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African Safaris and Tours
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Lodges
Where to Stay for Gorilla and Golden Monkey Treks in Mgahinga
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is Uganda's smallest national park: 33.7 km² of the Virunga volcanoes in the far south-west, where Uganda meets Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Three extinct volcanoes – Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo – rise above bamboo and montane forest, home to mountain gorillas and the golden monkey.
Mgahinga has one habituated gorilla family, Nyakagezi, and UWA allows no more than eight visitors per gorilla group, so treks stay small. Golden monkey tracking in the bamboo zone is the park's other great primate encounter.
Mgahinga lodges sit outside the park, not inside it:
- Mount Gahinga Lodge – a Volcanoes Safaris lodge of hand-built stone bandas with papyrus roofs, in the foothills close to the park entrance, with fireplaces, private verandas and views of the volcanoes.
- Travellers Rest Hotel – Walter Baumgärtel's historic hotel in Kisoro town, a base for gorilla researchers including Dian Fossey in the 1960s.
From these lodges you can track gorillas or golden monkeys, hike a volcano and meet Batwa communities. Gorilla permits, minimum ages and trekking rules are on our Uganda safaris page. We quote Mgahinga lodges as part of a tailor-made safari, not as standalone room-only bookings – plan your Mgahinga gorilla trek with us.
For the drier trekking months, see when to visit Uganda. Malaria risk is high throughout Uganda, Mgahinga included – read our Uganda malaria guide and malaria in Africa before you travel.
As of October 2026, the FCDO advises particular caution near the DRC border and notes that security personnel routinely accompany gorilla treks in Mgahinga. Conditions can change, so check the current FCDO regional risks for Uganda before you travel.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Lodges and Hotels
Mount Gahinga Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Stone bandas with papyrus roofs, fireplaces and verandas face the Virunga volcanoes at Mount Gahinga Lodge, close to the Mgahinga park entrance. Gorilla treks start on the lodge's private footpath into the park, with golden monkey tracking, volcano hikes and the Gahinga Batwa Village close by.
Travellers Rest Hotel
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Walter Baumgärtel ran Travellers Rest Hotel in Kisoro town in the 1950s and 1960s, when Dian Fossey and other gorilla researchers stayed here. Today it is a historic, mid-range base for Mgahinga gorilla and golden monkey treks, with views towards the Virunga volcanoes.
Mgahinga Gorilla National Park Lodges FAQ
Where are the Mgahinga lodges?
Mount Gahinga Lodge sits just outside Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, in the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes close to the park entrance, with its own footpath into the park for gorilla treks. Travellers Rest Hotel is in Kisoro town, further away, so guests are driven to the park. Every trek starts with a ranger briefing.
Mount Gahinga Lodge or Travellers Rest Hotel – which should I choose?
Choose Mount Gahinga Lodge if gorilla trekking is the priority, and Travellers Rest Hotel if you prefer a simpler mid-range hotel in Kisoro with a long gorilla-tracking past. Mount Gahinga's rate covers full board, most drinks, laundry and massages (subject to availability); a separate community and conservation fee applies, and gorilla permits are extra.
What are the rooms like at Mount Gahinga Lodge?
Rooms at Mount Gahinga Lodge are hand-built stone bandas with papyrus roofs, each with an en-suite bathroom, a fireplace and a private veranda facing the Virunga volcanoes. Two are deluxe bandas. The lodge stands at 2,285 m, so evenings are cool and the fires earn their keep.
Why is Travellers Rest Hotel famous?
Travellers Rest Hotel is known for its gorilla history. Walter Baumgärtel, who owned it in the 1950s and 1960s, began taking guests to see mountain gorillas from here, and the hotel became a base for researchers including George Schaller and Dian Fossey, who first stayed there in 1963.
What can I do from a Mgahinga lodge besides gorilla trekking?
Golden monkey tracking is the other headline primate trek in Mgahinga. Guests also hike the extinct volcanoes Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo, walk to the Kisozi caldera near Mount Gahinga Lodge, and visit Batwa communities, including the Gahinga Batwa Village supported by the lodge's owners, Volcanoes Safaris.
Map of Lodges in and around Mgahinga Gorilla National Park
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