Bwindi Safari Experience Uganda
Uganda is still seen as a more remote and mentally distant safari destination, even though it is next door to Kenya, the country which started the modern safari industry. Called "The Pearl of Africa" by Winston Churchill and in more recent memory the scene of great civil war under the mad dictator Idi Amin, it throws up many images. Most people go to Uganda today to see the famed mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei).
I have written in previous posts about the magic and wonder of encountering these magnificent mammals in their natural forest habitat, but I want to conjure up another image today.
At the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, perched on a hill, you need to step back in time as you cross the threshold of Clouds Mountain Lodge. My instant thought was a hill station in a distant colonial country, Malaya or India. Built out of the local volcanic rock, the classic 1920s architecture is at once familiar and reassuring. This is an illusion, of course, as the lodge was built only a few years ago, but the illusion is strong. The wide verandah doors open to sublime mountainous forest views, in particular of the Parc des Volcans in Rwanda. The steam rising from these humid woodlands reminds me of many films about the Vietnam war I have seen; this time, the image is more tranquil and inviting.
Inside the public rooms, large cream coloured sofas abound, encouraging you to curl up with a good book or to relax with a whisky and soda. Large open fireplaces, well-provisioned from the forest, warm the chilly evenings and are particularly comforting after a good days trek searching for gorillas. The dining experience is more comfort food than grande cuisine but appropriate for the climate and just reward for the physical exertions. The rooms are large, stone cottages with sitting rooms and large beds stuffed with cushions.
The attention to detail here is good. Your bed is heated by hot water bottles; hot drinks, especially after your trek, are brought promptly by a dedicated butler. There is a spa specialising in massage, with open views to the mountains. All in all, this is one very relaxing lodge that encourages you to linger. My last stay was too short, focused essentially on the gorilla experience. Next time, I will stay longer, soak in the atmosphere, take walks and hikes in and around the surrounding villages, take more photographs and generally unwind. I can't think of a more ideal spot.
To see our selection of Safaris In Uganda that include the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
Our Bwindi Safari Experience Uganda by the team at Uyaphi.com
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Map of Lodges in and around Uganda
Lodges And Camps In Uganda
Trackers Safari Lodge
Trackers Safari Lodge brings thatched log chalets with fireplaces to the Buhoma sector, a short drive from the park headquarters where northern gorilla treks are briefed. After the trek there is a pool, a sauna and a forest-facing restaurant to come back to.
Engagi Lodge
On the forest edge beside Buhoma village, Engagi Lodge is a simple, rustic Bwindi base for gorilla treks in the northern sector. En-suite cottages with verandas sit among the trees, and the thatched main lodge, built from local stone and eucalyptus, opens onto the forest.
Buhoma Lodge
Inside the park in the Buhoma sector, Buhoma Lodge is a short walk from where the northern gorilla treks begin. Cottages with private verandas look over the forest canopy, and solar power and gravity-fed water keep this Bwindi lodge's footprint light.
Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge
High on Nteko Ridge in the Nkuringo sector, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge looks across to the Virunga volcanoes. Stone cottages have fireplaces and private verandas, butlers look after each one, and the lodge was built with the Nkuringo community, who share in it.
Mahogany Springs Lodge
Mahogany Springs Lodge sits above the Munyanga River in the Buhoma sector, close to where northern gorilla treks set off. Suites open onto private terraces facing the forest, a two-bedroom family suite suits groups, and there is a spa for after the trek.
Gorilla Safari Lodge
Gorilla Safari Lodge stands on the forest boundary in the Rushaga sector of southern Bwindi, close to where Rushaga treks are briefed. Its wooden chalets each have a fireplace for cold forest nights, with solar power and hot showers waiting after the trek.
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge
Set on Nteko Ridge, Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge looks across the Kashasha valley to Nkuringo hill and the Virunga volcanoes. It began as a campsite and sits a short walk from the Nkuringo visitor centre, with stone cottages and a family villa facing the view.
Gorilla Valley Lodge
Near the Rushaga ranger station, Gorilla Valley Lodge steps down a steep slope on Bwindi's southern edge, so the forest is right below the rooms. Each has a private terrace, and the restaurant and bar sit at the top of the hill above the valley.