Ruhija · Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
A hand-built lodge of stone, timber and firelight, minutes from the Ruhija gorilla trekking trailhead in south-western Uganda.
Welcome to Ruhija
Ruhija Gorilla Lodge sits at 2,350 metres on a ridge above the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, looking out over a canopy that has stood for more than 25,000 years. Our cottages are built from local stone and eucalyptus by craftsmen from the surrounding villages, warmed every evening by a fire lit before you return from the trail.
Around the lodge
Trekking days are long, muddy and wonderful. What you come home to matters just as much — a hot shower, a proper dinner, a drink by the fire and a bed that swallows you whole.
Where you'll sleep
Twelve stone-and-timber cottages spread along the ridge, each with its own veranda facing the forest. Every rate is full board, and the fire is lit before you get back.
Standard Cottage
Our original stone cottages: a comfortable double or twin, an en-suite with a proper hot shower, and a veranda that looks straight into the tree line.
Deluxe Cottage
Larger cottages set at the far end of the garden, with a king bed, a sitting area, a private fireplace and a wide veranda facing the …
Family Cottage
Two connected bedrooms sharing a lounge with its own fireplace — built for families and for two couples travelling together.
The reason you came
Ruhija is the high-altitude sector of Bwindi, home to four habituated gorilla families — Bitukura, Oruzogo, Kyaguriro and Mukiza. Briefing is at 7:30am at the ranger post, a five-minute drive from your veranda, which means you sleep in while everyone else is still on the road from Buhoma.
Beyond the gorillas
The Mubwindi Swamp trail is one of the finest birding walks in Africa, with 24 Albertine Rift endemics …
Shorter walks along the forest edge and the old research trails — waterfalls, colobus monkeys, and the plants …
Walk down into the village with one of our staff: the school, the tea plots, the weaving group, …
The lodge in pictures
Guest reviews
“We arrived filthy and exhausted after seven hours on the trail and someone took our boots, handed us tea and pointed at the fire. The gorillas were extraordinary but it is the lodge I keep describing to people.”
“Ruhija is a five-minute drive from the briefing point, which meant a 6:45 start rather than the 5am everyone staying at Buhoma was facing. Worth choosing for that alone. The deluxe cottage was better than hotels we've paid twice as much for.”
“Came for the birding, stayed an extra two nights. Our guide found the green broadbill on the second morning and I don't think I've ever seen a guide so pleased for a guest.”
“Travelling with three children, two of them too young to trek. The team organised a school visit, a baking afternoon and a forest-edge walk so we could go without any guilt. Thoughtful in a way you cannot fake.”
“The drive from Kabale is longer and rougher than we expected — take the 4×4. Everything from the moment we arrived was faultless. Ask for the deluxe cottage at the far end.”
“Came in the rains, which everyone warned us against, and had the forest almost to ourselves. Muddy, green and unforgettable. The fire in the lounge did the rest.”
From the journal
Permits for Bwindi sell out six to twelve months ahead in high season. Here is what they cost, who can buy them, …
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Gaiters, gloves and a rain shell will change your day. A drone, a tripod and new boots will ruin it. Our head …
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Twenty-four Albertine Rift endemics, the African green broadbill, and a swamp trail that punishes your knees and rewards everything else.
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Ready when you are
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are. We'll come back within twelve hours with availability, permit options and a straight answer about the drive.
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