Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, Bwindi Forest
Clouds mountain gorilla lodge is a luxury lodge situated on a remote spectacular site in Nkuringo village, near one of the sectors of Bwindi impenetrable national park which was also named Nkuringo. It sits at an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level in the clouds. While at this lodge you feel fully immersed in a typical wildlife area as you view the Virunga volcanoes, the surrounding smaller hills and the Bwindi impenetrable forest behind the locality.
Besides its location on a hill, Clouds mountain lodge is unique and attractive to stay at because of the material used in building, that is the local volcanic stone and general set up of the entire lodge. The main building is wide and filled with large sofa chairs where visitors relax and from any side of the room, you have breathtaking landscapes to view.
From this lodge, you can easily link to Nkuringo Gorilla trailhead for gorilla trekking. Gorillas at this sector are quite challenging to spot and you need to be physically fit. Some tourists prefer such because of the experience they wish to get. There is an option of trekking for the gorillas in Rushaga sector, about an hour drive from Nkuringo. Here, it is easier to trek.
Clouds mountain gorilla lodge is a famous lodge in Uganda as far as tourism is concerned and it has won several Awards both locally and internationally and has been featured in Conde Nast Travel Magazine because of its uniqueness.
The lodge has ten cottages all built of the volcanic stone. Each of them has a living room and a fire place to provide warmth when it is very cold. Two of the have living rooms and the other eight are very well set and comfortable and spacious. The main building has a lounge area with large sofa chairs and a fire place, a dining area and a bar. While you stay in theses cottages, there are maids and butlers that will attend to you, they will keep your rooms clean and organized and many other requirements.
In addition to the great site of location and the material used for building, the lodge displays beautiful art work of sculptures and drawings that are made by the people in the local communities.
It is amazing to stay at a place where you can clearly watch the rainforest which harbors about a half of the total population of the mountain gorillas remaining in the whole world. Gorillas here are gentle and majestic. The forest is also a home to chimps, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and L’Hoest’s monkeys and about 350 species of birds.
Everything at Clouds mountain gorilla lodge is enjoyable starting from the spectacular views while at the lodge, the serenity of the rooms and environment, the foods and al dishes prepared, the kind people that attend to visitors and the exciting evenings when the local traditional dancers entertain you with thunderous dances of the inhabitants in the region.
Things to do and see while at clouds mountain gorilla lodge
The prime activity of visitors who stay here is Gorilla trekking. Nkuringo is one of the four sectors where to trek for mountain gorillas and the trailhead on this side is just a few meters from the lodge. Just as earlier said, those who prefer a smother trek and those who want to go for the gorilla habituation experience will trek in the nearby sector- Rushaga.
While staying at Clouds mountain gorilla lodge, you can engage in the Buninga Batwa forest walk which is led by the Batwa who were also the original inhabitants of Bwindi forest. They lived there as gatherers and hunters. You’ll visit their villages and the Bakiga communities and learn about their lifestyle and culture.
Getting to Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge
You can get to Clouds mountain gorilla lodge by driving from Kampala or flying from Entebbe to Kisoro and then connect to Nkuringo. Driving from Kampala to Kisoro takes about 8-9 hours. By flight, you’ll land at Kisoro airport which is located near Bwindi. Aerolink is the main airline company famous for local transfers and it conducts daily flights from Entebbe to Kisoro.
From Rwanda, driving from Kigali takes about 4 hours and there is also an alternative of flying from Kigali international airport to Kisoro.
Adventure in the wild safaris is tour operator specializing in Bwindi Gorilla and Uganda wildlife safaris. We offer a wide range of Gorilla trekking and wildlife safari packages at affordable rates with a focus on delivering high quality services for all travelers who book their trips with us.
