One&Only Gorillas Nest

For travellers wishing to reach the One&Only Gorilla’s Nest lodge by air, the closest major airport to the lodge would be Kigali International Airport, situated in the Kanombe sector at the eastern edge of Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.

After arrival at Kigali International Airport, travel time to the Gorilla’s Nest lodge is typically calculated at around 3 hours by car, although some sources have reported the drive time taking as little as 2 hours.

The Gorilla’s Nest lodge itself is uniquely situated just 5 minutes drive away from the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters where all gorilla treks set out from, which is located in the village of Kinigi near Musanze in Rwanda’s Northern Province. This makes Gorilla’s Nest one of the most convenient luxury bases to lodge at for easily accessible gorilla trekking.

The premium five-star One&Only Gorilla’s Nest lodge provides 21 awe-inspiring accommodations for guests to fully immerse themselves in. These are comprised of 14 rooms and 7 premium suites with their own defining designs and creature comforts.

• The Forest King Lodge / Forest Lodge King Suites
  These comfy, romantic, entry-level lodges often include an alfresco shower as part of their unique appeal.
• The Virunga Suite
  Designed to blend both indoor and outdoor living, this elegant suite features a private deck adorned with an open-air bathtub to enhance the experience.
• The Ingagi Suite
  Designed with an extended private space in full view of the magnificent surrounding flora, this generous lodging offers large living and dining areas and includes an outdoor bathtub or shower.
• The Silverback Suite (Presidential)
  This opulent presidential suite boasts its own dedicated open-air lounge and features a spacious barbecue terrace plus private fire-pit, perfect highlights for evenings spent this close to nature.

It’s worth noting that at Gorilla’s Nest Lodge, official check-in time is 13:00, while check-out is typically scheduled at 11:00 in the morning.

As a necessary operational requirement, all participants wishing to join the gorilla trekking activity must be no younger than 15 years of age.

This is owing to the physical fitness and behavioral maturity required for this type of excursion, as well as the health and disease prevention protocols stipulated for the safety and wellbeing of both the trekkers and the gorillas.

The Gorilla’s Nest lodge does conveniently provide an ample selection of trekking clothing and equipment to make the trekking experience as comfortable and pleasant as possible.

Additional excursion choices include:

• Informative visits to the grave of renowned American primatologist and conservationist, Dian Fossey, as well as exploring the ruins of her historic Karisoke research center.
• Rich cultural experiences like the Rhythms of Rwanda Experience, which showcases lively ethnic drumming and dancing by local performers.
• Extinct volcano hikes ascending the Muhabura, Sabyinyo, Gahinga, Karisimbi, or Bisoke volcanoes with some sublime crater lake viewing.
• Rwandan coffee tasting tours with electric mountain bikes provided to explore the coffee garden grounds at your leisure.

The Gorilla’s Nest lodge’s primary fine dining venue where meals are served is ‘Nest’, the lodge’s main restaurant and bar.

The delicious cuisine served here is prepared with only organic ingredients especially procured from the Chef’s Garden as well as from farms local to the area, while the menu itself, inspired by Rwanda’s rich heritage, changes daily to give guests a full range of local flavors to savor.

The Nest wine list, too, highlights Africa’s finest grape varietals, with premium wines being sourced from South Africa’s renowned Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Western Cape winelands regions.

Jack Hanna Cottage:

Former home of renowned wildlife expert Jack Hanna, this unique place in history has been fully restored to serve as a secluded guest facility.

It includes a bespoke games room, conservation focused library, plus fully equipped kitchen where interactive cooking classes with Executive Chef Brian can be enjoyed.

The venue can even be booked for private dining or cigar and whiskey experiences, should guests so wish.

All lodge rates at the Gorilla’s Nest are intended to be fully comprehensive whenever possible.

Booking rates generally include:

• Luxury accommodation in a private suite
• All meals for the duration of your stay
• Selected alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages during lunches and dinners
• Full access to Wi-Fi

Important exceptions to bear in mind:

• Some rates require a minimum of two nights per stay.
• Conservation Levies and Park Fees are not included and will be quoted separately.
• Childminding services will generally incur an additional cost.