Bringing guests to gorillas
WILDERNESS SAFARIS BISATE LODGE,
VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK, RWANDA
Kenya is known for its lions and big cats,
while Botswana and South Africa are
no-brainers for elephants. For gorillas,
however, travelers can head to Rwanda,
where the 35-year-old company Wilderness Safaris
opened Bisate Lodge in June 2017. Comprising
just six villas perched high above Volcanoes
National Park, the lodge invites guests on daily
treks where a face-to-face encounter with families
of ambling primates is all but guaranteed—baby
gorillas are known to reach out to touch visiting
humans. While stays aren’t cheap—they run from
$1,150 to $1,650 per person per night—part of the
rate goes to reforestation and conservation eforts,
and the Rwandan government reserves 10% of
wildlife permit fees, which are separate from the
lodge fees, for contributions that go back to local
villages.—Kaitlin Menza