Perched on a ridge, Kibale Lodge overlooks the Rwenzori Mountains and the plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Opened in July 2024, it is Volcanoes Safaris’ newest eco-luxury lodge in Uganda.
The retreat features eight hand-built luxury bandas created by local artisans in the company’s signature Afro-chic style. Guests experience Batooro hospitality, personal butler service, restorative spa treatments, and locally inspired dishes such as Filinda.
Set within 150 acres of regenerating hillsides near Fort Portal, the lodge offers easy access to Kibale Forest. It is known as the Primate Capital of the World and offers exceptional chimpanzee trekking, birdwatching, and hiking. Kibale Lodge combines refined comfort, meaningful cultural experiences, and long-term conservation.
Their story
Praveen Moman founded Volcanoes Safaris in 1997. The company has pioneered gorilla and chimpanzee ecotourism in Uganda and Rwanda for more than 25 years. Its lodges celebrate local culture while supporting conservation and creating economic opportunities for nearby communities.
Kibale Lodge reflects the company’s barefoot luxury philosophy and the cultural heritage of the Great Lakes region. Local artisans constructed the lodge by hand using design elements inspired by regional traditions. Volcanoes Safaris promotes environmental responsibility, staff development, community partnerships, and wildlife conservation through responsible tourism. Read more about them.
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Sustainability actions
Lowest impact construction and operation
- The lodge is hand-built in the renowned Volcanoes “Afro-chic” style by an in-house team of 400 African artisans, engineers, builders (“fundis”), decorators, and upholsterers.
- Features include locally crafted furniture by head carpenter Joseph Nsabimana and custom upholstery by Wycliffe Tuyambaze.
- The construction prioritizes a handmade, improvised design (“kienyeji”) using regional techniques.
- Rooms are designed with natural ventilation, utilizing fans instead of energy-intensive air conditioning.
Highest level of energy efficiency
- Kibale Lodge utilizes a blended energy system consisting of solar power, a generator, and main grid power.
- To minimize environmental impact and energy consumption, the lodge relies heavily on solar energy where possible.
Pioneer in waste management
- Kibale Lodge works to minimize its ecological footprint by harvesting rainwater and recycling both water and wastewater when possible.
- Additionally, the lodge strictly avoids the use of any unnecessary single-use plastics throughout the property.
Using organic and chemical-free products
- The lodge offers locally inspired food menus that showcase traditional delicacies of the region. A highlight is Filinda, a classic Batooro marriage ceremony dish made with slow-cooked beans, served with steamed kalo (millet bread) or matooke (bananas), and accompanied by groundnut sauce and dodo (steamed greens).
Actively protects nature and community
- Kibale Lodge is deeply engaged in conservation and community work. Lead botanist Celine Ishimwe and her team have planted over 200,000 indigenous plant seedlings across 23 acres of their 150-acre site for reforestation.
- The lodge works with the Jane Goodall Institute on the Roots and Shoots school program and women’s conservation leadership.
- They co-founded the Albertine Apes Alliance to promote responsible chimpanzee and gorilla ecotourism.
- Cultural partnerships include displaying Ugandan clan sculptures from the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation and building a vocational center at Sadhguru School.
- Additionally, $50 per guest night is donated to the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT), and a local youth guide-training program is hosted on-site.
Most Popular Activities Near Kibale Lodge
- Chimpanzee trekking in Kibale Forest
- Chimpanzee habituation experiences
- Guided birding walks around Lake Lugembe and the 150-acre lodge site
- Birding at Bigodi Wetland Swamp
- Fireside chats with primatologists from the Kibale Chimpanzee Project
- Visits to local schools participating in the Roots and Shoots program
- Visits to the Rwenzori Sculpture Foundation
- Visits to the Sadhguru School and its vocational center
- Participation in the Tree Nursery and Reforestation Project
- Hiking in the Rwenzori Mountains
Best Time To Visit Kibale Lodge
- The best times to visit Kibale Lodge are during the dry seasons, from December to February and from June to September. These months offer the most comfortable conditions for chimpanzee trekking, birdwatching, and hiking.