Wondering where to stay in Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park? Buhoma which is the most visited area of Bwindi and the largest of the four gorilla trekking sectors of Bwindi National Park boasts the highest density of luxurious, budget, and midrange accommodation options.
As the first section of the park to open to tourists, this is where gorilla trekking first started in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, when the Mubare gorilla family was habituated in 1992. Aside from the Mubare, the Habinyanja, Katwe, Rushegura, Binyiindo, and Muyambi Gorilla Families also call Buhoma home. Read more about Uganda gorilla families. Visitors can also tour the neighboring community villages, do bird watching, and hike some of the most beautiful forest trails in Africa.
A list of places to stay in Buhoma Sector
- Buhoma Community Haven Lodge
- Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
- Buhoma Lodge
- CTPH Gorilla Conservation Camp
- Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge
- Ride 4 A Women Guest House
- Silverback Lodge
- Engagi Lodge
- Mahogany Springs Lodge
- Bwindi View Bandas
- Lake Kitandara Camp
- Eco Marvel Gorilla Resort
- Gorilla Friends Lodge
Recommended Lodges & Camps in Buhoma
Tulambule recommends the below lodges and camps in the Buhoma Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park based on your travel budget and preference.
1. The Haven Lodge Buhoma
Haven Lodge is a mid-range lodge under Buhoma Community Rest Camp Ltd. Opened in 2014, the lodge was built by the Buhoma Mukono Community Development Association.
It is situated on a short stroll from the meeting point for gorilla trekking and it is ideal for those looking for comfy accommodation at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Children of all ages are welcome, with youngsters aged 5 and below staying for free! The minimum age requirement for gorilla trekking is 15 years, but there are lots of other things to do.
Accommodation comprises 10 double/twin cottages and one family cottage. All are built using local materials and blend beautifully with the forest surroundings. Each is elevated well above ground level, creating the feeling of being in a treehouse once you have arrived inside!
Both standard and family cottages feature comfy beds, eco-friendly solar lighting, insect-proof window screens, and a safe. En-suite facilities include a flush toilet, washbasin, walk-in shower, and/or bathtub. At the front of each cottage, there is a pleasant veranda, ideal for taking time in between activities to enjoy spectacular forest views!
Haven Lodge offers tasty and filling cuisine, hearty breakfasts, generous picnic packs, and 5-course evening meals! Complimentary coffees and teas are also available. There is also a massage room and a great little craft shop stocking souvenirs.
2. Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is owned and operated by Sanctuary Retreats, a name synonymous with fabulous locations and luxurious accommodations in Africa.
The elegant tented accommodation is one of the only two properties inside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It blends in sensitively with the Bwindi’s dramatic mountain landscape and due to its unique location, is frequently visited by gorillas.
Guest accommodation consists of 10 private tents. All are made out of timber, stone, and thatch, with a veranda at the front boasting forest views. Inside, each feature two queen-size beds, bedside tables, lighting, a pleasant lounge area, and en-suite facilities comprising a flush toilet, washbasin, shower, and bathtub with views straight into the forest canopy!
A hairdryer is also offered, and each tent is served by a personal attendant, who will happily run you a bath or bring you drinks to enjoy on your veranda.
Please note, that all tents may be converted to triple rooms, and children aged 15 years and younger must share with an adult. In the main area, guests can sit around the cozy campfire at night and enjoy Bwindi’s crystal-clear mountain sky.
There is a small bush boutique at the camp offering a variety of local artifacts and practical supplies and a mini spa offers massages, mani-pedis, and facials.
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in all communal areas. The camp also features a bar, lounge, and dining area overlooking the rainforest.
3. CTPH Gorilla Conservation Camp
Gorilla Conservation Camp is one of the best budget accommodations in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
The camp is located approximately a 20-minute walk from the mountain gorilla trekking briefing point of Buhoma. It is run by an NGO called Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH) and the accommodation here is part of its research base.
The NGO was established by award-winning conservationist and vet Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, to safeguard the future of the endangered mountain gorillas by improving living conditions and livelihoods for local communities.
Guests at the camp can visit its laboratory, where samples often collected from gorillas are scrutinized for microbes, or stay the night in comfortable and affordable en suite guest rooms that cater to tourists, students, and researchers.
Costing a fraction of the price charged by most of the luxury Bwindi lodges, it is another way to keep down the cost of a gorilla trekking safari while learning about the world’s rarest primates and community conservation at the same time.
4. Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge
Volcanoes Bwindi Lodge is located just outside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, only 500 meters from the start of the gorilla trekking trail! The lodge is owned and operated by a leading luxury lodge company in both Uganda and Rwanda.
Guest accommodation comprises 10 bandas. Each is named after a Bwindi gorilla! Every banda is delightfully furnished, with a double bed/twin bed, bedside lighting, a lounge area, and en-suite facilities comprising a flush toilet, twin washbasins, and a solar-heated shower. At the front, there is a large balcony set with a small table and a couple of chairs.
Here, you can take time in the morning or between activities to relax with a drink and admire beautiful views of the forest. You might spot some of the area’s colorful birdlife, a monkey, or even a gorilla, staring straight back at you!
