Virunga Lodge is the gorilla lodge to choose if you want a spectacular setting, everything included and a bill well below the top tier. Run by Volcanoes Safaris, it is perched high on a ridge with the Virunga volcanoes lined up on one side and the twin lakes of Burera and Ruhondo spread out below on the other. On a clear evening it is one of the great views in East Africa.
The lodge has just eight stone bandas with tile roofs, each with an en-suite bathroom and a private veranda. The style is bush-chic rather than lavish, built in a local idiom and powered by solar. Rates cover meals, unlimited drinks, laundry, activities around the lodge and a complimentary massage, which makes them easy to budget.
The trade-off is distance. Virunga Lodge sits farther from the park headquarters at Kinigi than the lodges clustered at the park gate, so trek mornings start earlier and involve more driving. It suits couples who value views, warmth and good value over the newest design. Couples who want a private pool or a full spa should look at the lodges right by the park.
Highlights at a glance
- Ridge-top views of the Virunga volcanoes and the Twin Lakes
- Only eight stone bandas
- Meals, unlimited drinks and laundry included
- One complimentary massage per guest
- Solar-powered with a bush-chic local style
Why Couples Love Virunga Lodge
The view is the reason. From the ridge you see the volcanoes of the Virunga chain in one direction and the two lakes, scattered with islands and terraced hills, in the other. Sunrise over the lakes and sunset behind the peaks bookend every day.
The lodge is small and personal. With only eight bandas, you get to know the staff and the other guests over dinner. The atmosphere is friendly rather than formal.
It also feels connected to Rwanda. Volcanoes Safaris has worked in the region for many years. The rooms reflect local building styles rather than an imported idea of luxury. For many couples that is the right feeling for a trip built around wildlife and the people who protect it.
The Bandas
There are eight stone bandas, four with double beds and four with twins, each named after a lake in the region. For a honeymoon, book a double. Each has an en-suite bathroom, mosquito nets and a private veranda for watching the view with a coffee or a glass of wine.
Deluxe bandas are available for a supplement of about $225 to $250 per night, depending on season. Ask the lodge what extra space and features they include. Also ask whether one with the best lake or volcano view is free for your dates.
The lodge runs on solar power with low-flush toilets. Wi-Fi is available in the main lodge building only, which many couples find a welcome excuse to disconnect. Nights are cool, so expect warm bedding and pack layers.
Food, Drink and Downtime
Meals are served in the main lodge, which looks out over the lakes. Dinners are relaxed and often shared with other guests.
The all-inclusive rate covers meals, unlimited alcoholic and soft drinks, laundry and activities around the lodge, plus one complimentary massage each. Schedule that massage for the afternoon after your first gorilla trek, when your legs will thank you.
There is no pool or full spa. Downtime here means reading on your veranda, walking the ridge paths and watching the light change over the water. On rest days, ask about the walks and activities the lodge runs nearby, which are included in the rate. It is a quiet, unhurried place, which suits the rhythm of early trek mornings and long, sleepy afternoons.
Why guests fall for it
Gorillas and Other Activities
Gorilla treks begin at the park headquarters at Kinigi, where visitors are assigned to a habituated family and spend about an hour with the gorillas once found. Permits cost about $1,500 per person and are sold separately; treat that figure as approximate and book well ahead, especially for the dry seasons.
Because the lodge is farther from Kinigi, plan on very early departures on trek days. Your guide will advise how long the drive takes on the day.
Other options include golden monkey tracking in the bamboo, the hike to Dian Fossey's grave and the climb up Mount Bisoke to its crater lake. Boat trips on the Twin Lakes make a gentle rest-day outing. Trails are steep and muddy at altitude. Pack waterproof boots, gloves and rain gear, ask your doctor about malaria and check CDC travel health notices if you're pregnant or hoping to be soon.
Getting There
Fly into Kigali International Airport (KGL), usually connecting through Europe, the Gulf or an African hub from the US. Volcanoes Safaris arranges road transfers north to the lodge, a journey of a few hours through steep, cultivated hills. The final stretch climbs up to the ridge.
Most couples spend a night in Kigali on arrival to break up the journey.
Entry and visa rules depend on your citizenship and can change at short notice, so check the official government website before you book.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, for couples who want a memorable setting at a fairer price. Rates run about $700 per person per night sharing in high season and about $630 in low season, which falls from mid-October to mid-December and from March through May. That means roughly $1,260 to $1,400 a night for two with meals, drinks and laundry included, before gorilla permits. Treat these as approximate.
Compared with the top lodges near Kinigi, which can cost several times as much, that is good value. You give up the short drive to headquarters, private plunge pools and a full spa.
Couples for whom luxury design is the priority should look at Bisate or One&Only Gorilla's Nest. Couples who want a view to remember and a warm welcome will be happy here.
Insider tips
- Book a double banda and ask for one with the best lake view.
- Expect very early starts on trek days because of the drive to Kinigi.
- Use your complimentary massage on the afternoon after your first trek.
- Travel in low season for lower rates, but pack serious rain gear.
