Bisate Lodge, Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Bisate Lodge is one of the most extraordinary places to stay in Africa. Six thatched, spherical villas cling to the inside of an eroded volcanic cone on the edge of Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park, looking out over the forested slopes of Mount Bisoke, Karisimbi and Mikeno. Inspired by the traditional architecture of Rwanda's royal palace and run by Wilderness, it is an intimate, deeply soulful base for tracking mountain gorillas, and a pioneering reforestation project in its own right.

Location: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

The lodge sits on a steep hillside close to the park headquarters at Kinigi, where gorilla treks begin each morning, in the foothills of the Virunga volcanoes. It is about 105 kilometres from Kigali.

Volcanoes National Park protects the Rwandan side of the Virunga Mountains, a chain of eight volcanoes along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it is home to roughly a third of the world's mountain gorillas. Treks start each morning from the park headquarters at Kinigi, and visitors spend one precious hour with a habituated gorilla family; permits are limited and expensive, so they should be booked well ahead, and trekkers must be at least 15. The park is also home to rare golden monkeys, and a hike to the grave of the primatologist Dian Fossey, at her old Karisoke research camp, is one of the most moving experiences in Africa. Kigali International Airport is around two and a half hours away by road, through a landscape of terraced hills, and helicopter transfers are available.

Rwanda, the 'land of a thousand hills', is one of Africa's safest and best-organised countries to visit, and gorilla tourism is central to its conservation success: a share of permit revenue goes directly to communities around the park. Beyond the gorillas, visitors can hike to the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo, explore the Musanze caves, meet former poachers turned guides at the Iby'Iwacu cultural village, and, each September, watch the Kwita Izina ceremony, when newborn gorillas are given their names. Many travellers combine the volcanoes with chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest and a Big Five safari in Akagera National Park, and the Kigali Genocide Memorial is a moving and important visit in the capital.

Villas at Bisate Lodge

There are just six villas, each a dramatic thatched dome on stilts, designed by the Johannesburg architect Nick Plewman with a nod to the King's Palace at Nyanza. Inside, they are warm and atmospheric, with a central fireplace of volcanic stone, rich textiles, Rwandan crafts and imigongo, the traditional geometric art made from cow dung and natural pigments. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame the volcanoes, and on clear mornings you can see Bisoke's crater rising above the clouds.

With so few villas, the atmosphere is intimate and personal, and the staff, almost all from the surrounding communities, are known for their warmth.

Facilities at Bisate Lodge

The main lodge, another thatched dome, has a bar with an open fire, a lounge and a dining room, and rates are all-inclusive, covering meals, drinks, a short massage and activities around the lodge. The daily-changing menus use produce from the lodge's own gardens and local farms.

Bisate is also a conservation project: the hillside, once cleared for farming, has been replanted with more than 20,000 indigenous trees, and guests can plant their own during their stay. Walks around the reserve, visits to local villages and the community projects supported by the lodge are an important part of the experience. Gorilla permits are not included in the rate.

The mountain moment

The Bisate moment is the hour with the gorillas. After a climb through bamboo and nettles, you round a bend and find a family feeding quietly in the undergrowth: a huge silverback watching calmly, mothers grooming their young, a baby tumbling through the leaves a few metres away. Back at the lodge that evening, by the fire in your villa, with the volcanoes darkening outside, it is hard to talk about anything else.

Why Bisate Lodge is one of the best mountain hotels

Bisate earns its place for its architecture, its setting and its purpose. It is one of the most original lodges on the continent, an intimate base for one of the great wildlife encounters on Earth, and a genuine force for reforestation and community development. It is very expensive, the hillside paths are steep, and the climate is cool and often wet. But for a gorilla safari with soul, it is outstanding.

For a more classic luxury lodge nearby, see Singita Kwitonda Lodge. For gorillas in Uganda, try Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge.

When to go to Bisate Lodge

Gorilla trekking runs all year. The long dry season, from June to September, and the short dry spell from December to February bring easier trails and clearer views of the volcanoes, and are the busiest periods, so permits and rooms must be booked many months ahead. The wetter months of March to May and October to November bring muddier hikes and afternoon rain, but the forest is lush, there are fewer visitors and some lodges offer lower rates. Whatever the season, pack waterproofs, gloves for gripping vegetation and sturdy boots: treks can last anywhere from one hour to most of the day.

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