Nyungwe Forest Lodge
We had often heard of Nyungwe Forest Lodge is a 5-star establishment. A 5-star establishment in Nyungwe National Park. How exciting. My wife and I decided we must go and try it out. And so we made reservations through Primate Safaris and drove to Nyungwe Forest.
The drive is not long from Kigali, it took us approx. 3 hours and most of the road is really good. We left in the morning and our plan was to be there for lunch. The lodge is just a few kilometers from the main road and the access road leading up to the lodge from the main road is also good. Definitely saloon car accessible if anyone does not have access to a four-wheel drive. Arriving at the lodge we were impressed by its beautiful surroundings. The lodge is built just on the edge of a tea plantation overlooking the extremely dense and beautiful Nyungwe forest. The area is so tranquil we almost felt like we were a million miles from civilization.
The lodge boasts 24 luxury rooms, of which 15 are King size bedded luxury rooms, 7 are twin bedded luxury rooms, and 2 are King bedded suites. All the rooms and suites are facing the forest and each has its own balcony. We opted for the King size bedded luxury room. The cost of one night at Nyungwe Forest Lodge for my wife and me was US$ 400 per night. We did inquire about the suite but at a price of US$ 600, we felt it was too high. Prices include lunch, dinner, breakfast, and selected beverages. We felt this price was extremely high and was definitely of what a 5-star establishment would normally charge but would Nyungwe live up to its star rating. Would it be worth it?
Upon arrival, we were given hot towels to clean our hands. Check-in was a breeze and we were immediately shown to our room. Our room was spacious and well equipped with more than sufficient amenities you would need at a forest lodge. We had a small balcony overlooking the Nyungwe forest but since the forest is so dense there is not much to see. The bathroom, I have to say was one of the most beautiful bathrooms I have seen in any hotel room. The bathtub was in front of a window overlooking the bedroom, a separate shower unit with a large shower head, a separate toilet enclosure, and his and her hand washbasins with a huge mirror. Overall the layout of the bathroom was superb and we were very impressed by the bedroom as well.
Once we were settled in we made our way to the main lodge where the dining area is. We had lunch on the verandah overlooking the lodge rooms, the tea plantations, Nyungwe Forest, and the mountains in the far distance. Lunch was mediocre. We were expecting much better for the amount we had paid and for the 5-star rating. I have eaten much better meals visiting quite a few safari lodges in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. After lunch, my wife had booked a spa treatment for herself. I opted for a swim and a nice cold drink by the poolside and my wife was going to join me after Health Review her spa, however, our excitement was short-lived. The solar heating for the pool was not working and the temperature was a bit too chilly for me to dive into the cold water. Due to the high altitude of Nyungwe Forest, the temperatures are generally low (1600m to 3000m above sea level). We were extremely disappointed the pool heating was not working and this was our first major setback at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. We did express our disappointment to the staff but there was not much they could do except apologize. This left me to take a small walk around the lodge to explore a bit more of what this lodge had to offer after which I retreated to the balcony in my room to relax and listen to the sounds of the forest while my wife went for her spa.
There are activities for people with more energy than us. The lodge offers trekking for Chimpanzee, Black and White Colobus Monkey, Grey Cheeked Mangabey, Blue Monkey, and Golden Monkey. There are also swamp walks, waterfall walks, bird-watching walks, cultural area walks, and various guided walking trails which can take anywhere from 1 hour to 7 hours. As I am not such a fan of the above options I opted out of the activities, however, I have heard from various sources that the bird watching walks are worth it. Apparently, there are over 275 bird species in the Nyungwe forest. This is bird watchers paradise. By late afternoon my wife was back from her spa which I am glad to say she would thoroughly recommend to anyone. The lady giving her the spa treatment had extensive experience in various treatments unlike many lodges/resorts/hotels which advertise spa treatments and you end up getting just an oily massage. The spa room itself is beautifully positioned overlooking the Nyungwe Forest.
In the evening we headed up to the main lodge dining area and as the weather was not permitting we could not eat on the verandah as we did for lunch. We opted for the main indoor dining hall. Before we went into the dining hall we sat in the lounge area and had a few drinks and went through the wonderful selection of Africa safari books they had. We ordered for dinner from the lounge and when our meals were ready we were politely ushered to the dining hall. Dinner again was mediocre. I was starting to get disappointed with the food as I am a food lover and I enjoy eating but I didn’t enjoy the lunch and dinner I had so far. Again the question of the 5-star rating comes into play and you wonder whether the food was actually representative of a 5-star establishment.
We had asked for the fireplace in our room to be turned on during the evening but we were told that if it is raining the smoke from the fireplace would not be able to exit the chimney properly and the smoke might end up back in our room. This again showed either a design fault or the staff member we spoke to not bothered to go to our room and turn on our fireplace in the pouring rain? I was hoping it was not the latter as the staff so far were very helpful. After dinner, we had a hot bath and the feeling of relaxation, once you are inside of a bathtub, was great. We rarely have a bath, much prefer a shower but having a bath in this modern-designed bathroom reminds you of why you go to a lodge. To relax and unwind. And this bathroom allows you to do just that.
The next day we were woken by the wonderful sounds of monkeys and birds near our room. Once again we felt a million miles from civilization and it was a great feeling. We had a wonderful, relaxing, lazy breakfast on the verandah after which my wife opted for another spa treatment and I sat about admiring the beautiful view from the main lodge. Again my wife enjoyed the spa treatment.
We then set off back to Kigali having had a very relaxing one night. Would I go there again? Not for this price. I felt there were not many activities if you are not a bird or chimpanzee fan and the solar heating for the pool not working is a major disappointment. Would I go back at half the price? Possibly would then consider. There are however quite a few lodges opening in Rwanda and I hear at much more reasonable prices so Nyungwe Forest Lodge might have its work cut out to attract clients. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful lodge in a superb location with great facilities, a great spa, and great staff. It just needs a few more activities and a solar heated pool and a more
reasonable room rate.
