Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp | Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park
Once-in-a-lifetime encounters with Uganda’s endangered gorillas await when you stay in one of these ten private luxury tents in the heart of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
Ecologically respectful, contemporary-yet-classic in style, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp blends in sensitively with the dramatic African mountain landscape and, situated uniquely inside the national park, you are only minutes away from the start of your gorilla trekking adventure.
Located in one of the remotest areas of Africa, these comfortable canvas spaces are dressed with indigenous prints and furniture made from natural materials. Beds are draped in neutral-toned linens, and local artefacts set a scene that ensures memorable moments both inside and out the accommodation. Each tent has a spacious, stone-walled bathroom with private sections, and a free-standing bath for a relaxing soak after a day’s trekking. The trees around the camp light up in the morning when the sun starts shining, and thanks to there being so few tents, the camp retains an intimate, exclusive feel, enabling you to experience Africa’s magic with the lightest of footprints yet with practically every mod con.
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Video
360 Panoramas
Rooms
Facilities
Activities and Services
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Spa
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Lounge
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Bathroom
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Gorilla tracking
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Fire pit
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Personalised service
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Gorilla Tracking
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Activities
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Luxury Tent
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Luxury Tent Decking
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Gorilla
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Gorilla Tracking
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Cuisine
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp Pano
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Luxury Tented Rooms
Located in one of the remotest areas of Africa, these comfortable canvas spaces are dressed with indigenous prints and furniture made from natural materials. Beds are draped in neutral-toned linens, and local artefacts set a scene that ensures memorable moments both inside and out the accommodation. Each tent has a spacious, stone-walled bathroom with private sections, and a free-standing bath for a relaxing soak after a day’s trekking. The trees around the camp light up in the morning when the sun starts shining, and thanks to there being so few tents, the camp retains an intimate, exclusive feel, enabling you to experience Africa’s magic with the lightest of footprints yet with practically every mod con.
Property Facilities
24-hour Security, Bar, Eco Friendly, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Restaurant, Spa
Room Facilities
Bath, Dressing Gowns, En-Suite, Hair Dryer, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mini Bar, Mosquito Nets, Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Shower, Verandah
Services
Airport Shuttle (Complimentary), Babysitting Service, Credit Card, Room Service
The gorillas are completely wild but have become used to seeing a few humans after years of habituation. Many of the expert guides have been involved in this process since the beginning and are able to explain the complicated etiquette involved in meeting a giant silverback. This is an opportunity afforded only to a select few, as just eight visitors are allowed to view each group every day. Tracking through dense forest with steep slopes means that participants do need to be physically fit to enjoy the track. Once the gorillas are located, spend a maximum of one hour with them before returning back to camp. Please note only children aged 15 and above can track gorilla.
A tracking permit must be bought in advance in person in Bwindi.
Learn about and interact with the local Batwa People. This full day activity involves a three hour walk followed by about an hour spent with the Batwa. The walk back to camp is two hours. The visit includes a music performance, visitation by the goddess, hunting and gathering demonstration and an opportunity to see how they live. The Twa tribe who are also known as the Batwa are the oldest inhabitants of the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. They speak the same language as the Hutu and Tutsi groups of Rwanda. Like most of the tribes in Africa, they have moved from place to place and are now found in Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and eastern portions of the DRC. Statistics show that by the year 2000 their numbers were approximately 80,000 people, making them a significant minority group in these countries. The first records of the Batwa were made by the Egyptians over 4,000 years ago. They described them as short statured people living near the "Mountains of the Moon" extolling their abilities as dancers and story tellers.
Bwindi is surrounded on the Buhoma side by the Bakiga community and the Batwa people community. The walk takes about two hours and begins with a stroll through a small tea farming project. Here you can stop to meet the tea pickers and perhaps even learn how to pluck tea leaves along the way. Then visit a local beer brewery and see how they mash bananas to make a fermented brew which is mixed and distilled to make banana beer - a popular local drink in the area. From here walk a short distance to the local hospital which Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp supports through various projects. Learn about how it started and the work they do for the community. Continue your walk to a nearby village and visit a traditional medicine man. The knowledge of using herbs for healing has been passed on from generation to generation and he will show you some of the herbs that grow in the forest and talk about how they are used. Later, relax and enjoy a performance by the Batwa community before returning to the camp.
