A sophisticated and innovative luxury lodge adjacent to Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park
Six forest villas, each with a fireplace and a terrace with glorious views
Lounge, indoor/outdoor dining, bar, library, fireplace, wine cellar, and day room
Gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking, hike to Dian Fossey’s grave, nursery and reforestation projects, community visits, and wellness sanctuary experiences
As we would expect from a property in this location, activities at Wilderness Bisate focus on gorilla trekking, though guests may embark on golden monkey treks too, enjoy village visits, and even participate in some of the local conservation endeavours.
The north-eastern part of Rwanda is home to a remarkable cloud forest inhabited by approximately half the world’s remaining endangered mountain gorillas. Within Volcanoes National Park, there are 12 habituated groups of mountain gorillas – setting off from the park headquarters, guests are allocated one of these families. Viewing is restricted to 1 hour per day for any group, and it can take time to find the gorillas, so be prepared to walk through steep terrain! The amount of ground covered on a trek is not excessive, ranging from 1 to 8 kilometers, but the climbs can be challenging, often with wet, muddy ground underfoot. We think this is all worthwhile, though, as a close encounter with the gorillas is one of the most memorable wildlife experiences on Earth. Whether they’re resting, grooming, playing, or fighting, these guys will captivate you. Wilderness Bisate provides trekking gear, including backpacks, rain gear, garden gloves, long gaiters, and walking boots on request. There’s also a boot-cleaning service available.
Set off early in the morning for a golden monkey trekking adventure in Volcanoes National Park. It’s less strenuous than gorilla trekking, as these delightful, habituated primates live in large groups and can often be seen swinging from bamboo trees. If you’re feeling particularly energetic, you can also hike up Mount Bisoke – the views from the top are breathtaking!
Dian Fossey was an iconic American conservationist best known for her extensive studies on mountain gorillas. Embark on a beautiful but challenging walk from Wilderness Bisate to her grave, situated amid high-altitude rainforest with an elevation of some 3,000 meters. It’s next to the remains of her research center and some of her cherished gorillas’ graves.
During this experience, a Wilderness Bisate agronomist will show you around the tree nursery, where you’ll plant a sapling as part of the lodge’s reforestation project. The activity includes a visit to the Bamboo Greenhouse to see their indigenous tree nursery efforts.
Although gorilla trekking is the most popular activity in this region, local villages provide an insight into life outside the national park. This activity offers guests the chance to visit a nearby community and cooperative members, including the farmers who cultivate and sell their vegetables to Wilderness Bisate.
Visit Bisate’s exquisite wellness sanctuary for a range of restorative treatments, relaxing meditation pods, laps in the indoor saltwater pool, an expertly guided yoga class, or a revitalising plunge in the ice bath!
Wilderness Bisate is located on the outskirts of Volcanoes National Park in north-west Rwanda, near the small village of Ruhengeri. Guests arrive at Kigali International Airport and can either fly by helicopter to Bisate’s helipad (30-minute flight), a 5-minute drive from the lodge, or to Musanze (20-minute flight), followed by a 30-minute drive. Alternatively, it’s a 3-hour drive from Kigali.
Wilderness Bisate’s inviting main lodge includes an indoor/outdoor restaurant, where the inventive, beautifully presented cuisine deserves a special mention.
Wine cellar
Fireplace
Library
Massage treatments on request
Beneath the restaurant, there’s a wine cellar with an impressive collection available for tastings and pairings. The cozy lounge has a roaring fireplace, perfect for the cold mountain evenings, and the bar is a great spot to pull up a chair and get to know some of the wonderful staff members, many of whom are from the local village. There’s also a reference library with an excellent selection of reading material for those who wish to delve deeper into the region and its resident wildlife. The comprehensive wellness center is designed for pure relaxation, inviting guests to completely disconnect. This impressive retreat features a heated saltwater indoor lap pool, a steam room and ice bath, meditation pods, a fully equipped gym and yoga area, and body treatment rooms. There’s also Bisate’s Kwanda, a day lounge in the organic vegetable garden, where guests are invited to prepare for the next adventure at a leisurely pace. It offers a space to shower after a final trek, enjoy a delicious meal, or indulge in a massage treatment.
Guest accommodation at Wilderness Bisate consists of six beautifully appointed forest villas, designed in the spirit of the Rwandan building tradition and resembling bird nests suspended high in the trees.
Coffee machine
Mini bar
Fitness equipment
Ceiling fan
Fireplace
Freestanding bath
Flush toilet
Each dome-shaped villa has its own balcony with mesmerising views of six volcanoes, including Bisoke, Karisimbi, and Mikeno, often cloaked in mist at dawn. Inside, you’ll find a spacious but cozy open-plan bedroom-and-living area with a small reception area at the entrance for storing muddy trekking boots. The style is contemporary and chic, favouring parquet floors, basketry, upholstered furniture, and notes of emerald green. There’s a central fireplace, an electronic heater, a writing desk, a ceiling fan, a luggage rack, a gym-in-a-basket with a yoga mat, a resistance band, a skipping rope and weights, and two-way emergency radios. Each en-suite bathroom features a luxurious freestanding bath-tub with Africology bath products, a shower, double basins, heated towel rails, and a separate flush toilet. From coffee machines and well-stocked mini-bars, to the thoughtful selection of snacks, every detail has been carefully considered with maximum comfort in mind.
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