Agnes Tumuhairwe
Lodge Manager
Born in Ruhija, trained in Kampala, back home since 2018. Knows every guest's tea order by the second morning.
Ruhija, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
About the Lodge
Built by hand, staffed almost entirely from the villages along this ridge, and run on the belief that the forest is worth more standing.
Our story
The closest thing to sleeping in the forest
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.
Ruhija sits at the eastern edge of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, higher and quieter than the better-known Buhoma sector. For years, visitors drove past it on the way somewhere else. We built here because this is where the forest is closest — and because the families who live on this ridge deserved a reason for the forest to be worth protecting.
Everything you eat is grown within a few kilometres or bought at the Kabale market on the way up. Our guides grew up walking these trails. The wood in your cottage came from managed eucalyptus plots, never from the park.
What we care about
A lodge with a reason to exist
Community first
Nineteen of our twenty-two staff live within an hour's walk. A share of every stay funds the Ruhija primary school and the community forest scouts.
Light on the ridge
Solar-first power, rainwater harvesting, no single-use plastic, and a kitchen garden that supplies most of what lands on your plate.
Honest hosting
We will tell you when a trek is likely to be hard, when the road is bad, and when another lodge suits you better. It has never cost us a guest.
2016Opened
22Staff
19From Ruhija
4.9Average rating
The people here
Who'll look after you
Robert Byamukama
Head Guide
Nine years walking these trails and a UWA-certified birding guide. Has found the African green broadbill more times than anyone else on the ridge.
Chef Moses Karamagi
Head Chef
Trained in Mbarara, cooks from the garden, and takes personal offence if you come back from a trek and are not hungry.
Guest reviews
What people say afterwards
★★★★★
“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.”
We'd love to host you
Proudly community-owned. A share of every stay supports Ruhija's schools and forest scouts.
Check availability