Access & Location
The house is accessed via the town of Ginseli or Kigali via aircraft flight or road transfer. It’s situated in the village of Ruhengeri, just 25 minutes’ drive from Volanoes National Park.
The Bishop’s House
High-quality accommodation just a 25-minute drive from Volcanoes National Park
Lounge, library, restaurant, bar, gift shop, spa services, and garden
Just nine en-suite guest rooms, each with an antique four-poster bed
Gorilla treks, golden monkey treks, Dian Fossey grave hike, volcano hikes, day visit to lakes Burera and Ruhondo, cave tours, cultural excursions to local villages
Our Yellow Zebra Opinion
-
Well-rounded and reliable
The Bishop’s House is the perfect base from which to trek the gorillas in nearby Volcanoes National Park. The property offers great value for money in what is a notoriously expensive destination, whilst its nine rooms ensure a tranquil, personalised stay.
Activities
The Bishop’s House offers an exciting variety of activities, as follows:
Expertly guided gorilla treks
Golden monkey treks
Visit to Dian Fossey's grave
Volcano hikes
Day visit to lakes Burera and Ruhondo
Tour of Musanze Caves
Tour of Iby'iwacu cultural village
Evening cultural talk
Evening guided walks to villages and Musanze town
-
The house is conveniently situated for access to Volcanoes National Park, the setting for gorilla treks. Within the park, there are ten habituated groups of mountain gorillas. It can take a few hours to locate a group, and the way through the forests can be challenging at times, but the experience of being in the presence of these majestic mammals is well worth the effort! Trekkers enjoy a whole hour in the gorillas’ company, to watch them eat, play, fight, groom, or rest together.
This activity is also accompanied by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. Golden monkeys might be significantly smaller than the mountain gorillas, but they’re just as thrilling to observe, with their sumptuous coats and intelligent faces.
Murdered in 1985 due to the success of her conservation work, American primatologist Dian Fossey is buried in a site within the midst of rainforest and surrounded by the graves of gorillas. While you are here, you could also visit the remains of Dian’s research center nearby.
The topography of Volcanoes National Park lends itself well to strenuous ascents! For example, you could climb Mount Bisoko – the views from the top are absolutely spectacular.
A trip to either or both of these lakes makes for a very relaxing day out, with plenty of opportunities to spot a fine assortment of waterbirds.
Situated just outside Ruhengeri, the caves were formed after various lava flows merged to create the Albertine Rift Valley. They’re fascinating to explore, not least for their bat populations.
This tour is perfect for travelers who like a little culture on vacation. It involves interactions with the local medicine man and dance performances by people from the area.
Offered free of charge, this talk is provided by The Bishop’s House’s own naturalist. It provides some interesting insights into the wildlife of Volcanoes.
Another activity included in the price of your stay, walks are highly recommended for getting to know the local culture. For further information about this, or anything else to do with staying at The Bishop’s House, please get in touch with a member of our team.
*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.
Make an EnquiryMake an EnquiryFacilities
The communal areas at The Bishop’s House include its comfortable lounge, which has plenty of well-cushioned seating around coffee and occasional tables, a cozy fireplace, a few intriguing artefacts, and a selection of reading material.
Restaurant
Bar
Lounge
Library
Gift shop
Spa services
The furnishings are fairly modern, but there’s a colonial flavor too. Double doors lead out onto a pleasant patio, where you can relax and soak up some sunshine. The house also contains a library, and a restaurant serving up the likes of full or continental breakfast, lavish lunches, and six-course dinners! There’s a well-stocked bar as well, in addition to a gift shop that’s great for browsing for souvenirs. The spa services on offer include a range of massages. Finally, you can also relax and perhaps enjoy a meal or two in the garden, which has a few tables-and-chairs set up under parasols amidst a few palm trees and colourful flowers.
Make an EnquiryAmenities
Guest accommodation consists of just nine rooms, all positioned within the house itself, which also contains all communal spaces.
Tea-and-coffee station
Mini-bar
Wi-Fi
Walk-in shower
Flush toilet
Family rooms
Accessible rooms
The main feature of every room is its antique four-poster bed with immaculately carved wooden headboard, which lends a colonial feel. Other furnishings include bedside stands and lighting, a writing desk and chair, a separate seating area, and ample storage units. Among the in-room amenities are a television, a telephone, a tea-and-coffee station, a mini-bar, a safe, and Wi-Fi. The en-suite facilities comprise flush toilet, twin washbasins with mirrors over, and walk-in shower. It’s possible to book connecting rooms, and access for wheelchair users is available. Please contact a member of the Yellow Zebra team to discuss the options in further detail.
Similar Lodges
-
Wilderness Bisate Reserve
From $3,550 – $4,930 ppWilderness Bisate Reserve is the sister camp to the already iconic Wilderness Bisate. Tucked into the forest just outside Volcanoes National Park, this exceptional property offers an entirely private, exclusive base for your gorilla-trekking expedition. The…
-
Wilderness Sabyinyo
From $1,690 – $2,240 ppSabyinyo used to be the absolute go-to place for a luxury Rwanda gorilla-trekking experience. And today, although a couple of new and more exorbitant options have superseded it on the extravagance scale, it remains an impressive and wonderful lodge! It has a…
-
Virunga Lodge
From $1,310 – $2,370 ppVirunga Lodge has the wow-factor for its location alone – add gorillas and golden monkeys to the mix, plus all the other outstanding activities, and you have nothing short of a dream destination. A fab base for getting to know Volcanoes!
-
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
From $2,570 – $4,320 ppOne&Only Gorilla’s Nest provides a very luxurious base from which to head out on gorilla treks and other activities within the spectacular Volcanoes National Park! Gorilla’s Nest is part of the impressive portfolio of One&Only, which includes Yellow Zebra…
-
Five Volcanoes Boutique Hotel
From $340 – $480 ppFive Volcanoes is a brilliant base for exploring Volcanoes National Park – not only to check out the gorillas, but to see golden monkeys and enjoy canoeing and cycling too.
-
The Bishop’s House
From $910 – $910 ppIf you’re looking for excellent value accommodation not far from Volcanoes National Park, The Bishop’s House is well worth considering. With just nine rooms, it offers great service too. The Bishop’s House is privately owned and run. It was previously known…
-
Sambora Kinigi
From $730 – $820 ppSambora Kinigi is a charming boutique lodge just outside Rwanda’s rainforested Volcanoes National Park, making it an ideal base for gorilla trekking. The guest experience here is warm and welcoming, with staff delivering a high level of service while…
-
Singita Kataza House
Enquire for pricing Contact Us for pricing detailsThe latest offering from luxury safari company Singita, Kataza House is a top-end exclusive-use house just outside the spectacular Volcanoes National Park! An amazing range of activities will be possible, from gorilla treks to local tours.
Talk to someone who’s been there
Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.As Seen In