Bwindi boasts over 350 bird species, including 24 that are endemic to these highlands straddling Uganda, Rwanda and the Congo - the so-called the "Albertine Rift Endemics". For keen birders, we can arrange for a local expert to guide you on a fascinating 2-3 hour walk through the park.
Bwindi is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a spectacular place to visit. In addition to the gorillas, Bwindi is also home to rare forest elephants, giant forest hogs and eleven kinds of primates, such as red tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colobus, baboons and chimpanzees. You can also find forest duiker antelopes, bush buck antelopes and over 200 species of butterflies. We can offer a guided forest walk on the Munyaga waterfall trail. This trail starts from the Park office and ends at the magnificent Munyaga waterfall. The walk to and from the waterfall takes about three hours and is a good way to practice or cool down a day before or after the gorilla tracking.
While staying at Gorilla Forest Camp guests are able to venture out on game drives to Ishasha, located in the south of the well known Queen Elizabeth National Park popular for its tree climbing lions, savanna elephants, buffaloes, topi, hippos, various bird species, warthogs and the occational leopard.
The Ishasha Sector is famous for its population of tree-climbing lions. The Lions are normally seen lazily lying within the branches of the huge fig trees staring down at the numerous Uganda Kobs grazing in the open Ishasha plains. This is usually a full day outing where guests are able to stop for lunch at the hippo pool. Departure is 6:30 in the morning.
Your Stay
3 Nights
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included
Fast Facts
5 Star
Rest Camp
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 10
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Flora, Hiking, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Wildlife
Kyambura Gorge Lodge | Southern Queen Elizabeth National Park
The Chimpanzee and Wildlife Lodge
This renowned Kyambura Gorge Lodge, with entirely remodelled public areas and gardens, has been converted from a coffee store to create a breathtakingly beautiful space. The lodge is located on the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park with sweeping views of the rolling savanna, the distant mountains of the moon, and the sunken Kyambura Gorge.
The guest bandas have a afro-chic theme with the accent on local artifacts re-imagined in a new context. Each banda offers a unique view either across the savanna or the gorge. There are four new deluxe bandas and four standard bandas. A new spa and swimming pool was launched in 2019.
The lodge is the ideal location for tracking the lost chimps in the sunken forest of Kyambura Gorge nearby and seeing the amazing game in one of Africa’s most beautiful parks, centred around the waterway of the Kazinga Channel. The park has six hundred amazing bird species, the highest in an African park.
Guests can participate in the Kyambura Gorge Eco-tourism project, a series of community and conservation activities developed since 2009 to safeguard the Kyambura Gorge ecosystem.
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Video
Rooms
Units
Facilities
Activities and Services
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Lodge overview
Kyambura Gorge LodgeCredit: Black Bean ProductionGardens
Kyambura Gorge LodgeMain Lodge Area
Kyambura Gorge LodgeTerrace
Bwindi LodgeSwimming Pool
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Swimming Pool
Kyambura Gorge LodgeLounge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Lounge
Kyambura Gorge LodgeLounge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Lounge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Lounge
Kyambura Gorge LodgeStandard Room
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Deluxe Room
Kyambura Gorge LodgeExtra bed
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Bathroom
Kyambura Gorge LodgeCredit: Black Bean ProductionBathroom
Kyambura Gorge LodgeBathroom
Kyambura Gorge LodgeCredit: Black Bean ProductionStandard Room
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Outside dinning area
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Outside dinning
Kyambuar Gorge Lodge Massage
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Dinning setting
Kyambura Gorge LodgeRutonda Outside
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Kyambura Gorge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Swimming pool
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Swimming Pool
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Bridge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Bridge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Deluxe Twin room
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Deluxe Twin room
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Outside shower bathroom
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Bethroom
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Buffer walk
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Wetland walk
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Buffer walk
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Wetland Walk
Kyambura Gorge Lodge
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Coffee Soap
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Coffee
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Beekeeping
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Football
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Staff
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Chimpanzee Tracking
Kyambura Gorge LodgeChimpanzee
Kyambura Gorge LodgeChimpanzee
Kyambura Gorge LodgeChimpanzee
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Tree Climbing Lion
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Tree Climbing Lion
Kyambura Gorge Lodge Tree Climbing Lions
Guest Bandas
- Eight unique luxury bandas, reflecting the local building style (4 of them deluxe bandas). guide/tour leader room available at the lodge.
