Gorilla Forest Lodge is the new name for the property long known as Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp — if you've been researching a Uganda gorilla trekking safari and keep seeing both names attached to what looks like the same place in Bwindi, you're not imagining things. They're the same lodge. The name changed, the ownership changed, and the property itself went through a complete renovation.

Here's everything our clients need to know before booking, along with a full look at what makes this lodge worth considering for your gorilla trekking safari.

The Short Answer

Gorilla Forest Lodge is the renamed and fully renovated version of Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp, now operating as "Gorilla Forest Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary" under Abercrombie & Kent. It sits in the exact same location — deep inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, in the Buhoma sector — and remains the only luxury lodge located within the national park boundaries itself, just minutes from the gorilla trekking start point.

If a client, travel partner, or supplier still refers to "Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp" in an email or old brochure, they mean the property now called Gorilla Forest Lodge. Nothing about the destination or the trekking experience has changed — only the name, the ownership, and, as it turns out, a significant upgrade to the property itself.

A Brief History: From Sanctuary Retreats to Abercrombie & Kent

For years, Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp operated under Sanctuary Retreats, known across East Africa for a handful of well-located, mid-to-upper luxury tented camps. Following a change in ownership, the property was absorbed into the portfolio of Abercrombie & Kent, one of the longest-established names in luxury African travel, under their "A&K Sanctuary" collection — a small group of just 13 intimate lodges, camps, and riverboats the company operates across Africa and Egypt.

As part of the transition, the lodge closed for a complete rebuild and reopened in June 2025 under its new name. The "an A&K Sanctuary" tag in the full name is a nod to its Sanctuary Retreats heritage, even as it now operates under entirely new ownership and management. You can view the property's current listing directly on the official Abercrombie & Kent website.

This kind of ownership change and rebrand is fairly common across East Africa's luxury safari accommodation sector — properties move between operators like Abercrombie & Kent, &Beyond, Elewana, and Serena more often than most travelers realize, and a name change almost always follows. In this case, the change came with a genuine upgrade rather than just a new sign at the gate.

What Actually Changed at the Property

This wasn't a cosmetic rename — the lodge was substantially rebuilt from the ground up:

• All-new suites. Gorilla Forest Lodge now comprises 10 standalone suites, each a generous 105 square metres (roughly 1,130 square feet), designed as a secluded retreat within the surrounding rainforest. The maximum capacity across the lodge is 20 guests, keeping the property intimate.
• Thoughtful in-room design. Each suite has a kingsize four-poster bed, a private veranda with sculptural hanging chairs positioned for spotting monkeys, a minibar, desk, and safe, plus an ensuite bathroom with a large bathtub looking directly out onto the forest.
• A personal attendant for every suite, along with Leica binoculars provided on arrival for wildlife viewing from your own veranda.
• An expanded main lodge, including a redesigned indoor-outdoor lounge, bar, and restaurant beneath a double-height wood-beamed ceiling overlooking the rainforest canopy — with a resident musician playing traditional African folk music around the campfire in the evenings.
• A newly refurbished spa, with treatment rooms positioned over a forest stream, offering guests a place to recover after the physical demands of gorilla trekking.
• The location itself is unchanged. Gorilla Forest Lodge remains the only luxury lodge inside Bwindi's park boundaries, roughly five minutes from the gorilla trekking departure point — the single biggest reason this property has always commanded a premium among serious gorilla trekking travelers.

What's Included in a Stay

One of the more significant changes under the new ownership is what's bundled into the nightly rate. A stay at Gorilla Forest Lodge now typically includes all meals, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages (including premium brands), park concession fees, a guided community walk, emergency medical evacuation cover, and laundry services. Nightly rates start from approximately $700 per person, though this does not include the gorilla trekking permit itself, which is priced separately by the Uganda Wildlife Authority — currently $800 per person in peak season. For a full breakdown of how this compares across the region, see our guide to mountain gorilla permit prices for Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo.

For travelers used to comparing lodges on a pure room-rate basis, it's worth factoring in everything bundled into that rate — the effective value looks quite different once meals, drinks, and the community walk are accounted for rather than charged as extras.

