Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel

The main areas are contained in a large, two-tiered rondavel – the ground floor reception area, decorated with slightly hypnotic traditional murals, and the mezzanine, home to the bar, dining and veranda areas. The bar is decorated entirely in bottle tops, beloved by people familiar with African style, and meals are fresh and creative (especially the fish dishes). From the veranda, the views stretch across the forests to, on a clear day, Lake Kivu.

Glass doors at the front of the rondavel lead to the lovely lawn, flanked by six double or twin cottages. Each has tiled floors, a comfortable sitting area, netted beds, a fireplace for cold evenings and an en-suite bathroom with a basin, toilet and shower (some have baths). The rooms are comfortable, clean and spacious but not glam in any way. No aircon, although the staff will put hot-water bottles in your bed at night.

As at any other lodge in this area, activities from Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel focus on those offered by Nyungwe National Park. Trek to see the Ruwenzori colobus and other monkeys, spend a morning looking for chimpanzees, go birding (there are 270-plus recorded species), explore the botanical treats (including some 100 orchid species) and brave the canopy walk. Your private driver will take you to the park headquarters, just three kilometres away, to start each activity.