- All bandas have mosquito nets, 240v lighting, charging stations and a private balcony.
- Inviting salt water swimming pool with expansive views.
- Personal butler service for all guests.
- New spa.One 30-minute complimentary massage per guest per stay. Extra massages are available at extra cost.
- Full board accommodation including all soft drinks and house alcoholic beverages (excludes premium drinks).
- Complimentary laundry service.
- Power sockets/charging facilities and hair dryers available in the rooms. No air
conditioners.
- Wi-Fi and internet access available in the main lodge only (connection can be slow).
-Premium wine, whisky, and cocktail menus.
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•8 unique handbuilt bandas (4 deluxe and 4 standard) of which 6 doubles and 2 twins. All with a private balcony offering spectacular views of the park or gorge. 1 guide/tour leader room available.
•All rooms are complete with en-suite bathrooms with flushing toilet, double vanity and indoor and outdoor shower with hot & cold running water.
•Swimming pool with stunning views over the park and the Rwenzori Mountains on the horizon.
•Personal butler service for all guests.
•2 tranquil massage rooms available. One 50-minute complimentary massage per guest per stay. Extra massages are available at $50 for a 50- minute massage.
•Full board accommodation including all soft drinks and regular and premium alcoholic beverages including cocktails, cellar collection wines and single malt whiskies. Guests pay for French champagne only.
•Complimentary laundry service.
•Power sockets/charging facilities and hair dryer in the rooms. Fans are provided but no air conditioners.
Tracking chimpanzees in their natural habitat, as they swing from the branches in the canopy high above the forest floor is nothing short of exhilarating. The chimps effortlessly cross and scamper through the trees above the gorge, and visitors on the other hand must cross the river using natural bridges in order to keep up with the chimps. So although the walk usually lasts only 2–3 hours, descending the steep gorge and crossing the log bridges over the river requires some agility and fitness.
Chimpanzee tracking is also available in nearby Kalinzu, a forest reserve 30 minutes drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge where there is a community of about 40 habituated chimpanzees.
Queen Elizabeth National Park is considered to be one of Uganda’s most varied and most beautiful protected areas. Queen, as she is affectionately known, is home to two of Africa’s big cats, the majestic lion and the elusive leopard. Kyambura Gorge Lodge guests can explore the plains of Queen Elizabeth Park in Uganda on a variety of game drives, usually at dawn and dusk. It is when daylight hours are coolest that wildlife is most active.
Join a local scientific researcher on his daily game drive in Queen Elizabeth National Park to locate and record the behavior of a lion pride he is studying. This activity is best done in the mornings when there is ample time to track the pride and chances of finding them are high.
It is highly uncommon for lions to actually climb trees. In fact, there is only one subspecies known to climb trees regularly, and one of the two populations of these subspecies can be found in Ishasha, in the southern sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Finding a pride lounging on the branches of one of the many fig trees in the park is considered to be one of the highlights of visiting the park.
The Kazinga Channel is a 32-kilometer long channel, rich in wildlife, that links Lakes Edward and George. Boat trips down the channel depart from Mweya Safari Lodge (about an hour’s drive through the park from Kyambura Gorge Lodge) and last 3-4 hours. The boat cruise provides a wonderful opportunity to photograph the many animals that come to cool off at the waters’ edge, including lion, buffalo, hippo, elephant, and leopard.
