—Custom Safari

Buhoma Lodge

Location
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda

This charming, friendly lodge provides an ideal location for gorilla treks into Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Eight spacious cottages utilize stone, natural woods and earthy, muted colors in their design, and each has a private veranda offering expansive views of the virgin rain forest canopy. Comfortable beds welcome you after a long day of gorilla trekking, and each cottage has en suite facilities with flush toilets, hot showers and solar lighting. Each morning, hot beverages are delivered to your cottage, allowing you to awaken gently and savor the early morning sounds of the forest.

The central lodge consists of an elevated lounge and bar serving local and imported beverages, and dining facilities offering a blend of international and locally flavored cuisine, prepared using fresh local ingredients whenever possible. Terrace dining under the night sky is an appealing alternative. Fireplaces add warmth and atmosphere to cool evenings and provide a cozy, relaxing environment in which to discuss the day’s adventures.

Gorilla trekking is the primary focus in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, though a host of other nature and cultural activities is also . To participate in one of the most extraordinary wildlife viewing opportunities on the planet, it is essential to pre-purchase permits: only eight visitors per day, per family of habituated gorillas, are privileged to spend up to one hour watching these highly endangered creatures. Birdwatching in the park is also a popular pastime, with nearly 350 bird species recorded. Of particular interest are the 23 species endemic to the Albertine Rift and at least 14 recorded nowhere else in Uganda. Butterfly watching is possible in the forest also, with Bwindi home to over 200 species. Forest walks and tours of local villages and tribes round out the optional activities.

Mahogany Springs Lodge

Location
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Mahogany Springs Lodge enjoys one of the finest locations in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Eight large thatched cottages and two family rooms overlook the clear waters of the Munyanga River and face the dense jungles of the national park that’s home to half the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. The lodge combines privacy, serenity, scenery and exceptional comfort to create a gorilla and birding safari base that has few peers. Every room at Mahogany Springs is a spacious suite, with large double doors and windows that bring the outdoors in. Each suite has a balcony overlooking the verdant valley. Suites have hardwood floors, minimalist wood beds with crisp white linens, writing desks and bathrooms with terra cotta mosaic-tiled showers. The main building features high ceilings under thatch and wrap-around terraces that survey the panorama of river and forest. Enjoy a glass of wine at the impressive wooden bar, or relax in front of the double-sided fireplace with a book or board game from the library.

Gorilla Forest Camp

Location
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Gorilla Forest Camp is nestled deep inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southwest Uganda. Bwindi is home to just over half of the world’s last surviving population of mountain gorillas.

Gorilla Forest Camp is one of the most remote camps in all of Africa. Accommodations are comprised of eight large permanent tents luxuriously outfitted with wooden floors, two queen-sized beds and an en suite bathroom that has both a shower and a bathtub overlooking the forest. A wooden deck, which serves as the entry to your tent, is ideal for bird watching or just relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of the forest. Laundry service is available should you wish to wash clothes after a long day of gorilla trekking in the forest.

The camp has a bar and dining cottage overlooking the rain forest, as well as a raised natural platform for open-air dining. The campfire beckons at night, offering a cozy setting to enjoy Bwindi's mountain air and clear, starry skies. 240-volt electricity is supplied for lighting, as well as recharging for videos, laptops and cellular phones.

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Location
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge offers the finest lodgings in the Bwindi region. The recipient of multiple awards and accolades, this remote small lodge sits alone on the quiet southern side of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park just steps from the Nkuringo trailhead where gorilla treks begin. Uganda's highest safari lodge, located atop Nteko Ridge, it commands full views of the Virunga volcano chain while offering nature lovers an intimate immersion in the Bwindi Forest environs.

Eight luxuriously appointed stone cottages have spacious bedrooms with fine-quality linens and duvets, en suite bathrooms, a separate lounge area with wood-burning fireplace, overstuffed chairs and handwoven carpets, and a veranda with views over your own private garden. Design elements include local volcanic stone, natural wood beams and muted colors in corals and creams. Each cottage features the work of one of Uganda’s most respected artists whose work has been so highly regarded by guests that some have commissioned their own pieces. The attentive staff, including your own personal butler, anticipates your every need.

Extensive public areas feature a natural aesthetic in harmony with the lodge's wild surroundings. The main building houses dining and lounge areas and has an open terrace with views of the emerald-green mountains. Soaring ceilings, massive exposed wooden beams and big picture windows make the most of local materials within a dramatic setting. Expert chefs take pride in creating superb, fresh cuisine, much of it grown in the organic garden on the premises – another hallmark of the exclusive experience offered at Clouds. Meals are served in the main dining area, and private outdoor dinners can also be arranged in a variety of locations.

Community partnership and involvement is an important dimension of how the lodge is run, and it also operates in partnership with the Africa Wildlife Foundation and International Gorilla Conservation Project.