The Lodge

Location: Kibale Forest National Park, Uganda
Number of Cottages: 8

Kyaninga Lodge’s spacious cottages are built on platforms and set apart to offer privacy and solitude. Beautifully appointed en suite bathrooms have marble basins, claw-footed bathtubs, glass-walled showers and Egyptian cotton linens. An indoor sitting area leads to a private deck where one can enjoy morning coffee with views over the lake and mountains. The lodge offers comfortable seating areas around an open fireplace or in intimate galleries to cozy up in the evening with a good book, a board game or a drink from the bar. The restaurant offers a stunning view and an impressive menu of international cuisine tweaked to make use of local ingredients, most of which are hand-picked from Kyaninga Lodge’s own garden or the neighboring markets. Tennis and croquet are available, and the swimming pool is a spectacular feature, overlooking the lake and providing a perfect spot in which to soak up the surrounding natural beauty while enjoying a refreshing dip.

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Facilities & Amenities

• En suite bathroom with tub and shower
• Shampoo, soap, and lotion
• Tea/coffee in room
• 220v charging outlets in room
• In-room safe
• Central swimming pool
• In-room massage (extra cost)
• Wi-Fi in main area
• Laundry included
• No air conditioning or hair dryer

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Wildlife Viewing & Activities

Kibale Forest National Park is one of Africa’s premier destinations for chimpanzee tracking. The Kibale equatorial rainforest contains the highest concentration of primates in the world, including about 500 chimpanzees. Birds are abundant with at least 325 species, and the park also boasts 144 different species of butterflies. The swampy clearings and grasslands are home to buffalo and antelope, while the shady wooded slopes hide the elusive forest elephant. Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s best-known safari destination, is one of the most biodiverse reserves in the world. Almost 100 types of mammals and 600 different birds make their home here. The Kasinga Channel holds the world's largest concentration of hippos. Other wildlife includes warthog, buffalo, giant forest hog, rare aquatic sitatunga antelope, the beautifully horned Ugandan kob, topi, waterbuck, elephant and leopard. Kyambura Gorge on the northeast boundary of the park is the favored locale for chimpanzees who crash about and chatter high in the branches.

Kibale’s focus is chimpanzee viewing, as well as the 12 other primate species, including the black and white colobus monkey, red-tailed and blue monkeys, and Ugandan red colobus monkey. Rarer sightings may include elephant, duikers, warthogs, and buffalo. There are a number of unique bird species. Exact sightings will depend on seasonality and wildlife movements.

Climate

Conservation

Hot water and lighting in the cottages is provided with solar-generated electricity, allowing the comforts of home an extraordinary setting, in an ecofriendly way. In the six years it has taken to complete the construction of Kyaninga Lodge, countless members of the surrounding community have been involved with the project. Now that the lodge is complete, its involvement with local communities continues, bringing economic benefits from ecotourism. The lodge’s friendly staff is drawn almost entirely from the local villages in the surrounding area. Additionally, in an effort to reverse deforestation in the region, Kyaninga Lodge has planted more than 10,000 indigenous trees and has an active program for working with the local surrounding population to maintain the regional ecosystem.

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