Engagi Lodge

The main lodge, built of local stone, wood and banana fibre (for the thatched roof), houses the reception area, fire-warmed dining room and terrace. The spaces have no walls, windows or doors, so the views of the tumble of rainforested hills are uninterrupted. The food and service are good – with a good breakfast to fuel your day's activities, a packed lunch and three-course dinner. Enjoy the black and white colobus monkey serenade you from the veranda. Wi-fi available.

The eight roomy cottages, although not super chic, are very comfortable, with good beds and pillows, an en-suite bathroom with a large and clean bath, big bath towels and complimentary toiletries. Hot-water bottles are available at night. Electricity is solar, the water is hot and you're woken with coffee and tea. The lodge plans to install solar-powered heaters to counteract the chilling effect of the damp rainforest air.

Bwindi is a World Heritage Site, so the area is rich with birdlife and vegetation. After you've visited the gorillas, go birdwatching, hike past local farmsteads and tilled fields to explore the forest, visit tea estates and explore the local village. There are a number of trails on the property, including one that leads to the river at the bottom of the valley above which the lodge perches.