Uganda and Rwanda lodge specialist Volcanoes Safaris is to open its fifth property in July.

Kibale Lodge is located in Kibale National Park in Uganda, one of Africa’s best parks to view chimpanzees. 

The 150-acre site is dominated by a rocky outcrop with views of the Rwenzori Mountains to the west and the Queen Elizabeth plains and the Kazinga channel to the south.

The property, hand-built by the brand’s in-house construction team, will feature eight ‘deluxe’ rooms and a villa, plus a spa, sauna and pool.

Three bandas (huts with thatched roofs) will open on July 1, with three more joining by August 1 and the remaining two by the end of 2024.

The expansion complements Volcanoes Safaris’ existing four lodges in Uganda and Rwanda, creating what the brand calls a “seamless” safari circuit.

Kibale Lodge is an hour’s drive from the hill town of Fort Portal and the Kasese airstrip, from which there are daily flights to and from Entebbe and to Volcanoes Safaris’ other lodges.

Kibale Forest, the base for chimpanzee trekking, is a 30-minute drive from the lodge.

Volcanoes Safaris founder Praveen Moman said: “We are delighted to announce the opening of Kibale Lodge in July 2024. We are looking forward to sharing the unique experience of our Great Lakes hospitality with guests soon.”

Chief operating officer Kevin James added: "Volcanoes Safaris’ new Kibale Lodge, opening in July this year, will be the perfect location for chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. Kibale National Park, the ‘primate capital of the world’, is one of the best parks in Africa to see chimps, with a community of over 1,500. 

“This expansion complements our existing circuit of great ape lodges, offering travellers a seamless safari across Rwanda and Uganda and a unique insight into the world of the endangered mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, their habitats, and the communities that live nearby.”

Rates for Kibale Lodge start from $1,200 per person per night, including accommodation and meals, all soft and alcoholic drinks (except French champagne), laundry services, lodge activities, massage and spa treatments. 

A $50 per person per night community fee is applied and donated to Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSPT), which was established in 2009 as a non-profit organisation to support long-term, self-sustaining projects in the region. 

Bookings open this month. As part of a special introductory offer, guests will be able to combine Kibale Lodge with gorilla trekking at Bwindi or Mount Gahinga Lodge and receive five nights for the price of four.