Highlights

• Combine a Wilderness Magashi savannah safari with gorilla trekking for a superb in-country East African experience.
• As the only private wilderness area in Akagera National Park, Magashi’s 6,000 exclusive-use hectares (14,826 acres) offer premium and intimate guest experiences.
• A land of phenomenally diverse habitats, this is big game country. Guests can spot lions, leopards, black and white rhinos, elephants, buffalos, giraffes, zebras and hippos. 

Place: Wilderness Magashi is picture perfect. Perched on the Magashi Peninsula, it overlooks the shimmering waters of Lake Rwanyakazinga and the Mutumba Mountains in the west. Located in Akagera National Park – central Africa’s largest protected wetland – it is Rwanda’s last remaining refuge for savannah species, and tells a story of survival and regeneration, much like Rwanda itself.

Experience: With 11 different habitat types, not only is game viewing exceptional in Akagera National Park, but its spectacular scenery adds to the unique experience. The open plains are the hunting grounds of a healthy population of lions. Elephant and hippo find solace in the swampy grounds and lakes, while elegant Masai giraffe browse in the woodlands.

And with diverse habitats comes variety. Guests enjoy thrilling game viewing by boat on elevated seating for unimpeded sightings. Game drives offer guests the opportunity to help our conservation efforts, by tracking and identifying the lions and leopards of the area through the use of identikits.  At night, listen to the songs and stories of the land during a traditional Kugisha supper around a roaring fire with friends old and new. 

Purpose: We made history at Magashi when we partnered with the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks. Since its opening in 2019, two of our guides became the first-ever Rwandans to receive a coveted FGASA qualification. Today, Akagera’s rebirth is an extraordinary conservation success story. 

Wildlife: Wilderness Magashi is home once more to an abundance of apex predators and their prey, offering  dramatic game action. There are between 15 and 20 leopards, a healthy lion population, black and white rhinos, and elephants can be seen splashing in the lake from the deck.

Watch out for waterbuck, impala and warthog grazing on the peninsula’s western side, while on the eastern side eland are often seen by the shore, as well as hippo, crocodiles and elephant bulls. Secretive sitatunga provide thrilling sightings on the water’s edge.

Other sightings may include buffalo, Masai giraffe, spotted hyena, zebra, topi, roan, Defassa waterbuk and eland – and an impressive 520 species of bird including occasional sightings of the rare shoebill stork.

Wilderness Magashi: Perched on the edge of Lake Rwanyakazinga’s sparkling waters, Magashi is spectacular. A beautiful sanctuary to breathe out in, after a thrilling gorilla trek in Volcanoes National Park or a stay in the bustling capital of Kigali. Intimate and luxurious, the eight spacious tented suites decorated in soft, earthy tones, welcome you into a quintessential East African safari wonderland.

The main areas consist of a chic lounge, dining area, bar and pool – every corner boasting glorious views, while the expansive viewing deck is the perfect stage for sundowners, wildlife spotting and storytelling at the convivial fire pit. 

Highlights

• The ultimate destination for mountain gorilla encounters.
• Award-winning, sustainable lodge with breath-taking views of six volcanoes, adjacent to Volcanoes National Park.
• The first of its kind in Rwanda, Bisate Kwanda (day lounge) accommodates earlier arrivals and later departures in comfort and style.

Destination: Wilderness Bisate’s six Forest Villas, tucked into a swathe of rehabilitated Virunga Massif cloudforest, are exceptional, inside and out. Perched dramatically on the edge of an eroded volcanic crater at Volcanoes National Park in north-western Rwanda, the lodge has breath-taking views of the brooding Bisate and Karisimbi volcanic peaks, and is within easy driving distance of the park’s headquarters, where daily gorilla treks begin. 

Experience: While spending an hour with the mountain gorillas is no doubt the star attraction, there are many other thrilling encounters that await you at Volcanoes National Park and surroundings – from golden monkey trekking to climbing Mount Bisoke, hiking to the ruin of Dian Fossey’s research centre, and her burial site, to visiting the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Closer to home at Wilderness Bisate, guests will discover incredible birdlife on our nature trails, and can plant a tree towards Bisate’s visionary reforestation project, or visit the surrounding communities, who form an integral part of our shared purpose – to preserve, empower and expand these iconic wild lands.

Traditional dining is equally inspired. Fresh, locally sourced, health-conscious cuisine is served with exuberant hospitality, completing an unforgettable guest experience.

Purpose: Every moment of your stay at Bisate will remind you of our shared purpose to preserve, expand and protect this iconic wilderness. 

From our pioneering reforestation project and local community upliftment programmes to our rehabilitation initiatives, every guest has the opportunity to join in our shared vision. 

Wildlife: Volcanoes National Park provides a sanctuary to hundreds of the world’s 1 000 or so Endangered mountain gorillas. It is also home to the golden monkey, side-striped jackal, serval, black-fronted duiker, buffalo, elephant, tree hyrax, bushbuck and Egyptian mongoose. Genets and squirrels can also be found here. 

Bright and beautiful sunbirds like the Rwenzori double-collared can be spotted here, along with over 200 other bird species (13 of which are endemic to the Virunga area). These include the Archer’s robin chat, mountain black boubou, strange weaver, mountain masked apalis and Rwenzori (collared) apalis.

Testament to our ongoing conservation and reforestation efforts, many of these species can now be seen on our property.    

Wilderness Bisate: Since opening in 2017, Wilderness Bisate has been awarded numerous accolades for its visionary sustainability impact, and continues to inspire superlatives. Both the architecture of the lodge, and the interiors of the six opulent en-suite Forest Villas elegantly embody the traditions of Rwandan royalty. Edifying cultural interactions, sophisticated, health-conscious dining, and exuberant hospitality all make your stay superior. 

The thoughtful architecture is inspired by Rwandan building traditions and beautifully embodies the design of the Rwandan royal palace. The mindful use of local materials further weaves in a truly authentic ambiance.

It’s interesting to note that the spherical, synthetic thatched structures echo the Land of a Thousands Hills, which the Rwandan landscape is renowned for.