Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge: A distinguished community-owned establishment within Volcanoes National Park. Sabyinyo Silverback Gorilla Lodge is a premier accommodation option for guests seeking a premium experience in Volcanoes National Park. The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is exquisitely located adjacent to the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park. The headquarters of Volcanoes National Park serves as the assembly point for visitors to get a briefing prior to engaging in most park activities.
Volcanoes National Park is home to the endangered mountain gorillas and provides a mountain gorilla trekking experience at a cost of 1,500 USD per permit per individual. Volcanoes National Park is situated in Rwanda, approximately a 2 hour and 30 minute drive from Kigali, the capital city and the location of Kigali International Airport. This park provides golden monkey trekking, cultural excursions, mountain hikes, and birdwatching safaris.
The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is an excellent option for accommodations during your activities in Volcanoes National Park, and here are several reasons why. The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge was Rwanda’s inaugural community-owned lodge. The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge was established by the Governor’s Camp Collection, which also manages its operations, but ownership rights belong to the Sabyinyo Community Livelihood Association (SACOLA), founded in 2006. Fifteen years later, almost 5,000 households in the region have participated in this effort.
The primary objective of the Sabyinyo Community Livelihood Association (SACOLA) is to advocate for socio-economic initiatives and conservation within the local communities surrounding the park. This is accomplished by utilizing the rental fees and community charges received from each night’s stay at the resort. The experience of mountain gorilla trekking from Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is genuinely authentic, since guests can walk from the lodge to the park reception for the briefing.
Guests who have spent the night at the magnificent yet inviting Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge may choose to commence their trip on foot to the briefing point or opt for a vehicle if they prefer. The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is situated at the base of the renowned Virunga Mountains and is named after Mount Sabyinyo.
The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge provides stunning vistas of the volcanic mountains, complemented with refreshing air from all areas of the lodge, harmonizing with the surrounding countryside. The lodge features guest cabins and a primary lounge structure designed to ensure visitor comfort and enhance their experience. This lodge offers the quintessential luxury African safari experience.
The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge now offers six cottage rooms, two suites, and one family cottage for guests traveling as a family who desire proximity to one another.
All structures at this lodge are environmentally sustainable and constructed from stone and volcanic rock sourced from prior volcanic activity in the region. The roofs consist of terracotta tiles, which are often utilized in Rwandan architectural design. All rooms feature spacious living spaces with fireplaces to ensure guest warmth, as nights in Volcanoes National Park can be rather frigid.
Each cottage room features spacious en-suite bathrooms adorned with a Venetian plaster finish, along with a dressing area and a shaded verandah. The family cottage comprises a larger area featuring two distinct en-suite rooms interconnected solely by a communal verandah. The primary structure features a welcome space, a lounge with a cozy section, an eating area, a library, a games room, and a craft shop, all equipped with accessible restrooms. You may also explore the community awareness room for insights into the community’s initiatives.
Additionally, you may spend time near the three substantial fireplaces to obtain warmth within the main building. All rooms at the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge include polished oak floors, and the patio offers guests an opportunity to enjoy the distant view of the Virunga Mountains, framed by surrounding fields.
The Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge features a spa and proficient masseuses available to provide treatments in the privacy of your rooms following an exhausting day in the park. Contact us to arrange your accommodation at this distinguished community-oriented property.
The lodge consists of eight cottages—double/twin, single, and family accommodations—each offering breathtaking views of the Virunga volcanoes from their respective protected balconies, ideal for relaxation, breakfast, reading, or enjoying the scenery. The cottages are adequately distanced, ensuring substantial privacy. Each room is expansive, featuring a sitting area with a fireplace, a bedroom, a dressing room, 24-hour electricity, and a large bathroom equipped with both a bath and shower, offering hot and cold running water. Situated at approximately 2,150 meters, the lodge experiences misty and cool conditions; therefore, heating amenities, including warm bedding, are supplied.
The lodge features a library and games room in the main building, a bar and restaurant providing full-course meals, and a 24-hour front desk staffed by qualified personnel ready to assist you. The lodge features a community awareness center that provides information on initiatives to save the endangered mountain gorillas and the socio-economic development activities in Rwanda.
How to Get to Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge
-
From Kigali (by Road)
-
The lodge is about 116 km from Kigali, The drive takes around 2–3 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions. Use a private car or 4×4: many tour operators include transport in their safari packages. The roads are mostly paved (“well-maintained”) for most of the route.
-
-
By Air / Helicopter
-
You can charter a helicopter from Kigali International Airport to land close to the lodge. This is faster and very scenic — it gives an aerial view of the Virunga Mountains.
-
-
From Musanze / Kinigi
-
The lodge is very close to the Volcanoes National Park headquarters at Kinigi. From Musanze (a nearby town), it’s about a 15-minute drive to the lodge, If you’re using public transport: you can take a bus or shared taxi from Kigali to Musanze. Then hire a private vehicle or 4×4 for the stretch to Kinigi / the lodge.
-
-
From Uganda
-
You can cross from Kisoro (Uganda) through the Cyanika border post into Rwanda. From the border, you can drive to Musanze and then onward to the lodge.
-
