Kyambura Gorge Lodge

All the luxury bandas at Kyambura Gorge Lodge are unique and authentic, with either iron-sheet or thatched roofs, and all are built in a style which reflects the local architecture. Deluxe bandas are available, and these are perfect for couples on honeymoon or families. The bandas are all spacious and bright, with wide windows flooding the room with light and affording beautiful views of luscious green trees and rolling grasslands.

All rooms have a modern feel, with polished wooden floors and four poster beds, draped with mosquito netting. Art work and features of the room celebrate local heritage with a modern twist, making the rooms feel luxury and traditional. All bandas come with an ensuite bathroom which includes a double vanity, a flushing toilet and a shower. Every banda includes personal butler service for all guests, to cater to your every needs, whether that be grabbing you an extra towel or bringing you a refreshing drink for you to enjoy on the private balcony, which overlooks the diverse and luscious landscape.

The dining area of Kyambura Lodge is traditional and authentic, with wood and wicker features running throughout. Guests can gather here for mealtimes, enjoying fresh and delicious food, which is lovingly made with local ingredients. After dinner, a drink can be enjoyed from the bar while guests wind down from a long day of exploring.

Chimpanzee Tracking is one of the most exciting and unique activities offered from the lodge. Hike to the sunken forest in the gorge and spend some time in the company of these magnificent creatures whilst they go about their day to day lives. This activity is also an adventure, as guests have to make use of natural log bridges and descend the steep gorge too.

Guests have the opportunity to visit some of the ecotourism projects which Kyambura Gorge Lodge have been a part of. A 2-hour guided walk with a local guide will take you through a reclaimed area of wetland which is in the middle of regenerating back to the natural wetland it should be, after being purchased by Volcanoes Safaris. Or guests can go on a 3 hour guided walk along the Kyambura Gorge Buffer, which was also purchased to create a buffer between humans and the wild animals, and see the 3000 indigenous trees which have been planted. And guests can help in the tree planting project, as whilst on the walk through the buffer you will be encouraged to plant a tree and participate in this project.

With the Queen Elizabeth National Park close by, a whole world of adventures opens up. Guests can go on a game drive through the great national park which has a stunning amount of biodiversity and wildlife. From the comfort of a vehicle, guests may see leopards or the famous tree climbing lions – who are unique to this national park – in their natural habitat. Guests will also have the opportunity to join a researcher on his drive through Queen Elizabeth National Park and record the behaviour and location of the lion pride which he is studying.

With a pair of binoculars, guests of Kyambura Gorge Lodge may be able to enjoy a spot of birding even from their own balconies. Uganda has over 1000 bird species, with 150 being exclusive to Uganda. On a guided walk or game drive keep your eyes peeled for some of these amazing birds and you may be able to see African skimmers, papyrus gonoleks, blue quails, speckled pigeon or a variety of doves.

With a pair of binoculars, guests of Kyambura Gorge Lodge may be able to enjoy a spot of birding even from their own balconies. Uganda has over 1000 bird species, with 150 being exclusive to Uganda. On a guided walk or game drive keep your eyes peeled for some of these amazing birds and you may be able to see african skimmers, papyrus gonoleks, blue quails, speckled pigeon or a variety of doves.

Take part in a tour of the local community coffee cafe and women’s coffee cooperative, where you can see how the coffee beans in turned into aromatic coffee, with a sample at the end. The coffee is available at the end of the tour to purchase which helps to support members of the local community.

Every guest receives a complimentary 30 minute massage as part of their stay, this is the perfect way to relive tensions or to relax after a long day of hiking. Also available at the lodge is a saltwater swimming pool. Escape the heat of the afternoon by catching a resifting dip in the sparkling waters.

Volcanoes Safaris was founded by Praveen Moman in 1997, and since then has been “at the forefront of reviving gorilla tourism in Uganda and Rwanda.” In Uganda specifically, Volcanoes Safari was the first to build “simple camps” in and around the areas where there are gorilla parks. The first was Mount Gahinga, followed by Bwindi Lodge and later Kyambura Gorge Lodge, and throughout the past twenty years the properties have been improved as the region has received more attention. Hitting another milestone in 2000, Volcanoes Safaris “became the first international safari company to take clients to Rwanda.” Helping to start gorilla tourism in Rwanda Volcanoes Safaris started the BLCF Partnership Project to help save the great apes.

Volcanoes Safaris have been recognised in their conservation efforts, being awarded the ‘Travel and Leisure Global Vision in 2012, and the Condé Nast Travel World Savers award in 2013. The founder was asked to join the ‘Congo Basin Forest Partnership’ in 2013, “which promotes sensitive economic development of the forests of Central Africa.” Volcanoes Safaris vision for the past twenty years has been clear in their cultural sensitivity, how they “connect to the local community”, their conservation projects and responsible use of resources.

