Best Lodges/Places to Stay in Nyungwe Forest Park

Midrange accommodation

Top midrange accommodation options in and around Nyungwe National Park include Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, Nyungwe Nziza Eco-Lodge Kitabi, Rwiza Village, Mariah Hill Resort, Home Saint Jean, Emeraude Kivu Resort, Hotel du Lac, and Golden Monkey Hotel.

Golden Monkey Hotel

Golden Monkey Hotel is a comfortable mid-range facility located in Nyamagabe District. It is composed of 28 guest rooms and also has a range of amenities including Wi-Fi, a restaurant, and more.

Nyungwe Nziza Eco-Lodge Kitabi

Nyungwe Lodge is a mid-range lodge property just at the entrance of Nyungwe National Park. Its strategically set in an area where guests can enjoy the lush tea plantation farms, Nyungwe Forest, and other surrounding features. Nyungwe Nziza Eco–Lodge Kitabi is comprised of a wood cottage and room features such as a flatscreen TV, complimentary toiletries, a shower and more. The amenities at Nyungwe Nziza include free parking, a restaurant, internet, an outdoor fireplace, private bathrooms, hot water showers, and others.

Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

Nyungwe View Hill Hotel is one of the best mid-range accommodation options worth booking for overnight stays on a safari to Nyungwe National Park. This hotel is comprised of 12 units translating to 4 twin rooms and 8 apartments. The key amenities include a restaurant, fireplace, a bar, and self-contained rooms.

One&Only Nyungwe House

One&Only Nyungwe House is 32 km away from Gisakura International Airport. This mid-range facility features free on-site parking, a garden, a balcony, a terrace, a wellness centre, and an outdoor swimming pool. At One and Only Nyungwe House, there exist different amenities or features including a fire places, Wi-Fi, concierge services, a restaurant, and toiletries. This luxury accommodation is suitably set in the area where you can engage in guided walking expeditions, biking, and cultural tours or embark on the different activities in Nyungwe Forest National Park.

Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Nyungwe Forest Lodge is located along the edge of the lush Nyungwe Forest. It boasts of its blend of scenic natural environment and tea farms. It consists of 22 rooms all built facing the lush Nyungwe Forest. The luxury rooms at Nyungwe Forest Lodge include a private deck, electronic safe, air conditioning, shower, electric adapter, digital satellite channels, en suite bathrooms, hairdryer, and others. From Nyungwe Forest Lodge, visitors can engage in bird-watching tours, nature walks, and more.

Other accommodation options in and around Nyungwe

Chimpanzee Lodge Hotel

Chimpanzee Lodge Hotel is found in Nyamasheke District, just along the main route to Rusizi. This lodge is 3 km away from Nyungwe Forest National Park. It has incredible features including a classic restaurant, a good terrace, free toiletries, a hairdryer, and room category ranging from standard double rooms, twin to standard rooms.

EAR Ken Barham Guesthouse

EAR Ken Barham Guesthouse is 2.5 km away from Nyungwe National Park. This guesthouse features different room types including single, twin, and double. Each room in the guesthouse features a shower, a private bathrooms, toiletries, and others. There is a restaurant where local and international cuisines are prepared and served to guests.

Hotel Du Lac

Hotel Du Lac is set in Rusizi and is features the terrace on Rusizi River. This hotel also has an extensive swimming pool. The room types provide a number of goods and services. It is a typical mid-range accommodation option accessible 10 minutes away from Uwinka reception.

Gisakura Guesthouse

Gisakura Guesthouse is a budget accommodation option available for visitor overnight stay in Nyungwe National Park. This budget-friendly accommodation has comfortable rooms also fitted with hot and bathrooms. Gisakura Guesthouse is ideal for tourists with plans to explore Nyungwe primates and birds.

Uwinka Guesthouse

Uwinka Guesthouse is one of the newly established accommodation properties in Nyungwe Forest National Park. It is suitably set in the area where you can easily connect to Nyungwe National Park to begin your primate adventure.

What to do in Nyungwe

Chimpanzee tracking

Chimpanzee tracking is a unique primate adventure that awaits you on a tour in Nyungwe National Park. At Nyungwe, expect to begin your trek with chimpanzees at Uwinka or Cyamudongo reception. Nyungwe chimpanzee trekking session ushers you deep into the hillside of the park and lush rainforest to search for already habituated chimpanzee community.

 Birding

Nyungwe protects up to 310 species of birds including Albertine Rift endemic species and forest resident species. A birding session in Nyungwe allows you to identify birds such as the Rockefellers, red-collared babblers, Albertine owlet, yellow-eyed black flycatchers, regal sunbird, dusky crimsonwing, red-faced woodland warblers, handsome spurfowl, African black ducks, blue-billed teal, Spur-winged goose, Kivu ground thrush, and barred long tailed cuckoos.

Nature walks

Guided nature walks in Nyungwe begin from the Uwinka Visitor Centre. Visitors embark on the guided hiking or nature walks via the available trails including the Imbaraga, Igishigishigi, Irebero, Umugote, Buhoro, Bigugu, Umoyove, Rukuzi, and others.

How to book accommodation in Nyungwe

Accommodation and safaris to Nyungwe National Park can be booked directly through the tour operator that plans your holiday. Contact Superfine Safaris Limited to plan and book a complete tour inclusive of comfortable safari camps or lodges.

Choosing Where to Stay in Nyungwe

Accommodation in Nyungwe falls into three broad categories: luxury lodges on the tea plantation boundary, mid-range hotels near Gisakura, and basic guesthouses in the surrounding villages. The choice of lodge matters more in Nyungwe than in many parks because the two main visitor centres — Uwinka (for the canopy walk and northern trails) and Gisakura (for the Isumo waterfall and southern chimp treks) — are 25 kilometres apart. Staying near Gisakura suits travellers focusing on chimp trekking and waterfall hikes; Uwinka suits those prioritising the canopy walk and longer ridge trails.

Luxury Options

One&Only Nyungwe House is the park’s flagship luxury property, set on a working tea plantation at the forest boundary near Gisakura. Its 22 suites and villas are designed around the forest view, with private decks overlooking the canopy. The property operates its own activity programme including guided forest walks, tea estate tours, and community visits. It is the most complete base for a Nyungwe stay and ranks among the finest lodges in Rwanda alongside the gorilla lodges in Volcanoes NP.

Mid-Range Options

Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel near Gisakura offers comfortable en-suite rooms with forest views at a fraction of the One&Only price point. It is the most popular mid-range choice and is well positioned for both Gisakura chimp trekking and Isumo waterfall hikes. Gisakura Tea Estate Guesthouse is a simple but atmospheric option right at the forest boundary — basic rooms, spectacular forest-edge location, and very affordable. The Rwanda Development Board operates a basic visitor accommodation block at Uwinka for travellers focused on the northern trails and canopy walk.

What to Know Before You Book

Nyungwe’s altitude (most lodges sit at 1,800 to 2,100 metres) means evenings are cool year-round — pack a fleece or light down jacket regardless of when you visit. Lodge availability is limited, particularly at the luxury end, and Nyungwe fills up during peak season (June to September). Book accommodation at least two to three months ahead for peak season travel. All lodges can arrange chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, and hiking trail bookings directly through the park. See our full Nyungwe Forest park guide for the complete activity overview.