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For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni
For other destinations and types of holiday, visit Kuoni 

Things to do in Rwanda

Gorilla’s Nest: a treehouse retreat in Rwanda’s gorilla country

We built the resort around a eucalyptus forest, with volcano views and gorilla tracking hikes on your doorstep…

By Theunie Marais
Rooms Division Manager at One&Only Gorilla's Nest

Stay in a luxury treehouse lodge among towering eucalyptus trees at One&Only Gorilla’s Nest. Seeing Rwanda’s mountain gorillas has become a bucket-list experience for many travellers, which is why we set-up our award-winning resort right on the edge of Volcanoes National Park. This beautiful slice of wilderness is home to around 340 mountain gorillas, as well as golden monkeys and over 300 bird species. The whole ethos behind Gorilla’s Nest is that we want to provide extraordinary experiences for guests that will create life-long memories – including those famous gorilla tracking hikes.

Our location is nothing short of magical; thanks to the subtropical climate and volcanic soil, everything here is green and lush. We built the resort around a forest, with treehouses on stilts that blend into the eucalyptus trees. Picture floor-to-ceiling windows and decks with outdoor showers that showcase views of the forest and surrounding volcanoes. Our 21 lodges and suites are spread over 35 hectares for privacy and to cause minimal impact on the environment. The interior design is African chic with lots of wood, Imigongo art, fireplaces and locally-woven textiles.

While gorilla treks are the main draw, we offer a full range of activities and services. Relax with a treatment at our spa or swim in the heated infinity pool, try some yoga, chakra balancing or a sound bath experience. If you’re feeling more active, we also have a fitness centre, archery and an eight-kilometre trail for running or e-biking. Take some time to enjoy our nature walk, where you can spot all kinds of exotic plants and birds. We even have a small coffee farm that supports a women’s co-operative, where you can have a tasting session and learn about the history of Rwanda’s delicious coffee.

Our restaurant, The Nest, is a stunning space with fireplaces, forest views and a bar where we infuse our own gins and whiskies. Guests love our farm-to-table, seasonal cuisine and ‘different venues, different menus’ concept, which offers private dining experiences in a new location around the resort each day. For instance, you can dine in the chef’s garden, library or have a traditional Rwandan feast accompanied by local dancers and musicians in the boma area. You can even dine outside the Jack Hanna cottage, the former home of this famous wildlife expert and conservationist, which boasts elevated views over the resort.

Our guest feedback is phenomenal, particularly when it comes to our staff, who provide a personalised service. We find that people arrive here as guests but they leave almost like family. Most of our team are from the area and we support them with hospitality training and English classes. At One&Only we’re passionate about empowering the local community, whether by sourcing our produce from farmers or working with organisations like Hands of Hope, which employs disadvantaged women to make our turn-down gifts.

Categories

  • Adventure
  • Places to stay
  • Scenery
  • Unwind
  • Wildlife

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Alfred & Theunie Marais

Theunie Marais starting working in the hotel industry aged just 16 and was immediately hooked. Ever since, he’s worked for a number of boutique properties in roles ranging from room attendant to Resident Manager. Theunie likes to work in intimate properties like Gorilla’s Nest because he’s passionate about providing personalised service – he loves to put a smile on his guests’ faces.
Theunie Marais, rooms division manager at One&Only Gorilla's Nest

Plan your holiday withAlfred&

Your journey will start with one of our UK team – someone like Vicki, who's travelled extensively in Rwanda. They’ll shape your ideas into the trip of a lifetime. But they won't do it alone. They'll draw on the expertise of our contacts on the ground, connecting you to the people who'll make your holiday one you'll always remember - the guides who track mountain gorillas day and night to ensure you get the best sightings, the Kigalians who'll give you a real insight into their vibrant city and the coffee-growers who'll tutor you in the art of tasting.

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