Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge

Remote, beautiful and intimate, Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge is situated in Nkuringo, bordering the southwestern corner of the Bwindi National Park. The lodge sits at 2100m with a sweeping view of
the Virunga Mountains and the Great Rift Valley.

The lodge was built in partnership with the local community of Nkuringo, the Africa Wildlife Foundation, and the International Gorilla Conservation Programme.

The main lodge has a reception, lounge (Wi-Fi access), dining area and balcony. The lodge has a country house feel, and the shared areas are spacious and comfortable. Eight en-suite cottages at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge have large private sitting rooms with a fireplace, overstuffed armchairs, and art commissioned from some of Uganda's best artists. Two cottages have two bedrooms and would suit families or small groups. The cottages are beautifully positioned looking out over the forested slopes in some of the rooms.

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge activities include gorilla trekking, forest walks, bird watching and cultural visits. The local community is an essential stakeholder in both the lodge and the forest and has, through the Nkuringo Community Development Foundation, led the way in making tracking the Nkuringa gorillas an enriching experience.

The Nkuringo gorilla family home range is around a 1.5-hour hike from the lodge (the starting point is directly outside of the lodge) depending on the movement of the group. There are currently an additional 5 other habituated gorilla families (Rushaga group) that are also easily accessible from Clouds (+/- 45 min drive to the starting point). Sitting with a wild group of Mountain Gorillas has to be one of the greatest life experiences you can have. It’s hard to point to any single factor that can explain it. It’s the sense of connection, a feeling of intimacy so raw and powerful when you sit with them. Their behaviour around us is so different to most other wild animals.

A standard Gorilla trek is a strenuous hike that can take anywhere from one hour to most of the day.

You will be tracking through thick forest at heights up to 3,000 metres, traversing steep-sided mountains – if the Gorillas are high, it can be arduous and wet. You must be fit, in good health, and adequately equipped. This is not a technical climb but it can be a scramble/slide/swing up steep inclines. You follow as the gorillas make their way through the forest; giant trees, clinging vines, and undergrowth add to the challenge of swift streams and slippery red mud underfoot. Where the gorillas go, you follow! The guides carry machetes to help clear a path when the undergrowth gets dense. Each visit is by permit and limited to one hour with the gorillas once you find them. You will be accompanied by a professional gorilla tracker who will coach you on the safety rules and body language required to come close to the gorilla troops.

We recommend staying 2 or 3 nights and doing two gorilla treks.

Gorilla permits are subject to availability and paid for in full at the time of booking. Please note the minimum age for gorilla permits is 15.