What Clients Should Know Before Booking

If you have an old itinerary, PDF, or saved quote from us — or from any other operator — that lists "Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp," it's still accurate in terms of location and experience, just outdated in name. A few practical notes worth keeping in mind:

• Use "Gorilla Forest Lodge" going forward when searching, comparing quotes, or referencing the property in any new correspondence, to avoid confusion with suppliers and ground handlers.
• Rates have changed along with the renovation. As a fully rebuilt, ultra-luxury property with a substantially expanded inclusions list, current pricing reflects the upgrade — don't expect old quotes from before mid-2025 to still apply.
• Availability can be tighter than before, given the fixed count of just 10 suites and the property's growing reputation post-renovation. We'd recommend booking further in advance than you might have previously, particularly for peak gorilla trekking season.
• Children are welcome at the lodge itself, though it's worth remembering this is separate from gorilla trekking eligibility — the Uganda Wildlife Authority sets a minimum age of 15 for anyone joining an actual trek, regardless of where they're staying.

The Gorilla Trekking Experience From Gorilla Forest Lodge

Staying inside the park itself, rather than at one of the lodges positioned outside Bwindi's boundary, changes the rhythm of your trekking day in a meaningful way. Most gorilla trekking mornings begin early — typically a 6:00 or 6:30 AM wake-up, with breakfast before heading to the park headquarters for the mandatory briefing, usually around 7:30 or 8:00 AM. From most Buhoma-area lodges, this means a drive of anywhere from 15 minutes to over an hour. From Gorilla Forest Lodge, it's a matter of minutes.

After the briefing, rangers assign trekking groups of a maximum of eight visitors per habituated gorilla family, and the trek itself can range from a manageable one-hour walk to a genuinely demanding six-hour trek through dense, often muddy rainforest terrain, depending entirely on where the gorilla family happens to be that day. Once your group locates the gorillas, you're permitted a treasured, tightly regulated hour in their presence before making your way back out of the forest.

Being based at Gorilla Forest Lodge means less time spent in a vehicle before the trek even starts, and a shorter, more comfortable return journey to hot towels, a proper meal, and the lodge's spa at the end of what is, for most travelers, a physically demanding day.

Dining, Wellness, and Life at the Lodge

Beyond the trekking itself, Gorilla Forest Lodge is designed as a place to properly unwind. Meals are served either in the main dining room overlooking the rainforest or, weather permitting, on a raised outdoor platform beneath the forest canopy. The kitchen leans into locally inspired, African-influenced dishes alongside international options, and the all-inclusive drinks list means evenings by the campfire come without a running bar tab to think about.

The lodge's spa, rebuilt as part of the 2025 renovation, offers treatments in rooms positioned over a forest stream — a genuinely restorative option after a long trekking day. The Explorer's Lounge, stocked with books and maps on Bwindi's flora, fauna, and cultural history, runs nightly presentations on conservation and local culture, giving guests without a trek scheduled the following day something meaningful to do in the evening beyond simply resting.

Conservation and Community Impact

Every stay at Gorilla Forest Lodge contributes, directly or indirectly, to the conservation of Bwindi's mountain gorilla population and to the surrounding local communities. The included community walk connects guests with nearby villages, and the lodge's positioning as a conservation-focused luxury property reflects a broader shift across East African tourism — that a well-run, high-value lodge inside a national park can fund both wildlife protection and community development far more effectively than a purely budget model.

For travelers weighing whether the premium over lodges outside the park boundary is worth it, this conservation dimension is worth factoring in alongside the practical convenience.

How Gorilla Forest Lodge Compares to Other Bwindi Accommodation

Bwindi's four trekking sectors — Buhoma, Ruhija, Rushaga, and Nkuringo — each have their own cluster of lodges at very different price points. Gorilla Forest Lodge sits at the very top of that range, largely because of its unmatched in-park location. Some useful points of comparison for clients weighing their options:

• Mahogany Springs — Located just a couple of kilometres from the park boundary in Buhoma, with lovely views over the Munyaga River. A strong upper-mid-range choice for travelers who want proximity without the ultra-luxury price tag.
• Chameleon Hill Lodge — Positioned on Lake Mutanda rather than directly in Buhoma, with striking views of the lake, its islands, and the Virunga Volcanoes in the distance. A popular pairing for travelers combining Bwindi with Lake Mutanda relaxation time.
• Engagi Lodge — Situated on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, just over a kilometre from the Buhoma trekking start point — a solid, well-located mid-to-upper option.
• Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge — Once a modest tented camp, now offering considerably upgraded accommodation and activities, positioned for trekking in the Nkuringo sector rather than Buhoma.

Where Gorilla Forest Lodge distinguishes itself is simple: it's the only property actually inside the park, which translates directly into less drive time on trekking mornings and a genuinely immersive forest setting that lodges just outside the boundary can't fully replicate. If you're also weighing Uganda against Rwanda for your gorilla trekking safari more broadly, our Uganda vs Rwanda gorilla safari guide breaks down cost, permits, and lodge options for both countries.