See the transformation of coffee beans into delicious Ugandan coffee – all done by hand, by local community members – and even get to sample the finished product for yourself. At the end of the tour guests are given the opportunity to purchase some of the cooperative’s coffee, which makes a great souvenir and supports the local community.
Set up by Damien Hirst, the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundry & Gallery are a short drive from Kyambura Gorge Lodge. Sculptures by rising Ugandan artists sit alongside works by leading European sculptors, the result of collaborations and artist residencies. All works are inspired by the people, culture, wildlife and landscape of Uganda, and make the perfect memento to mark an unforgettable journey.
In June 2014, in partnership with the Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative and the local community, the VSPT opened a non-profit training café. The café will provide a practical training institution for local youths, both male and female, who are disadvantaged as a result of the loss of parents, HIV/AIDS, or physical or mental disabilities.
The training not only aims to provide practical experience to create more job opportunities in the region, but also to improve access to services, medication and healthcare thereby reducing the risk of transmitting HIV through education and providing training for a sustainable livelihood.
The VSPT plans to take ten interns on a quarterly basis for both theoretical and practical training. Volcanoes Safaris guests staying at Kyambura Gorge Lodge can enjoy a coffee tour followed by a hearty homemade brunch with freshly brewed coffee served at the café, or a delicious pizza from the wood-burning oven for tours in the afternoon.
The VSPT secured 45-acres of wetland south of the Volcanoes Safaris Kyambura Gorge Lodge. The wetland, which previously had been used as an illegal brick works, is now regenerating rapidly back to its natural state. The rejuvenated wetlands now attract over 200 species of birds and the sight is used to train members of the community in birding and guiding. This project has been a key success for the VSPT, particularly regarding its ecosystem conservation efforts given the amount of species that have now repopulated the area: new entries are added to the spotters’ lists almost daily! Over 500 indigenous trees have also been replanted along the banks of the Kyambura River. Due to human encroachment and habitat destruction over the past twenty years, hundreds of trees along the riverbank were cut down leading to soil erosion and water pollution.
Community outreach and guide training take place throughout the year with the objective of establishing a pool of qualified local guides who can lead tours of the wetland. A trail system is maintained throughout the wetland and guided walks are available to Volcanoes Safaris clients.
Both Uganda and Rwanda offer some of the world’s best bird watching, with a vast diversity of bird species. Uganda has over 1,000 bird species with 150 found only in Uganda. Rwanda has over 700 bird species and is home to the second highest number of Albertine endemics in the Albertine region. Each of our lodges offers the chance to see a number of different birds, with the vast majority endemic to the Region.
VSPT has worked on purchasing the 3km long buffer along the northern part of the Gorge since 2009. With the purchase completed at the end of 2018, a 3-hour guided walk has been developed and is offered to guests to showcase the buffer created by the project, the scenic views over the Gorge, the Park and Kyambura reserve, and the chance to experience the local homesteads. Approximately 3000 trees have been planted in the buffer area, with the help of the local community and VS guests.
This short walk (45 mins) offer guests the opportunity to experience the unique landscape around the Lodge, between the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Gorge and the community.
VSPT has created a community playground to encourage and allow local school children to play games and sports, especially soccer.
New walking safaris have been created around the lodge to experience the dramatic landscapes of Kyambura gorge and the Queen Elizabeth savannah, and visit a reclaimed wetland. Guests can walk along the Kyambura gorge buffer zone we have created to protect the fragile ecosystem from encroachment and contribute to its long-term conservation project by planting a seedling.
Your Stay
2 Nights
Full Board - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast and Lunch
All Local Brands (Spirits, Wine and Beers) Included
Fast Facts
Lodge
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 8
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Fishing, Flora, Hiking, Indigenous Culture / Art, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife