Mountain Gorillas Nest: Our full report

For an acceptable hotel, that's also near to the start of the gorilla treks, consider the Gorilla's Nest. As recently as five or six years ago this was the very best hotel in this area, and it has grown steadily in recent years.

It now has 43 simple hotel-style rooms, all with en-suite flush toilet and hot shower. Outside there's now a nine-hole golf course and a pleasant garden in which to relax.

Food here is usually a buffet, with huge breakfasts on offer to set you up for a morning hike.

Mountain Gorilla's Nest, or simply 'Gorilla's Nest', as it's usually known, is a little north of Kinigi, and very close to the main headquarters of Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park – from where all the hikes to see the gorillas depart in the morning.

STOP PRESS
The Mountain Gorillas Nest was taken over by Dubai World back in mid 2008. They originally planned to renovate all the rooms and central facilities; however progress has been exceedingly slow. Some minor upgrading has occurred but the general state of play is very uncertain, with no date set for the refurbishment to be completed. As building works are intermittent and we cannot be sure when travellers' stays may be disrupted, as present we are generally not using the Gorillas Nest hotel.

Please call us for further information and updates.

Geographics

Location: Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda

Ideal length of stay: Four nights, which will allow for 3 full days in the area. This allows you to spend your first whole day acclimatising to the place and the altitude, and taking a relatively gentle hike to see the golden monkeys; then to have two subsequent days on which you can hike up the mountains to see gorillas – usually two different groups of them.

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board

Dining style: Individual Tables

Dining locations: Indoor Dining

Central communications

Power supply: Mains Electricity

Health & safety

Malarial area: No

Dangerous animals: High Risk

Extras

Disabled access: Not Possible