One&Only Gorilla’s Nest sits among swaying eucalyptus trees at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes, close to the entrance of Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda. The setting puts the country’s celebrated mountain gorillas within easy reach, while the wider landscape of volcanic peaks, cultivated farmland and forest gives every day a strong sense of place. It is a base built for one of the great wildlife experiences in Africa.
Opened in 2019 and run by One&Only Resorts, the lodge is made for travellers who want a serious gorilla-trekking base without giving up comfort. Free-standing lodges and suites are spread across the grounds, each private enough that the birds are often your only company on the balcony, with the volcanoes filling the view beyond. The pace is calm, the service is close, and the forest is never more than a few steps away.
The rhythm here is shaped by the forest. Mornings begin early, with guides and trackers preparing you for the walk into the park before the day fully wakes. Afternoons turn to the spa, the gardens or the wide views of the volcanoes from your deck. It is an unhurried place to recover between the demands of trekking at altitude, and a comfortable one to plan the next day’s walk over dinner.
The gorillas are the reason you come, but the quiet between treks is what stays with you.
Service is the part guests tend to remember most. The team know the park and its rangers well, and handle your timings and transfers so your only job is to be ready at the trailhead. One&Only Gorilla’s Nest works equally well for couples on a focused trekking trip and for small family groups, with the Virunga landscape giving reasons to stay longer.
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest occupies a sprawling site at the base of the Virunga volcano range, framed by eucalyptus woodland, cultivated gardens and the slopes of Volcanoes National Park. The 21 lodges and suites are raised among the trees, with volcanic stone, gas fireplaces, large soaking tubs and broad balconies that look out over the forest. Interiors lean on local craft and natural materials, so the buildings sit comfortably in their setting rather than competing with it.
Gorilla trekking is the reason most guests travel here, and the lodge is positioned for it. The team prepare you the evening before and handle the early start, so you reach the park ready to walk. The trek itself is led by national park guides and trackers, and brings you into the company of one of the area’s habituated gorilla families.
Few lodges put the mountain gorillas so close, or make reaching them so straightforward.
Beyond the gorillas, the days fill easily. Golden monkey tracking offers a second primate encounter in the same national park, while hikes on the volcanic slopes and visits tied to Dian Fossey’s research legacy give the landscape its history. Mountain biking, birdwatching and cultural visits round out the choice for those who want more than a single trek.
The spa draws on African botanicals and traditional healing, with treatments designed to ease tired legs after a day at altitude. Dining is farm-to-table, with seasonal menus built around produce from the lodge’s own garden and served at the restaurant and bar, the natural place to gather and trade stories at the end of the day.
The lodge is closely tied to the conservation of the gorillas and the park around it, and to the communities that border it. That connection runs through the guiding, the sourcing and the cultural welcome, and it is a large part of what makes a stay here feel rooted in Rwanda rather than placed on top of it.
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accommodation
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest holds an intimate collection of 21 lodges and suites, raised among the eucalyptus with volcano views. Each has volcanic stone detailing, a gas fireplace, a large soaking tub, an outdoor shower and a private balcony. Layouts range from king lodges to larger suites, suiting couples and small families.
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activities
Mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park is the centrepiece, with the park headquarters close by. Golden monkey tracking offers a second primate encounter, and the wider landscape adds volcano hikes, mountain biking, birdwatching, cultural visits and walks linked to Dian Fossey’s research legacy.
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conservation
The lodge is bound up with the protection of the gorillas and Volcanoes National Park, and with the communities along its edge. That commitment shows in the guiding, the farm-to-table sourcing from the lodge’s own garden and the cultural welcome, giving a stay here a genuine footing in northern Rwanda.
Get in touch and let’s start the conversation. An initial consultation helps us understand what you’re looking for, whether that’s specific experiences, luxury touches, or marking a special occasion, and from there we’ll guide you through what’s possible so you can decide if we’re the right fit.
One&Only Gorilla's Nest sits at the foot of the Virunga volcanoes, close to the entrance of Volcanoes National Park in northern Rwanda. You arrive into Kigali International Airport and transfer by road, a drive of roughly two and a half hours through the hills to the park. We arrange the transfer for you.
A private helicopter charter from Kigali is an option if you would rather not drive, cutting the journey to under an hour.
Yes. A gorilla-trekking permit from the Rwanda Development Board is required for everyone who walks in to see the mountain gorillas, and it is not part of what you pay the lodge. The price at the time of writing is 1,500 US dollars per person for one trek; please check the latest figure with us when booking, as the authorities set it and it can change. Permits are limited each day, so we secure yours in advance, particularly for the busy dry months.
You are allowed one hour with the gorillas in a group of eight, and trekkers must be at least fifteen years old. Reaching the family can take from one to several hours on steep forest paths. We recommend taking a porter from the trailhead to carry your daypack and lend a hand on the climb. Golden monkey tracking is a separate permit at a lower cost, which we are happy to add.
The park lies high in the mountains, at around 2,500 metres, and the cool air at that height keeps malaria-carrying mosquitoes scarce, so the risk is low. Low is not none. No part of Rwanda is classed as malaria-free, and the road up from Kigali runs through lower, warmer country where the risk rises.
The right precautions depend on your own history and on guidance that shifts year to year, so we always suggest confirming the current position with a travel clinic or your doctor before you travel, and covering up against bites after dark.
Expect cool, wet mountain forest and pack for rain and mud whatever the season. A waterproof jacket, sturdy hiking boots already broken in, and a pair of gardening gloves for gripping thorny and stinging vegetation are the core of it. Long trousers and long sleeves protect against nettles, and light layers cover mornings that begin cold and warm as you walk.
Rwanda has two rainy seasons, the longer from March to May and a shorter one around October and November, though rain can fall in any month at this altitude. Gaiters and a dry bag for your camera earn their place, and a porter hired at the trailhead can carry your pack.
Gorilla trekking carries a minimum age of fifteen, set by the park and applied at every lodge here, so it shapes any family visit to Volcanoes National Park. The lodge has larger suites that suit couples and small families, and younger children can stay while older members trek, but the trek itself is for fifteens and over.
Tell us the ages of your group and we will confirm the lodge's own policy for children and plan the days so everyone is occupied, from the trekkers to those staying behind.
For a single gorilla trek we recommend a minimum of two nights, one to arrive and prepare and a full day for the trek, which can run well into the afternoon. Many guests take three, which allows a second trek to a different family or simply time to enjoy the lodge and the spa between the demands of walking at altitude.
We will match the number of nights to how many treks you want and how the permits fall, and build the rest of Rwanda around it.
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