Accommodation deep inside the forest of Kibale National Park
Comfortable lounge, restaurant, bar, craft shop, campfire area
Ten luxury cottages including five double, four twin, and one honeymoon cottage
Chimpanzee tracking, primate and forest walks, birding, visit to crater lakes, Bigodi Swamp walk
The trailhead for chimp tracking is close to the lodge, and the experience of coming face to face with man’s nearest relative is absolutely incredible!
In all, the rainforest is home to 13 species of primate, among them chimps, black-and-white colobus monkey, red colobus monkey, blue monkey, and L’Hoest’s monkey.
Forest and primate walks offer amazing opportunities to see all these remarkable creatures, in addition to bird highlights such as black-capped apalis, collared apalis, blue-headed sunbird, purple-breasted sunbird, dusky crimsonwing, and red-faced woodland warbler.
You can head out to the park’s crater lakes too, for breathtaking vistas across the water as far as the Rwenzori mountains beyond, while the Bigodi swamplands are also well worth a visit, for their wealth of wildlife.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.io
Primate Lodge may be accessed by light-aircraft flight followed by road transfer, or by road transfer alone. The drive from Kampala is approximately 5 hours, including the stretch of road from the center of Fort Portal to the lodge, which is 36 kilometres.
The communal buildings are located close to the Kanyanchu Visitors’ Center in Kibale.
Constructed from timber and stone, with either thatch or metal roofing, they provide many comfy spaces where travellers may relax and enjoy the forest scenery. The lounge contains plenty of well-cushioned seating as well as a small library, while the restaurant has elegant upright chairs flanking wooden tables and incorporates the lodge’s bar. There are charging facilities for electronic equipment and free Wi-Fi. There is also a craft shop and the grounds include a big stone fire-pit – perfect for gatherings with fellow travellers to swap stories about your days out in Kibale!
The ten luxury cottages of Primate Lodge are found nestled into the forest surrounding the main buildings.
Each is made out of timber, glass, stone, and thatch, blending beautifully with the natural setting. A ramp leads to the glass-panelled door, which opens to reveal a very spacious sleeping and living area. There is either a king-size bed or two double beds, with mosquito netting, bedside tables and lighting, snug rugs, a separate seating area, and ample storage space. An extra bed may be added to accommodate a child aged 3–12 years. En-suite facilities comprise a flush toilet, a large vanity unit with washbasin and mirror over, and a walk-in shower. The main room has sliding double doors out onto a veranda set with a couple of campaign chairs and a small table -this is ideal for enjoying a drink while marvelling at the forest surrounds.
The property was built under the management of Steve Williams, an Englishman who first laid eyes on Lake Kyaninga while walking through the region on his way to trekking gorillas in Kibale National Park. Immediately Steve saw the potential for a luxury lodge…
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