With a strong emphasis on community, in 2009 The Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust was established. This organisation is non-profit and works to connect luxury lodges in Rwanda and Uganda “to the neighbouring communities and conservation activities.” Volcano Safaris funds the ‘VSPT’, $100 is contributed “from safari bookings, as well as private donations by guests and others.” One of the main reasons VSPT was set up was to help with conservation efforts, work with local communities and to restore the natural habitats of the areas in which they operate; they aim for these projects to be “long-term and self-sustaining.”

To help empower and support local communities, most of the 150 staff members who are employed at Volcanoes Safari Lodges in Uganda and Rwanda are from the region. Local employment throughout all levels of the company is “a key aspect of Volcanoes’ philosophy”. Training programmes benefit staff from Rwanda, Uganda, DRC and Burundi and help to empower local people and the local communities.

Since 2009, this project has taken many steps and created many initiatives to “safeguard the Kyambura Gorge ecosystem.” Currently the VSPT and Volcanoes Safaris are the second largest stakeholders in the local Gorge ecosystem, just behind the Ugandan Wildlife Authority. To reduce the threat to the ecosystem and the chimps the VSPT has helped “link Kyambura Gorge Lodge to the local community and promotes sustainable ecotourism and conservation” in this area. Volcanoes Safaris and the VSPT have gone to local schools to educate them in the benefits of tourism and the importance of the wildlife in the Gorge.

Since 2009, the VSPT “has worked on purchasing the 3km long buffer sling the northern part of the Gorge.” The purchase was completed by 2018 and guests can go on a guided walk which showcases the land buffer which is the result of this project and the communities around it. So far “approximately 3000 indigenous trees have been planted in the Kyambura Buffer area.” When four chimps were born in 2018, a naming ceremony was held by the VSPT at Fig Tree Camp to celebrate the valuable additions to the small population of just 27 chimpanzees.

As a key philosophy of VOlcanoes Safaris, it is not surprising to hear that Kyambura Lodge has their own set of community initiatives. One such initiative is the ‘Kyambura Women’s Coffee Cooperative’ which was created to help “provide vocational training to women” and to create a sustainable income for them, each woman not only supports herself but also supports her family, and 11 local women and their families are involved in this cooperative.

This initiative also helps support vulnerable women as “at least 30% of the group is HIV positive and many are widowed.” Sustainable as well as eco-friendly the women do everything from tending the beans to selling the coffee. The community Cafe works in partnership with the coffee cooperative and helps train “local youths, both male and female, who are disadvantaged as a result of the loss of parents, HIV/AIDS, or physical or mental disabilities.” The VSPT takes ten interns in each quarter, and provides practical experience for the job opportunities in the region and empowers the interns by “providing training for a sustainable livelihood.”

Another community initiative is the ‘Kyambura Drama and Dance Group’, this is for people from disadvantaged families and currently has 30 members. Not just a fun activity for the local community, it is also educative, by performing “educational plays about conservation and HIV/AIDS awareness” to people from the local village as well as guests of Kyambura Lodge. The VSPT purchased land near Kyambura Gorge Lodge and a playground was built by local members of the communities. The area is safe, creating an environment where children can play football, netball or for school fitness lessons. The VSPT has sponsored uniforms for the local sports teams, and the park is “a focal point for the local community.”

Another main aim of Volcanoes Safaris and the VSPT is conservation of the areas in which they operate. In 2012, members of the ‘Omumashaka Bee Keepers Co-Operative’ were taught skills and gained practical training to help them become commercial beekeepers. The hives from this project don’t just provide the locals and international visitors with honey, but are arranged so as to act as a fence between farmland and wild land, “helping to deter elephants from raiding the crops and reducing human-wildlife conflict.” The VSPT also works in partnership with the Mvule Trust and between them have “constructed a tree nursery and conservation outreach program in the Kyambura area” near Kyambura Gorge Lodge.

The aim of this tree nursery is to plant 400,000 indigenous trees to help rebuild the natural resources which have been depleted over the years. The forestry team also lead education programmes “so that children may learn the importance of trees and how to plant and care for them.” 45-acres of wetland has also been secured by the VSPT south of Kyambura Gorge Lodge to help the area regenerate “back to its natural state”, this project has been extremely successful so far with 200 species of bird, mammals and primates repopulating the site.

Solar power energy is used wherever possible at Volcanoes Safaris lodges. This minimises the carbon footprint of the lodges, as the natural resource of sunlight is harvested, instead of fossil fuel power generators. The lodges also reduce, reuse and recycle, by harvesting rain water and “recycling water and waste water when possible.”