Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge is located in southwestern Uganda, perched high on a hill, with sensational views of the Virunga volcanoes that stretch from Uganda via Rwanda into the Democratic Republic of Congo. At night, the glow of the Nyiragongo volcano shimmers in the distance. This view alone is already worth the nightly rate.

Clouds Lodge is the perfect base for exploring the natural habitat of the mountain gorillas of Bwindi. The Nkuringo group of gorillas can be reached in about 1.5 hours on foot. A truly unforgettable and touching experience.

The lodge is also considered a pioneer for ecotourism in Uganda and its involvement with the local people. Regional artists have contributed to the design of the lodge interior. In return guests of Clouds Lodge have preferential access to the Nkuringo sector and priority in the allocation of permits to this sector.

Built of local volcanic stone, the lodge's eight chalets (two of which are family rooms) have spacious en-suite bathrooms, a large sitting room with double-sided fireplace and beautiful views over the valley from your private veranda.

Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge is located in the Nkuringo sector at the southwestern gate of Bwindi National Park. At an altitude of 2,100 meters, Clouds Lodge sits on Nteko Ridge and offers spectacular views of the mysterious Virunga Mountains and the fertile lands of the Great Rift Valley.

Travel time to Clouds Lodge from Entebbe is a whopping 10 hours. Flights from Entebbe take 1 hour 15 minutes to Kisoro Airstrip. The road transfer from the airstrip to the lodge is just over an hour.

The dense vegetation of Bwindi National Park is difficult to access and provides the perfect retreat for some 400 mountain gorillas. In addition to the endangered mountain gorillas, seven other primate species live here, including chimpanzees and the rare and beautiful L'Hoest monkeys. In total, Bwindi offers shelter to additional 80 mammals, some of which are very rare, such as forest elephants, bushbok, wild hog or the shy golden cat. Together with more than 560 bird species Bwindi is clearly a biologically highly varied region.

Three gorilla families live in the immediate vicinity of Clouds Lodge: Nkuringo, Bushaho and Christmas. The rangers headquarter is right next to Clouds Lodge and most treks to these groups start right from the headquarter. The Nkuringo trek drops down into a valley, past some farmers fields to the primary forest where the gorillas normally hang around. Climbing back uphill to the headquarter is naturally a bit harder but doable.

Seven more gorilla groups live in the Rushaga sector which is about an hour drive away: the families are called Mishaya, Kahungye, Shongi, Busingye, Bikingi, Bweza and Kutu.

Gorilla trekking, guided forest walks, visit to surrounding villages and the Batwa pygmies, romantic picnics and private dinners in the midst of nature, bird watching.

Gorilla trekking starts in the morning and can take as little as two hours or as much as six hours, depending on where the gorillas are. Only 8 guests are allowed per gorilla group and the maximum time spent with the gorillas is strictly 1 hour. The walk may include trekking through dense forest, sometimes including steeper climbs and guests need a bit of endurance and good footgear but will be rewarded with a life changing experience. Minimum age for Gorilla Trekking is 15 years.

The mountains of Uganda are considered more difficult to trek than their counterparts in Rwanda. If you are looking for an easier trek in the south of Bwindi, the Rushaga sector is your choice, as some gorilla groups tend to stay in areas where access is easier.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51