Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge

Location: Located at around 2,100-2,150m in the foothills of the Virunga Volcano range, Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge boasts panoramic views of Rwanda's rolling agricultural hills and mist-shrouded volcanic peaks. The lodge sits a mere 3km from the headquarters of Volcanoes National Park, making it a prime launch point for early0morning gorilla treks. Guests enjoy a sense of peaceful remoteness, yet remain deeply embedded within a faming community managed by SACOLA.

Rooms: There are nine guest cottages in total - six standard stone cottages, two suites with king-size four-poster beds, and one spacious family cottage with two en-suite bedrooms connected by a shared veranda. Each unit features polished timber floors, snug fireplaces that power hot-water bottles at night, large sitting areas, and sheltered verandas with sweeping volcano views. Bathrooms offer deep soaking tubs and stone showers, all style with local terracotta and handsome finishes.

Amenities: The main lodge building is warm and welcoming, with a reception, an open fire-lit sitting room, library/games room, and dining areas that spill out onto panoramic terraces. Meals reflect a true farm-to-table ethos, using produce grown on-site or sourced via SACOLA community farms. Light meals, warm drinks, and even homemade chocolate feature during the day, with hot water bottles attuned to trek recovery. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout, laundry is included, and in-cottage spa treatments can be arranged on request.

Activities: The lodge's primary appeal is gorilla trekking, which begins just minutes away at park headquarters; warm up with a fireplace before heading into the forest for a 1-6 hour hike followed by a treasured one-hour encounter with the gorillas. Beyond that, guests can track golden monkeys, stroll bird-rich gardens (17 acres on the property) with a specialist guide, mountain-bike across local terrain, take guided cultural walks through SACOLA villages, and visit the Dian Fossey Karisoke Research Centre. More adventurous travellers can book hikes up Bisoke, Muhabura or M'Gahinga volcanoes.

Sustainability: Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is Rwanda's first community-owned luxury lodge, owned by the SACOLA Community Trust. A flat US $50 per guest per night is channelled into community development - funding more than 1,200 homes for genocide survivors, local schools, clinics, agricultural projects and micro-enterprises like beekeeping and mushroom farming. The lodge employs over 90 percent Rwandans, sources most food locally, runs composting and minimal-waste systems, and supports reforestation and habitat monitoring in nearby forests like Buhanga and Gishwati - with guest-engagement in cultural/community walks and conservation education encouraged throughout their stay.