Reviews of Mountain Gorilla View
Wildlife sightings and reviews
114 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Mountain Gorilla View and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
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"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
Nothing much has changed since then. The chalets are very large and the staff work hard to keep them looking good. It is very reasonable as a launch point to get to the park each day.
The fireplace in the chalet is really cosy, and the water always hot. Food is basic and buffet style. You can hire gators and gloves for the trek. Check credit card facilities with Expert Africa as Reception told us we could we pay with a credit card but on check out they said it wasn't possible." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 7n in Zambia; 5n in Rwanda; 1n in South Africa
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
We loved the wood burning fireplace that they lit every night. Loved the hot water bottles placed in our bed every night.
The staff and could not do enough for us. The chef did a great job. The food was excellent. Its a great location. Just a short walk to the Dian Fossey Museum. Highly recommend visiting the Museum.
The local people performed dance and song every night. They were so good. We danced with them. Amazing to see." See all these reviews: 6n in Rwanda; 6n in Kenya
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
Dinners were served buffet-style and would always be a soup (which was fantastic, especially as the weather was cold), a grain, a meat, vegetables and dessert. Chef Alfred would also be manning a table where he would cook up some stir-fry on the spot. Food overall was average and nothing to write home about. Towards the end of each night, Alfred would entertain us by singing some African songs which was a great way to end the meal. For lunch, a good array of options were provided for us to order from and we felt that the non-buffet style was slightly more to our liking.
Every evening, a local dance troupe comes by for some pre-dinner entertainment and we got to experience it our second night. It got our group dancing a bit and we all had a good time.
For gorilla trekking, the lodge rents out gloves and gaiters. The gaiters ($5/day) are a must for trekking and it'll protect your clothes and shoes from the mud and prevents safari ants from getting into your clothes. We didn't rent gloves and were OK without them. When we got back from trekking, the staff provide complimentary boot cleaning and they do a phenomenal job. Our muddy boots would always come back looking like new--we don't know how they do it! Complimentary foot massages are also provided if you want them upon returning from trekking.
There is a small gift shop at the lodge but prices are somewhat higher than outside the lodge--a premium for extra convenience I suppose. Wi-Fi, albeit not the fastest and a bit spotty, is available in the main lodge. All of the staff was very kind and service was good. One thing we noticed was that the staff did not wear masks here though. Our group wasn't bothered by this but others may be. Overall, we had a pleasant stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge and would happily stay here again." See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 5n in Rwanda
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
Lit fireplace in the bungalows and hot water bottled between the sheets!" See all these reviews: 7n in Zanzibar; 5n in Rwanda; 4n in Zambia; 1n in Tanzania
"Great location and very friendly staff"
The lodge needs refurbishments here and there. Nice, huge room. Very friendly, great service by the staff.
Food just ok; no ice for mixed drinks :(. It gets quite cold - in the mornings and evenings. A joy having the fireplace in the room." See all these reviews: 6n in Rwanda
"Luxury stay at Mountain Gorilla View Lodge"
Every night employees would walk you back to your lodge to ensure you arrived safely. They would also set a fire for you every night, and on top of that, each night a hot water bottle was in the bed to keep you warm! The lodge was set back into the trees and had a very secluded, authentic feel. The communal area with wifi and a fire was great for meeting other travelers and was very cozy.
Great stay at a great place!" See all these reviews: 4n in Rwanda; 4n in Kenya
"Mountain Gorilla Lodge"
The nightly entertainment was very enjoyable" See all these reviews: 8n in Tanzania; 4n in Rwanda
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
Electrical outlets are 220V, but have a universal configuration that accepts US two- and three-prong plugs. If you have voltage-compensating electronics, you can use them without an adapter.
All meals are offered as buffets. There is typically a very wide choice, and I never had a problem finding something to like. Quality is average: neither praise- nor complaint-worthy. Adjacent the dining area is another fireplace, surrounded with chairs, which is a nice pre-dinner gathering place for guests to share stories – and a beverage – from their days’ experiences.
Strongly suggest to your clients that they bring their own gaiters and gloves for monkey and gorilla treks. The gators in particular are almost a necessity, and the lodge “rents” pairs for US$5 each per day. We took gloves with us on our gorilla trek, but found them unnecessary.
One extreme negative that should be addressed by the lodge, but almost certainly will not be: I thought the shower was a death trap. It is apparently formed of poured concrete and painted with a shiny enamel paint. The slope to the drain is steep and the surfaces extremely slippery when wet (which is all the time during a shower). I fell immediately upon setting foot into the shower area. The area is bordered by a line of fist-size rocks set into the concrete. If I had landed on one of those, I fully expect that I would have been severely injured. As it was, I only experienced a moderately painful contusion on my forearm. I count myself very lucky." See all these reviews: 6n in Rwanda
We have been in touch with Mountain Gorilla View Lodge to advise on and discuss this important safety concern. The lodge have responded, to advise us that they are aware that the shower floors can become slippery during use, and they are looking into solutions to rectify this, including sourcing non-slip shower mats for the rooms. We have updated our documentation to ensure that all travellers to the lodge are aware of this safety concern, and we will continue to monitor the progress as the lodge for further safety measures to be implemented.
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge"
It has been expanded and now only provides buffet style meals. The choice and quality are pretty good.
The proximity to trekking points for gorilla viewing is very good." See all these reviews: 4n in Rwanda
"Mountain Gorilla View Lodge review"
The foot massage and boot cleaning after the gorilla trek were particularly nice touches." See all these reviews: 5n in Zambia; 3n in Rwanda
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