Explore Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Kyambura Gorge Lodge, which overlooks the Rwenzori Mountains and is situated in the eastern section of Queen Elizabeth National Park, is quickly rising to the top of Uganda’s list of opulent resorts.

Kyambura Gorge Lodge is essentially a mountain lodge, with a main lodge and six sleeping chambers. Its somewhat low-lying position makes it no assurance against frigid evenings. The building is made of wood, stone, corrugated iron, and thatch.

The main lodge, which was once a coffee plantation store and processing facility, has a lounge, eating room, bar, large balcony, and pool. The main lodge’s hull is made up of the beautifully converted former store, which makes excellent use of its colonial form. The white and blue walls, the wooden and tiled flooring, the large square windows, the abundance of space, and one or two magnificent pieces of art define the living and dining area.

The design hasn’t been completely adopted, which is what makes it so appealing. A large sculpture made of found wood hangs from the ceiling, various chair styles circle the main dining table, and the juxtaposition of crazy paving and eco-minimalist wood elements creates a fun effect. It’s beautiful, heartfelt, and a lot of fun.

The Activities

The main focus of activities at Kyambura Gorge Lodge is the resident cartload of chimpanzees—yes, that is a real, accurate number. Boat rides on the Kazinga Channel, treks to the Blue Lake and Maramagambo Bat Cave, cultural excursions, spa treatments, and bird viewing are among the activities.

The Spacious Rooms

The Kyambura Gorge Lodge’s sleeping rooms, or bandas, are all similarly unique, but they are all purposefully constructed and, as such, have very coherent designs, with exposed beams, a mix of white and curved walls, and deep brown floorboards taking the place of the exterior thatch and/or corrugated cottage-like feel.

A spacious four-poster double or twin bed, a private veranda, a seating space, and an en suite bathroom are features of each room. Everything about the style, including the variety of window sizes and the straightforward yet well-chosen furnishings, is intended to maximize the light, which is exceptional, especially in the early morning and evening. Within the lodge’s main area are charging stations and Wi-Fi.

The great services and food.

The staff is amiable and accommodating, and the food is great and generous.

Effects on Conservation

In an effort to promote conservation, the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT) acquired thirty acres of wetland south of Kyambura Gorge Lodge. After being exploited as illegal brickwork, the marsh has finally returned nearly to its natural state.

Today, the wetlands are home to more than 100 different species of birds, and the area serves as a training ground for locals interested in birding and guiding. Additionally, 500 native trees have been restored along the Kyambura River’s banks.

In the Kyambura region, the VSPT is also building a tree nursery and implementing a conservation outreach program in collaboration with the Mvule Trust. On the VSPT property next to the national park, the tree nursery hopes to plant 400,000 native trees. The young trees will be planted in the 100-acre VSPT restoration area in the Kyambura Gorge in addition to being distributed to locals who reside in the National Park.

Trade

A community-based project, the Omwani Women’s Coffee Cooperative aims to give women access to vocational training and a substitute, yet sustainable, source of income. In the cooperative, eleven women from the area and their families are actively committed.

On 100 acres of revitalized VSPT property, they tend to over 1,500 Arabica and Robusta coffee plants. The coffee is then manually processed at a shared processing facility. After that, Volcanoes Safaris purchases the coffee, which is subsequently served in each of their opulent African safari resorts.

The VSPT and Malaika Honey organized a beekeeping training program in January 2012. In this training, fifteen members of the Omumashaka Bee Keepers Co-Operative—who have been producing honey in Kyambura since 2006—were given information on apiary administration, care, and harvesting. Honey sales and foreign tourists’ fees support the project’s sustainability and improve the locals’ standard of living.

The Community

Families in the Kyambura region received new roofs in 2011 thanks to a partnership between the VSPT and Kyambura Gorge Lodge. From June to December 2011, five family residences and one elementary school received new roofs thanks to the project.

A mosque in Kyenzaza, as well as the Kirungu and Kichiwamba primary schools, had their roofs replaced in March 2012. Through VSPT funding, the new roofs will improve the welfare of the households by keeping them dry and healthy during the rainy seasons.