Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda
Wilderness Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
Your home away from home beneath the mountains
Views of the Virunga Massif will have you spellbound here, as this cosy lodge sits within the foothills of some of Rwanda’s highest mountains. With just six stone cottages, each with bright airy decor that complements the natural surroundings, this lodge is an intimate place to hide away between adventures in the surrounding jungles.
Whether it’s gorilla trekking or golden monkey tracking, or perhaps a cultural visit to nearby villages, your days here will always be enthralling. Return to the lodge and you can opt for a soothing massage to repair aching muscles after long hikes, or relax in the comfort of your cottage by the warming fire. If you prefer to stay put, you can wander the beautiful gardens and see endemic Rwandan birdlife within the lodge’s grounds.
With low-impact food on the agenda, you’ll dine on fine food made with vegetables from the lodge’s own gardens. Expect traditional Rwandan meals with sweet potato and plantain at its heart, each with its own modern twist invented by the creative chefs. And you’ll rest easy at night knowing this lodge is a community-owned endeavour, empowering locals to engage with the country’s popular gorilla tourism industry.
Highlights
Community-owned lodge
Cottage with views over the volcanoes
Direct access to Volcanoes National Park for gorilla trekking
In-room massage
Local village visits
Organic vegetable garden on-site
Traditional cuisine served throughout your stay
The impact of your stay:
- Wilderness Sabyinyo, Rwanda’s inaugural community-owned lodge, partners closely with the Sabyinyo Community Livelihood Association to drive social empowerment and conservation in the surrounding areas. Employing local staff and sourcing crafts locally, the lodge is dedicated to enhancing the region’s economic sustainability.
- Situated near Volcanoes National Park in north-western Rwanda, Sabyinyo Lodge rests in the foothills of the Virunga Massif – a chain of eight volcanoes housing endangered mountain gorillas. Through a gorilla habitat expansion and reforestation project, Wilderness Sabyinyo plays a vital role in revitalising the indigenous landscape, promoting the resurgence of gorilla populations in the region.
- In collaboration with Rushubi Primary & Secondary School near Sabyinyo and Volcanoes National Park, Wilderness has initiated successful eco-club programmes. These initiatives provide students a platform to deepen their environmental knowledge, while the partnership improves the school’s learning environment through initiatives like solar electricity, vegetable gardens, libraries, rainwater harvesting systems, and essential repairs and maintenance.
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Places to combine Wilderness Sabyinyo Lodge with
Akagera National Park
In the north-eastern section of Akagera National Park you’ll find Wilderness Magashi Camp overlooking the stunning Lake Rwanyakazinga. The camp is surrounded by some of East Africa’s most beautiful savannah, lakes, swamps and rolling grasslands.
The camp, with design and interiors inspired by traditional Rwandan culture, boasts six spacious tents with lake views. When you’re not enjoying the solitude of your airy tent, relax in the luxurious lounge, enjoy a meal in the dining and bar area. The pool is the ideal place to cool off after a busy day of game viewing and birdwatching, and evenings are best spent on the deck around the fire pit.
The region is also home to one of the continent’s largest hippo populations, as well as crocodiles. You’ll also find the rare sitatunga and other plains game here as well as over 520 different species of bird. After a 20-year absence, lions were reintroduced to the area in 2015, and the population today is thriving. Black rhino were reintroduced in 2017.
