Bwindi Backpackers Lodge is a budget lodge on a hilltop bordering Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Kisoro District, serving gorilla trekkers in the southern Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors. It offers a dormitory, rooms with shared bathrooms, self contained rooms, cottages and camping, and it is one of the few places in southern Bwindi set up for overland trucks. The lodge says the Nkuringo gorilla family sometimes passes through its compound.
Bwindi Backpackers Lodge Location in Southern Bwindi
The lodge sits on top of a hill that shares its boundary with the forest, on the Kisoro side of the park. Its own directions put it about 32 km of murram road from Kisoro, around an hour by car or motorbike taxi, and about 80 km from Kabale, of which roughly half is dirt road. It promotes road access for every kind of vehicle, from saloon cars to large overland trucks, although guests have found the road hard going after rain.
The lodge does not publish its distance to a specific briefing point. What it does say is that it lies close to the tracking points for the habituated families of the southern sector, and that the Nkuringo group regularly visits the lodge grounds. Guests describe it as within reach of most of the Rushaga and Nkuringo groups. Ask the lodge for the transfer time to your trailhead when you book.
Permits are sold by sector. This lodge is a base for Nkuringo gorilla trekking and Rushaga gorilla trekking, not for Buhoma or Ruhija.
Dorms, Rooms and Cottages
The lodge mixes simple eco rooms with more comfortable options, so it suits a wide range of budgets. Buildings are timber framed, with carved gorilla motifs on the room doors.
Food, Power and Practicalities
Meals come from the lodge’s own organic gardens, and the menu runs from continental breakfasts and omelettes to soups, curries, wraps and pizzas, with espresso made from coffee grown around Bwindi. Guests on bed and breakfast, half board or full board plans get complimentary organic coffee. Food is a recurring highlight in what guests say about the place.
The lodge does not publish details on electricity or Wi Fi; photos show solar panels on the roof, so plan on limited charging and bring a power bank. It accepts card, bank transfer and cash in several currencies at its offices, and guests have been asked to pay in advance for accommodation and activities.
Gorilla Trekking From Bwindi Backpackers Lodge
The lodge arranges gorilla permits for guests without an extra fee. Nkuringo families include Nkuringo, Bushaho, Christmas and Posho, while Rushaga families include Nshongi, Mishaya, Bweza, Kahungye and Busingye. Every group is on our Bwindi gorilla families page.
Nkuringo treks begin with a steep descent into the forest and end with a hard climb back out, so be honest about fitness and read our trekking difficulty guide. Wherever you trek, you get one hour with the family at about 10 metres, and the minimum age is 15. Hire a porter, and check the gorilla trekking packing list. For the bigger picture, see our gorilla trekking in Uganda guide.
Batwa Experiences, Volunteering and Walks
The activity list is long for a budget lodge. Cultural options include Batwa forest and hunting experiences, a homestead visit, a visit to the Batwa community of Nyabaremura, traditional healers and a village tour; read about the Batwa people first. Nature options include chameleon tracking, a walk through the Nombe forest to its waterfalls, hill hikes, bird watching and canoe trips on Lake Mutanda.
Further afield the lodge arranges golden monkey tracking and volcano hikes in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. It also runs community projects in agroforestry, fruit and vegetable growing and beekeeping, offers volunteer placements, and lets guests plant a tree in its Nombe tree planting project.
Getting to Bwindi Backpackers Lodge
From Kampala, the lodge gives about 500 km and eight hours by road, while our getting to Bwindi guide allows nine to eleven hours to the Nkuringo side. It runs a daily shuttle from Kabale and can collect guests from Kisoro or the Cyanika border. Kisoro airstrip, with morning flights from Entebbe, is one to one and a half hours from Nkuringo by road, or up to two after rain. From Kigali, allow four to five hours to Nkuringo via Cyanika.
How It Compares With Other Southern Bwindi Stays
This is one of the cheapest beds near the southern trailheads. Gorilla CloseUp Lodge is a budget to midrange alternative on the Nkuringo road, Bwindi Orugano Lodge is a small cottage lodge near the Nkuringo UWA office, and Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge offers more comfort on the Nteko Ridge. Our budget gorilla trekking guide and Bwindi lodges guide cover the alternatives.
Bwindi Backpackers Lodge FAQ
Which sector is Bwindi Backpackers Lodge in?
Southern Bwindi, in Kisoro District, serving the Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors. Confirm the transfer time to your trailhead with the lodge.
How much is a dorm bed at Bwindi Backpackers Lodge?
The lodge’s booking page has shown dorm beds from about US$40, with other room rates in its downloadable brochure. It has advertised a 20 percent low season discount on accommodation and meals for April, May and November. Rates change, so confirm before you travel. The gorilla permit is extra at US$800 for foreign non residents.
Can you camp at Bwindi Backpackers Lodge?
Yes. There is a camping area for your own tent and a separate space for overland trucks.
Can you see gorillas from the lodge?
Occasionally. The Nkuringo family sometimes visits the grounds, but a sighting is never guaranteed. Book a trek with a ranger for a proper encounter.
Does the lodge arrange gorilla permits?
Yes. The lodge says it arranges and processes permits for its guests without an extra fee.
How do I get to Bwindi Backpackers Lodge without a car?
The lodge runs a daily shuttle from Kabale and can pick you up in Kisoro or at the Cyanika border. Motorbike taxis from Kisoro are possible but rough on the murram road.
