Mount Gahinga Lodge

Gahinga is inspired by traditional design and building techniques, and the whole lodge is charming and very pretty. The main area sits atop terraced gardens and looks out towards the surrounding volcanoes and the Kisoro valley. Large windows flood the lovely lounge with sunshine, making it a fabulous place to sit and just take in the views - and when the temperature drops, you can move to the second lounge with its enormous, open-sided fireplace. Food is fresh, locally-sourced and always delicious - and much commented upon by previous guests.

The lodge has recently been refurbished and a couple of new rooms bring the total number of stone-and-thatch pandas to nine. Each has its own fireplace that gets lit for you every evening, and a private veranda overlooking the garden towards the volcanoes. Uniquely decorated with bright, bold colours and traditional patterns, the rooms have a distinctly African feel Ensuite bathrooms have hot showers, basins and drop toilets. Hot water bottles in the bed are a real treat, as are the morning wake-up calls with a pot of hot chocolate.

One of the highlights of a stay at Gahinga is searching for gorillas in the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, but it should be noted there is no guarantee of finding the big apes since they can move freely into Rwanda and the DRC. But fear not, the rainforest is home to rare golden monkeys as well as hundreds of species of birds, and is a walking and hiking hub. There are three different volcanoes that you can climb (Mt. Gahinga, Mt. Sabyinyo, and Mt. Muhavura), all of which offer stunning panoramic views along the way. Volcanoes Safaris, who manage the lodge, has a superb relationship with the local Batwa community so make sure to spend some time with these fascinating people.