Positioned on the rim of a weathered volcano, Bisate Reserve’s four expansive villas (212m²) offer captivating vistas overlooking six majestic volcanoes. Wilderness, with the help of its guests, has planted 100,000 indigenous trees, transforming a former agricultural site into a thriving forest, hence the apt naming of it as a ‘reserve’.

Akin to its sister Bisate Lodge, Bisate Reserve embodies much more than luxury; it represents an extension and enhancement of conservation tourism in Rwanda. Through ground-breaking reforestation and rehabilitation initiatives, each guest becomes a partner in biodiversity protection and local community upliftment, directly contributing to the preservation of the iconic endangered mountain gorilla species.

The Bisate property covers 42 hectares (103.78 acres) of intriguing and varied topography that shield and protect the lodge from any unnatural disturbance, blocking out light from the distant village of Kinigi and the town of Musanze and giving guests the sense of being actually inside the national park.

Volcanoes National Park is covered by approximately 160 km² of cloud forest, and home to the Rwandan Mountain Gorilla. Six inactive volcanoes, Muhavura, Mt Gahinga, Karisimbi, Visoke, Mikeno and Sabyinyo, create an incredible backdrop. Volcanoes National Park is known for the scientific studies carried out here by Dian Fossey, who was the first scientist to make detailed studies of the Mountain Gorilla.

Bisate is situated close enough to Kinigi (Park Headquarters) to be convenient for your morning gorilla trek rendezvous, but far enough away so as to feel remote and even part of the spectacular Volcanoes National Park. From Kigali, Rwanda’s capital city, Bisate Lodge is approximately 2,5 hours by road.

The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is threatened with extinction. There are approximately 1000 Mountain Gorillas left in an area covering the northwest of Rwanda, the southwest of Uganda and the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in Uganda is home to a gorilla population living in an area covering approximately 330 km². A further population is located in the Virunga Volcano Region, which traverses the Rwanda, Uganda and DRC border. Although a single ecological unit, the Virunga Volcano Region is split politically into three national parks: Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Unganda, Volcano National Park in Rwanda and Virunga National Park in the DRC; the whole region encompasses some 300 km². The gorillas live in stable family groups headed by a dominant silverback.

Key species are of course the elusive mountain gorillas, but there is more to see and explore: golden monkeys, side-striped jackal, black-fronted duiker, buffalo, elephant and an abundance of bird life.

Gorilla trekking involves an early morning drive to the park's headquarters where guests are separated into groups before receiving exact details about the upcoming tour. Each group visits a different gorilla family - when guests and guides are ready, your private guide will drive you to the starting point of the trek. Depending on the gorilla family, this will take from twenty minutes to 90 minutes. A maximum of eight guests, the porters and two rangers will then set off. The hike can be short or strenuous, depending on the gorilla group and the location of the gorillas. The first guests are back in Ruhengeri at 11 a.m., the last at 4 p.m. The maximum length of stay with the gorillas is unfortunately only one hour, then you have to say goodbye.

Bisate aims to enrich the gorilla viewing experience for its guests by providing depth and knowledge through evening presentations and informal chats with an on-site gorilla expert, researcher or scientist who will share his or her knowledge with guests about these charismatic creatures.

On the premises of Bisate the reserve offers activities such as nature and birding walks, guided nursery visit (meet the agronomist) and indigenous tree planting, guided walks to neighbouring communities, school visits, running trail, coffee & tee cupping/tasting, sundowners with view of the volcanoes, film screening.

The reserve is situated quite high and the climate is usually cool so please remember to pack enough warm clothes.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51