Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

Mountain Gorilla View is an ecolodge sprawled across a large property. In the main building, the atmosphere is warm, with soft couches surrounding a crackling fire and lighting provided by quaint calabash fittings. There's a bar, and buffet-style meals are served in the dining room. The food is fresh, sourced from the garden or local farmers and there's something for everyone (the wine selection is limited). On the lawn, local dancers perform daily. Wifi is available in the lounge area.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge has 30 spacious, stone-walled chalets with warm, slightly dated interiors and African decor. Each has a fireplace (nights are chilly), which is lit in the evenings, a large sitting area, a comfortable bed (with hot-water bottles) and roomy en-suite bathroom with open shower, which can make the floor slippery when wet.

You're just 10 minutes from the starting point for gorilla treks (take stout boots, long-sleeved shorts and gloves). Climb Mount Karisimbi, the highest of the eight major volcanoes of the Virungas and straddling the border between Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Visit Dian Fossey's grave, trek the endangered golden monkeys (there are just two habituated troops with 80 monkeys in total in the park that are available for visiting), or settle back and watch the sunset from the veranda.