Four Gorillas Lodge is an upmarket cottage lodge in the Rushaga sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in Kisoro District in southern Uganda. The lodge puts itself about 6 km, or roughly ten minutes by car, from the Rushaga UWA briefing point. It sells full board stays in timber finished cottages with private bathrooms, aimed at travellers holding Rushaga gorilla permits.
Where Four Gorillas Lodge Sits for Rushaga Gorilla Trekking
The lodge stands on the edge of the forest in the southern part of Bwindi, in the sector that the lodge itself calls the most visited for gorilla tracking. Its own directions take you off the Kabale to Kisoro highway at Muko town, then along a signposted murram road for about an hour to a final bridge, with the lodge a short drive beyond it. That puts it on the eastern approach to Rushaga rather than the Kisoro side.
On distance to the trailhead, the lodge gives two figures that agree: about 6 km from the Rushaga UWA headquarters and about ten minutes to the gorilla tracking and briefing centre. Your driver will take you in the morning; this is not a walk to the gate.
Gorilla permits are issued for one sector only, so this lodge works with a Rushaga gorilla trekking permit. With a Buhoma or Ruhija permit you would face hours of driving on trek morning. Rushaga holds more habituated families than any other sector, which is also why it is the home of the longer habituation experience.
Cottages and Rooms at Four Gorillas Lodge
Accommodation is in what the lodge calls signature cottages, set among dense forest and positioned for views over the Bwindi canopy. Design mixes modern and traditional African styles with a lot of timber, and the main building has high ceilings, exposed wooden beams and big windows looking over the treetops.
The lodge does not publish how many cottages it has, and its website gives room types only through its booking form, so confirm the layout you are offered. Photos of the rooms show timber floors, beamed ceilings, mosquito nets over the beds and glazed doors onto a private balcony.
Meals, Wi Fi and Facilities
Stays are sold on a full board basis: breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, with drinks from the bar charged on top. An on site restaurant serves local and international dishes, vegetarian options are available, and you can eat out on the patio when the weather allows. Ask for a packed lunch on trek day, since a Rushaga trek can run past midday.
The lodge advertises free Wi Fi covering the whole property and in every room. Connections in the hills of southern Bwindi rarely match what you are used to at home, so treat it as useful rather than guaranteed. A craft shop and tourism police security are also listed among the facilities.
Children are welcome to stay. They cannot trek until they are 15, but the lodge says younger guests can join community visits, basket weaving, painting and crafts while their parents are in the forest.
Gorilla Trekking From Four Gorillas Lodge
Trek mornings start with a short drive to the Rushaga briefing, where rangers split visitors into groups of up to eight and assign each to one habituated family. Rushaga families include Nshongi, Mishaya, Bweza, Kahungye, Busingye and several newer groups; read about the Nshongi family or browse every group on our Bwindi gorilla families page.
Treks can take an hour or most of the day, on steep and often muddy slopes. Once the family is found you have one hour with them, keeping about 10 metres away and wearing a mask when the rangers ask. Hire a porter at the start, and check our gorilla trekking packing list for gloves, gaiters and rain gear. The wider picture, from permits to fitness, is in our main gorilla trekking in Uganda guide.
Rushaga is also where the gorilla habituation experience runs, a longer day with a family still getting used to people. Ten minutes to the briefing point makes the early start manageable.
Nature Walks and Community Visits Nearby
On a day without permits the lodge offers guided forest and nature walks and visits to the surrounding community, including Batwa cultural experiences; read about the Batwa people before you go. UWA also runs ranger led nature walks in the sector, and early mornings near the forest edge are good for birding in Bwindi.
Getting to Four Gorillas Lodge
By road from Kampala or Entebbe, allow nine to ten hours to Rushaga via Masaka, Mbarara and Kabale, which our getting to Bwindi guide covers in detail. Many travellers split the drive with a night at Lake Mburo or Lake Bunyonyi. From Kabale the last leg takes two to three hours on hill roads.
Flying is quicker. Scheduled flights from Entebbe land at Kisoro airstrip in the morning, and the road transfer to Rushaga takes one to two hours. The lodge offers an airstrip pick up for a fee.
From Kigali, Rushaga is closer than from Kampala: four and a half to six hours via the Cyanika border. See our guide to gorilla trekking in Uganda from Kigali.
How It Compares With Other Rushaga Lodges
Four Gorillas sits in the comfortable middle to upper tier of the sector. Gorilla Leisure Lodge is a close match in style but sits nearer the briefing point and offers a two bedroom family cottage. Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge is a good value alternative with views to the Virunga volcanoes, and Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge is a smaller hilltop option near Rubuguri. Every sector is compared in our Bwindi lodges guide.
Four Gorillas Lodge FAQ
Which sector is Four Gorillas Lodge in?
Rushaga, in southern Bwindi, Kisoro District. You need a Rushaga gorilla permit for the lodge to work as a trekking base.
How far is Four Gorillas Lodge from the Rushaga briefing point?
The lodge gives about 6 km, or roughly ten minutes by car. Leave a little extra time on wet mornings.
How much does Four Gorillas Lodge cost?
The lodge does not publish room rates on its website at the latest check; it asks guests to request a quote. Stays are full board, and the lodge’s terms ask for a non refundable deposit of 20 percent to confirm. The gorilla permit is separate: US$800 for foreign non residents, US$700 for foreign residents and UGX 300,000 for East African citizens.
Are meals included at Four Gorillas Lodge?
Yes. The lodge sells full board, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bar drinks are extra.
Can children stay at Four Gorillas Lodge?
Yes. Children under 15 cannot trek, but the lodge offers community visits and craft activities for them. Ask what supervision is available while you are in the forest.
Does Four Gorillas Lodge have Wi Fi?
The lodge advertises free Wi Fi across the property, including the rooms. Speeds in rural Kisoro can be slow, so download what you need before you arrive.
