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Haven Lodge Buhoma | Luxury Gorilla Trekking Lodge in Bwindi

Imagine waking to the gentle chorus of forest birds as morning mist drifts through the emerald canopy of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. At Haven Lodge Buhoma, every sunrise marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey where luxury, authentic Ugandan hospitality, and conservation come together in one of Africa’s most celebrated wildlife destinations.

Perfectly located in the Buhoma sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Haven Lodge is just a few minutes from the Uganda Wildlife Authority gorilla trekking briefing point. Whether you’re embarking on the adventure of a lifetime to encounter endangered mountain gorillas or simply seeking a peaceful retreat surrounded by nature, the lodge offers an unforgettable experience in the heart of Uganda.

Stay at One of the Best Lodges for Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

Choosing the right accommodation can transform your gorilla trekking experience. Haven Lodge Buhoma combines comfort, personalized service, and breathtaking forest views to create an ideal sanctuary before and after your trek.

The lodge’s thoughtfully designed cottages blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, offering:

  • Spacious and beautifully appointed private cottages
  • Panoramic views overlooking Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
  • Comfortable beds for a restful night’s sleep
  • Fresh, locally inspired cuisine prepared with seasonal ingredients
  • Warm, attentive Ugandan hospitality
  • Peaceful verandas perfect for relaxing after a day in the rainforest

After an exhilarating gorilla trek, there’s nothing quite like unwinding with a freshly prepared meal while listening to the sounds of the ancient forest.

A Lodge That Gives Back to the Community

What truly distinguishes Haven Lodge Buhoma is its commitment to community-based tourism and conservation.

The lodge was established with a vision to create sustainable livelihoods for the communities living alongside Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Every guest who stays at Haven Lodge contributes directly to local employment, supports community development initiatives, and helps strengthen conservation efforts that protect the endangered mountain gorillas and their fragile habitat.

Your stay becomes more than a holiday—it becomes part of a larger conservation story that benefits both people and wildlife.

Wake Up to the Beauty of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Few places in Africa rival the beauty of Bwindi.

Each morning, guests are greeted by rolling green hills, ancient rainforest, drifting mist, and the melodies of countless bird species. The ever-changing landscape creates spectacular opportunities for photographers, birders, honeymooners, and nature lovers alike.

Whether you’re enjoying your morning coffee on your private veranda or watching the sunset paint the forest in shades of gold, every moment at Haven Lodge feels deeply connected to nature.

More Than Gorilla Trekking

While mountain gorilla trekking is the highlight for many visitors, Haven Lodge is also the perfect base for discovering the rich culture and biodiversity of the Buhoma region.

During your stay, you can enjoy:

These experiences provide a deeper appreciation of the people whose partnership has helped make Bwindi one of the world’s greatest conservation success stories.

Why Choose Haven Lodge Buhoma?

Whether you’re planning a luxury Uganda safari, a gorilla trekking adventure, a photography expedition, or a birdwatching holiday, Haven Lodge Buhoma offers an exceptional combination of comfort, authenticity, and responsible tourism.

Here, every stay supports conservation, empowers local communities, and creates memories that last a lifetime.

If you’re looking for a lodge where genuine hospitality meets meaningful travel, Haven Lodge Buhoma is your perfect gateway to the wonders of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Experience the magic of Uganda’s mountain gorillas while making a positive impact on the people and wildlife that call Bwindi home.

Projects

Environment and Agricultural Production

Environment and Agricultural Production

This program started early in 2000 as a vegetable project with a demonstration farm but later expanded to household families

they were trained and up to now they still work better to reduce malnutrition and reduce pressure on wildlife food like vegetables.

The projects coordinator helps identify and increase farmers’ access to improved animal breeds and crop varieties suitable for our area, improving farmer access to agricultural advisory services, drafting proposals to tap into available opportunities in the agriculture sector, and Monitoring supported agricultural activities in the communities.

Recently BMCDA received cows under a cow project and vegetable growing.

Give your support to the Environment and Agricultural Production

Projects

Buhoma Community Primary School

Buhoma Community Primary School

Buhoma Community Primary School was started in 1996 as the profits from the business community projects.

 

The school is located in, Buhoma Village, Buhoma town council, Kanungu District Southwestern Uganda, 2 kilometers from the park

The school started recruiting pupils of different categories like Single orphans and double orphans, Inferior and needy children who are at school and do not pay school fees, The Batwa children, and Those children with parents who pay school fees.

The school so far has got 648 children with 9 classrooms. i.e. pre-primary and primary levels up to primary seven.

Our Mission

“Buhoma Mukono Community Development (BMCDA)” seeks to initiate a development process focusing on the empowerment of women and children, quality education, health, communication, conservation, health, communication, conservation, and recreation through sustainable resources based in Buhoma Town Council”

Support Buhoma Community Primary School

Projects

Buhoma Community High School

Buhoma Community High School started on 09/01/2007 with an enrollment of 51 students from senior and senior two respectively and was the first secondary school in Buhoma town council.

They first reported at Buhoma community primary buildings and later shifted to the mainland. As the community project, BCHS was to be funded by 20% from the community village walk for sustainability as the project becomes independent.

Our Mission:
Producing productive citizens who are good members of their families, communities, and the nation.

Our Motto. Education is a life investment.

