Guests at Mountain Gorillas Nest Lodge often opt for a four-night stay as it allows them a day to acclimatise to the altitude and to take the easy hike to see the golden monkeys; as well as to more days to do proper hiking excursions into the mountains to properly observe the amazing mountain gorillas in their natural habitat – an unspoilt glimpse of some of the most gentle creatures in Africa.
Located 2 kilometres west of the Kinigi Park headquarters, Mountain Gorillas Nest has a magnificent rural setting and is the perfect starting point for gorilla tracking.
Consisting of 43 simple hotel-style rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms with hot showers, each of the comfortable rooms is set among verdant gardens and tall trees, and some even have views of the nine-hole golf course at the back of the lodge. Apart from that, all the rooms face the nearby Eucalyptus forest and shambas (farms) beyond – adding to the rustic charm. Constructed in traditional Rwandese style, the roofs of the building are grass covered and the delightful clubhouse is just the place to enjoy refreshing drinks and tasty snacks after a long day of hiking and exploring.
Gorilla Nest is also quite close to the entrance of Parc National des Volcans in northern Rwanda and on a clear day, views across to these volcanoes can be truly spectacular. Parc National des Volcans borders national parks in neighbouring Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo and was named after the range of volcanoes it encompasses. Its also the park in which Dian Fossey did her groundbreaking studies into mountain gorillas (the subject of the movie Gorillas in the Mist).
Currently, there are five habituated gorilla families in the park and they are the main reason why tourists visit the area. But apart from them, there are also seventy-six mammal species, including the much-touted troop of habituated golden monkeys. This means that a guided nature walk at Mountain Gorillas Nest Lodge is a must, as are climbs of the volcanoes and a visit to Fosseys grave.
