Our Gorilla viewing protocol is based upon the standard guidelines issued by the The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for great ape viewing:

• The maximum duration for time spent with any group encounter is 1 hour per day and the maximum number of guests present per gorilla tracking excursion is 8 persons.

• The treks are only conducted in the company of professional park rangers as assigned by the parks board.

• The minimum age for gorilla viewing is 15 years – this is for reasons of safety but also for possible disease transmission, with children under this age more prone to infection.

• Any traveler displaying cold, flu or other respiratory tract symptoms will not be allowed to enter the park.

• Again, to minimize any chance of transmission of human diseases, all visitors must maintain a distance of 7 meters (22 feet) from the gorillas.

• Clothing tips: A complete packing list is mailed to our Guided Safaris® guests once a trip is purchased. As a guideline, for your comfort do avoid shorts or thin pants / leggings; loose fitting jeans or cargo pants are good choices to protect against grass allergies insect bites and stinging nettles in the forested areas. Avoid any heavy or busy prints - solid neutrals (green, khaki, brown) are a sensible choice. Blacks / Blues / Whites will attract bugs. Spray yourself with insect repellent (available in your suite at Bisate Lodge). Pack comfortable shoes (broken in, not new) - leather sneakers or lightweight hiking boots are popular choices.

Thank you for your participation and support for this incredible program. We wish you the journey of a lifetime in our care!

The Albertine Rift is one of the world’s most biodiverse rainforests with an incredible range of endemic species in the Virungas; the most notable resident being the Mountain Gorilla found in the Volcanoes National Park, a designated World Heritage Site.

Here one can experience the most dramatic Gorilla trek in Africa with an established group of families. Kwita Izina is the annual national baby gorilla naming ceremony that occurs on the 1st of September. Other special factors that make Bisate Lodge an unforgettable safari in Rwanda:

• 151 mammal species; of which we have 15 primates!
• 670 bird species
• A myriad reptiles (such as the Ruwenzori side-striped chameleon)
• Amphibians
• Over a thousand plant varieties

Some of the rare Primates residing in the bamboo forests:

• Golden Monkey (endemic)
• Black and white colobus monkey
• White colobus monkey
• Baboons
• Red-tailed monkeys

Unique birds seen in the Virungas & Ruwenzori:

• Rwenzori double-collared sunbird
• Mountain black boubou
• Rwenzori turaco
• Rwenzori nightjar
• Black-crowned waxbill
• Strange weaver
• Rwenzori batis
• Streaky seedeater
• Paradise flycatcher

Mammals sighted in the Virungas:

• Black fronted Duiker
• Bushbuck
• Side striped Jackal
• African wild cat
• Serval cats
• Spotted Hyena
• Buffalo
• Forest Elephant (occasionally)

Conservation is at the heart of everything we do at Bisate Lodge.

• Travel with a purpose to save our Gorillas:
  Bisate Lodge is owned by the most respected conservation group in Africa; the Wilderness Trust. As part of Bisate’s foremost purpose in Rwanda’s Gorilla Safaris, we aim to enrich our guest interactions by offering in-depth knowledge of the great apes with our ongoing mammal research, biodiversity surveys and sustainability efforts in the Virungas. Meet with our camp scientists and on-site researchers to learn about the tremendous conservation work being done to protect our Gorillas and their fragile habitat.

• Community work at Bisate Lodge:
  Rwanda is an inspirational country, rebuilding as an energized community from ground up following the devastating 1994 genocide. Meet the farmers and basket weavers, go behind the scenes at their villages to learn about their rural lifestyle, visit our nursery and plant your own tree to help in the Bisate Lodge efforts for reforestation of prior agricultural land to expand Gorilla habitat, visit the community schools constructed by our Wilderness Trust at Bisate Lodge and meet the children who will be our future custodians in the wilderness. Community and the people of Rwanda are at the heart of everything at Bisate Lodge - they helped construct our beautiful villas and they are at the core of our hospitality, waiting to welcome you into their home.