The main area includes a cozy fireplace where guests can gather in the evening to talk about their gorilla adventures! The dining area is elegantly furnished and adjoins the homely bar. Wi-Fi is available throughout the lodge! The lodge also has an outside terrace with a fantastic viewing deck, a gift shop, and a massage room.
5. Ride 4 A Woman Guest Houses
Ride 4 A Woman Guest House in the Buhoma Sector is managed by a women’s charitable organization also known as Ride 4 a woman.
The organization is one of the community-based tourism initiatives in Uganda and has 300 women members and empowers them by teaching them skills that they can use to earn a living. You can spend an overnight night at the organization’s two guest houses.
During your stay here, you can learn how to weave a coaster from palm leaf fibbers, take part in a cooking class, make local millet bread on a traditional three-stone fire, or learn how to dig using a hoe. Guesthouse rooms are decorated with bright, cheerful African fabrics.
Income generated from the guesthouses is used to support the women and families of Buhoma. So, when you stay here you are giving back to a whole community, helping to drive the local economy and supporting the progress of women in Uganda.
6. Buhoma Lodge
Buhoma Lodge is one of only two lodges inside the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The lodge is perfectly placed for visitors to go gorilla trekking and enjoy lots of other activities, and the property offers very comfortable accommodation and communal spaces too!
Guest accommodation consists of 10 chalets, constructed using sustainable materials. Nine are standard chalets, designed to sleep two adults but with sufficient space for an extra bed to fit a child aged under 5 years.
The remaining chalet is provided for a family or honeymooners. Both options feature eco-friendly solar lighting, insect-proof window screens, and a safe. The beds are very comfortable and en-suite facilities include a flush toilet and spacious washbasin, with a walk-in hot-water rain shower and/or bathtub. At the front of each chalet, there is a lovely veranda, where you can take time in between activities to marvel at the gorgeous forest scenery.
The main area includes a cozy fireplace, with the bar set up along the back wall. The bar provides free Wi-Fi and recharging facilities!
Adjoining the lounge/bar is the dining space. There is also a spa treatment room, where all overnight lodge guests receive a complimentary massage!
7. Engagi Lodge
Engagi Lodge is situated on the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, just over 1km from the starting point for gorilla treks! This is a beautiful location, between the park office and the Munyaga River. Guest accommodation includes 8 en-suite cottages, dotted around the grounds. A private veranda entices guests to gaze out over the canopy!
The interior of each cottage is spacious and comfortable, featuring a double bed/twin beds, bedside tables and lighting, a writing desk and chair, and en-suite facilities comprising a flush toilet, washbasin, and walk-in shower.
The cottages have been built using eucalyptus trees, rocks found in the area, and banana-fiber thatch. Wood-burning boilers provide hot running water, and electricity throughout Engagi Lodge comes from solar power.
The main area includes a pleasant lounge/bar, featuring sumptuous seating, elegant little coffee tables, a line of padded stools along the bar area, and complimentary Wi-Fi. The dining room, which adjoins this space, has smartly presented tables and flows out onto a dining deck. Here, you can relax and marvel at the views of the forest!
8. Mahogany Springs Lodge
Mahogany Springs Lodge was built and opened in 2011. Owner Barrie Gotch fell in love with the place while visiting and decided he wanted to contribute to the important work of conservation in this stunning part of the world – and he still runs the lodge to this day.
It is a homely and well-positioned property, just 2km from the gate to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The rooms are well-equipped, and some have amazing views out across the misty treeline. The food at the lodge is excellent – the chef has decades of experience in high-end lodges and prides himself on updating and honing his skills, so prepare to dine well!
Without being the height of luxury, Mahogany Springs Lodge is the perfect base from which to make your trip into the wild to see these amazing beasts and nearest ancestors.
The guest accommodation at Mahogany Springs comes in three categories – Superior Suite, Honeymoon Suite, and Family Suite (also known as Presidential Suite!). All have mosquito nets, power sockets, a dressing table or desk, well-appointed en-suite facilities, and a private terrace. The Superior Suite option can be a twin, a double, or a triple.
9. Silverback Lodge
Silverback Lodge is a part of a chain of properties across East Africa owned by Marasa Africa. Perched on a ridge overlooking the valley below, this lodge is a value establishment in Buhoma, which is just a 5-minute walk away from the park office gate.
Safari vacationers staying here will be enchanted by the sight of the structures constructed out of naturally occurring materials like sisal rope, forest vines, volcanic rocks, and purple slate stones, topped by woven thatch roofs. The lodge has just 12 rooms to accommodate touring guests who are seeking value accommodations.
Of these, 6 are located side-by-side in the structure that adjoins the main lounge. If you’re traveling alone in the scenic environs, the lodge has a single room for you.
You can also choose from 4 rooms with double beds or 7 rooms with two single beds. Modest wooden beds with mosquito netting add to the countryside charm of the room, which also includes a closet, side table, and area rugs.
All rooms have a stone-floor veranda – the perfect place to spend time sipping on tea or coffee as you view the mists gently rising above the forest canopy, or perhaps look for some of the 350 bird species that thrive in the wilderness reserve. The ensuite bathroom features a curtained-off shower area and a single washbasin.
