Wilderness Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, now run by Wilderness, stands at around 2,100 metres in the foothills of the Virunga Massif, three kilometres from the Volcanoes National Park headquarters where the gorilla briefings are held each morning.

Why We Love Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.

It was the first community-owned lodge in Rwanda and it still is. SACOLA, a trust representing tens of thousands of people across six surrounding parishes, holds the ownership and takes the revenue after operating costs. A fixed levy per guest per night has funded more than 1,200 houses for genocide survivors, along with schools, clinics and farming projects. Wilderness runs the property, and the standard does not suffer for the arrangement.

The Experience

Eight cottages in total, six standard, two suites and a family cottage, built from local stone under Rwandan terracotta tiles and closer in feel to an English country house than a bush camp. Each has a sitting area, a fireplace and a sheltered veranda facing the volcanoes. Three fires burn in the main lounge, which matters at this altitude.

Need to Know

The distance to the park headquarters is the practical argument for staying here: briefings start early and you are minutes away rather than an hour. It is our Volcanoes base on the Grand East Africa route. Read our Volcanoes guide.