Best Time to Visit Bwindi for Gorilla Trekking

Gorilla trekking in Bwindi is possible year-round, since the gorilla families are habituated and trekking permits are issued throughout the year. That said, Uganda's two dry seasons — June to September and December to February — offer noticeably easier trekking conditions, with drier, firmer trails through the forest. The wetter months, particularly March to May and October to November, bring lower visitor numbers and lush, dramatic scenery, but trekking becomes considerably muddier and more physically demanding.

Given Gorilla Forest Lodge's limited 10-suite capacity, peak dry-season months can book out well in advance, particularly around the December holiday period and the July–August travel season.

Sample Itinerary: Pairing Gorilla Forest Lodge With the Rest of Uganda

Most of our clients don't visit Bwindi in isolation — a stay at Gorilla Forest Lodge fits naturally into a broader Uganda safari itinerary. A typical combination we build for clients looks something like this:

1. Entebbe to Bwindi — Either a scenic road transfer (around 8–9 hours) or a short scheduled flight to Kihihi Airstrip, roughly 45 minutes from the airport, followed by an approximately 1.5-hour drive to the lodge.
2. Gorilla trekking day(s) at Gorilla Forest Lodge — Most clients book either one or two treks, depending on how much time and budget they have, along with the lodge's included community walk on a rest day.
3. Onward to Queen Elizabeth National Park — A natural next stop for classic game viewing and a Kazinga Channel boat cruise.
4. Onward to Murchison Falls National Park — For travelers with more time, rounding out the safari with game drives and a Nile boat cruise to the base of the falls.

We tailor the exact routing and pacing to each client's timeframe, budget, and interests — gorilla trekking pairs equally well with a Rwanda extension for travelers wanting both Bwindi and Volcanoes National Park in one trip. For more route ideas, browse our best gorilla trekking tours in Africa, or read our complete guide to gorilla trekking in Africa for a full overview of routing options across Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo.

Practical Tips for Your Gorilla Trekking Stay

A few things worth preparing for regardless of which Bwindi lodge you choose:

• Book your gorilla trekking permit well in advance. Permits are limited and issued by the Uganda Wildlife Authority on a per-family, per-day basis — for peak season travel, we recommend securing permits several months ahead.
• Pack for genuinely variable terrain. Waterproof hiking boots, gardening-style gloves for pushing through vegetation, a rain jacket regardless of season, and long trousers to guard against nettles and insects are all essential, not optional. See our complete gorilla trekking packing list for the full checklist.
• Consider hiring a porter. For a modest fee, porters carry your daypack and offer a steadying hand on Bwindi's often steep, slippery terrain — well worth it for most travelers, and a direct source of income for the local community.
• Physical fitness matters more than most travelers expect. Treks can run up to six hours through dense forest and steep terrain, so a reasonable baseline fitness level makes the day considerably more enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp still open? Yes — under its new name, Gorilla Forest Lodge. It reopened in June 2025 after a full renovation and is very much operational.

Is Gorilla Forest Lodge the same standard as before, or better? Better. The renovation added entirely new suites, an expanded lounge and dining area, and a new spa, while keeping the same unmatched in-park location.

How do I book Gorilla Forest Lodge for gorilla trekking? Contact Tulambule Uganda Safaris directly — we handle current rates, availability, and gorilla trekking permit bookings as part of a complete Bwindi itinerary. If you're weighing safety alongside logistics, our guide on is gorilla trekking safe covers what to expect on the trail.

Is Gorilla Forest Lodge still the closest lodge to the trekking start point? Yes. It remains the only luxury lodge located within Bwindi Impenetrable National Park itself, roughly five minutes from the gorilla trekking departure point.

What is included in the Gorilla Forest Lodge nightly rate? Meals, non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, park concession fees, a guided community walk, emergency medical evacuation cover, and laundry services are typically included. The gorilla trekking permit itself is priced separately.

Can children stay at Gorilla Forest Lodge? Yes, children of all ages are welcome at the lodge. However, the Uganda Wildlife Authority requires trekkers to be at least 15 years old to join an actual gorilla trek.

How far in advance should I book? Given the lodge's limited 10-suite capacity, we recommend booking several months ahead, particularly for the June–September and December–February dry seasons.

Which Bwindi sector is Gorilla Forest Lodge located in? It's located in the Buhoma sector, one of Bwindi's four trekking sectors, and remains the only luxury lodge situated inside the park boundary itself.

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