Our Vision. A vibrant empowered community with life skills and values.

  • To Promote girl child education in Buhoma town council
  • To guide communities to know the impact of conservation in the area.
  • To provide secondary education to community members in general
  • To provide secondary to the Batwa who live in this community
  • To help poor people who could not afford to take their children in far way areas for boarding school

REG. PSS/B/300

LICENCE:  ME/22/21

CENTER NO.:  U3703

 

Support Buhoma Community High School

Activities

Gorilla Habituation Experience with HLBC

Gorilla Habituation Experience in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

The Gorilla Habituation Experience allows you to spend 4 hours or more in the company of the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. You’ll trek into the forest alongside park rangers – blazing a trail through the forest’s wilder sides of gorilla families.

It is an incredibly humbling experience, and the habituation process is fundamental to the continued protection of the gorillas.

The gorillas observed during the habituation experience are less used to humans than those seen on the standard gorilla treks (they are still being ‘habituated’).

The experience is still completely safe, and the benefit of spending more time with gorillas is that you can better understand their behaviors and social dynamics and get incredible photographs without being rushed.

 

Accommodation during your intimate gorilla experience.

Accommodation and meals are included in all Gorilla Habituation Experiences with Haven Lodge Buhoma Community (HLBC). Trekkers are lodged and fed at HLBC in Buhoma Town Council. The camp is Bwindi’s only mid-range option offering accommodation and Meals on the edge of the beautiful Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Staying a day at Haven Lodge Buhoma Community, You will be contributing to the development of Our Community

For more information about accommodation at Haven Lodge Buhoma Community (HLBC) or more about reservations for gorilla trekking tours, click here.

 

Projects

Buhoma Community Walk (Tourism and Culture Committee)

Buhoma Community Walk (Tourism and Culture Committee).

This was started in 2002 with the support of Bwindi Mgahinga Conservation Trust (BMCT). This is a 3-hour Buhoma Village Walk that introduces the visitor to the people and their culture living near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Buhoma Area. One learns about.

Observing how women create handicrafts and baskets at the crafts center.

A waterfall in the middle of the farmland and visitors can also see how hard women are working in the fields tending to their crops.

In season, visitors see how tea and coffee are picked, and for tea how just the newest leaves are picked by the skilled pickers. These cool hillsides lend themselves to growing a wonderful variety of tea and for coffee how it is picked, dried, and processed to the time of drinking if possible you can test.

Stop along the Munyaga River and see women washing clothes in the traditional way by hand. One will see hundreds of multi-color butterflies; Stop in the middle of a Banana plantation where there is a local brewing demonstration using Bananas including the distilling of a local gin made from banana juice;

Traditional Healer – no, he is not a witch doctor but someone who knows what to use from the forest for ailments – you will be amazed at this informative demonstration;

Visit the local High school and Primary School and meet children and the teachers – amazing how one can learn without electricity, lights, computers – but the most amazing thing is the wonderful spirit of the children.

Last – there is a visit to the Batwa Pygmy community – the original people of the forest – those who lost their feeding homes when Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park was created – ending with traditional dancing.

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Projects

Water Harvesting Tanks (WHT)

Water Harvesting Tanks

This project was established in 2019, after compiling house data in all households, and water scarcity was seen as the biggest challenge by women and children who could not go to school and even those going to school would go with Jerri cans for about 2.5kms to get water.

InBuhoma town council, 64% of people in rural areas do not have access to safe water. The majority of these are in hilly areas as the name of the area described as mountainous. The BMCDA, Donors and numerous Non- non-government organizations (NGOs) have supported the construction of improved water supply facilities. However, water supply is still a challenge. Water shortage in rural areas is mainly attributed to non-functionality of water sources.

It is noted that 17% of the sources are low-yielding or dry due to decreasing water level and quantity. This has created a need for the promotion of appropriate technologies and initiatives, such as Rain Water Harvesting (RWH), as an alternative water shortage solution.

Support Water Harvesting Tanks with HLBC

Projects

Haven Lodge Buhoma Community (HLBC)

Haven Lodge Buhoma Community

Buhoma Community Haven Lodge opened in December 2014 to help BMCDA cater to affordable accommodation clients. The Buhoma Mukono Community Development Association (BMCDA) has brought together over 9,000 community members for the benefit of development, improved livelihoods, and conservation of natural resources. BMCDA is assisting local people in obtaining reputable employment and empowering them with the necessary skills to guide tourists and further their career goals.

Haven Lodge

The property was constructed with support from the people of America (USADF)’ and we thank the taxpayers of America and Uganda for helping change the lives of many. Guests are served 5-course meals blending Western and African cuisine, prepared by Ugandan chefs using locally grown products. For gorilla tracking a packed lunch is also provided.

Tourists who stay at Buhoma Community Haven Lodge or at Buhoma Community Rest Camp can book the Buhoma Community Village Walk/Batwa tour. Revenue earned from guests transfers to BMCDA and is then dispersed to local community projects. The following are some of those projects: Buhoma Community Primary School, Buhoma Community High School, Buhoma Gravity Water Flow Scheme, Rainwater Harvesting, Pineapple and Vegetable Growing Project, and Buhoma Cooperative Savings and Credit Society among others.

 

Support Haven Lodge Buhoma Community