Virunga Lodge

Virunga Lodge is set on top of a high ridge with breathtaking views of the Virunga volcanoes and lakes Ruhondo and Bulera. The lodge is around three hours’ drive from Kigali, a hour from the Uganda border and around an hour from the start of the gorilla tracking activities in Parc National des Volcans.

Accommodation & Facilities
Eight large standard bandas are comfortably furnished and have sitting rooms, private en-suite bathrooms with inside and outside showers and water saving flushing loos. The two larger deluxe bandas, Ibiyaga and Ibirunga, have their own sitting room and fireplace, and a modern bathroom with an outside shower. The Virunga Lodge bandas all have a private verandah which, like the lounge, bar and dining room, looks across the valley with the lakes or volcanoes in the distance. The lodge has a spa which offers a variety of treatments and a sauna, and the Dian Fossey Map Room is an excellent place for learning more about this incredible region. Virunga Lodge runs entirely on solar electricity, giving guests 24 hour power. Guests should be aware that access to and from the lodge is via a sloping paved pathway.

Wildlife & Activities
Parc National des Volcans borders national parks in neighbouring Uganda and DR Congo and is named after the string of volcanoes which it encompasses. There are currently 12 habituated families of gorillas in PNV and gorilla tracking is the main reason most tourists visit this area. Aside from gorilla tracking, clients can climb the Visoke or Karisimbi volcanoes, track golden monkeys, visit the remains of the Karisoke Centre set up Dian Fossey, visit the Iby’Iwacu cultural village, walk to the Buhanga Sacred Forest, visit the Musanze Caves, or go for gentle strolls around the picturesque villages near the lakes. Guests can also visit the new Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund in Kingi.