Virunga Lodge

40 minutes from park HQ, looking out over the Virunga Volcanoes.

There are eight stone bandas, with terracotta tiled roofs. They’re all spacious with en-suite bathrooms, eco-loos and solar-heated water and electricity.  Rooms are cosy, with polished wooden floors, mosquito nets draping over the beds, and stone verandahs outside for your morning coffee.

Food here is hearty and warming- exactly what’s needed after a hard day’s trekking. Aside from your morning tea or coffee, which is brought to your room with a gentle knock, and a large smile, all meals are eaten in the main lodge. This is the hub of Virunga. There’s a roaring fire to snuggle around at the end of the day, and a large communal dining table where guests swap photos and gorilla spotting tales.

The main lure to this lodge are, of course, the six habituated gorilla families that guests can visit. Trekking time ranges from 3-7 hours (on average) and guests spend up to an hour with the gorilla families.  Rangers will track the families to their nest each night, and pick them up in the morning before they move off. You can ask to be assigned to a close (or further away) group, depending on your fitness and desire for a good hike! If you’d like to stretch your legs still further there are several other good walks in the area, and a number of cultural activities, such as visiting nearby community projects, or seeing the traditional Intore dancers perform.