Heavy fog hovers over the sprawling canopy of the eons-old Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a sight so dreamy it had me spellbound.
It’s a quarter after 4 pm, I’m wrapped up in a cozy microfleece blanket, seated at the (Bwindi) terrace wondering why I had never been to this part of Uganda before – Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge, in particular.
The weather here changes so rapidly, severally in a given day – like a blend of bi-polar and mania elements taking center stage successively. The sun had peered through the clouds at 3:47pm, the dark green forest top shimmered under the bright rays and, somehow, at 3:55pm, an ugly nimbus ‘outshone’ the beams, ushering in a spell of fog that claimed the atmosphere for a long while.
Beneath the perfectly suspended cloudy haze as seen from the lodge that towers at 7000ft above sea level, a constant roar snatches my attention from time to time. Unseen, yet grandly present, unyielding. It carries a familiar tune though, that of water outpouring off a cliff, plunging some good meters before hitting the ground with utmost force.
Bayenda waterfall – glistening in all its splendor and might – is the mystery that unfolds with every inch of the fog that clears.
“It was named after one of the first people to habituate gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park,” the Lodge manager, Wilfred Ninsiima responded to my would soon be query, having noticed my inquisitiveness about the mesmerizing cascade that had momentarily hijacked the show, playing exhibitionist.
By 4:39pm, following a light drizzle, mother nature seemed to have halted her spite, waving the green flag for another short-lived period of the sunny bliss. Temperatures rose and fell as did the fog, the wind and the precipitation.
It’s magical witnessing all of this in a 3-hour lapse, especially when much of your time has been spent in the fast-paced Kampala, the never-ending hustle and bustle of a city where the haves and have-nots scramble for bread, where a week’s vacation away is seen by most as a profligate move aimed at feeding one’s grandiose delusions of high social status.
Soaring Comfort – home away from home
Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge sits atop a hill in Rubuguri Village, in the Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park. A new kid on the block, Kaara is a new flavor of comfort for tourists yearning to wind down for a relaxed vacation or anticipating to tick Gorilla trekking in Bwindi off their bucket list.
Numerous hotels, lodges and campsites line the slopes of different hills in the Rushaga area, Kaara towers at 7000ft above sea level, giving visitors the best views of the Bwindi forest canopy, a view of the Virunga range Mountains; Muhabura, Mugahinga and Bisoke, and an interior that’s a perfect medley of rustic, uptown and luxury living.
Overcoming each of the daring inclines that put the vehicle engine to test brings Kaara lodge closer, her porch lights ever-so-glowing in the giddying twilight, intensifying the need to get there sooner.
The final climb winding into the lodge’s driveway was particularly tricky for our driver who had not been to the area before. Opting to ditch the vehicle was not exactly a desired take but imaging a downhill backtrack made the choice easier, after all, we had our soon-to-be paradise in sight and hiking a few meters up wouldn’t hurt.
The vehicle made it up easily without the extra weight of 8 people.
Our easy summit garnered instant rewards, warm smiles from our hosts, a warm towel to clean up for a glass of pineapple juice before a debrief at the central, open lounge, dinner orders and soon enough, we were checked in at the various cottages as allocated to freshen up before dinner.
I was checked in at the Mgahinga cottage, ushered in by a crisp, zesty scent, a gold bed lining ruched midway to create a flower, fresh fern blades arranged intricately to spell “WELCOME” and some pink -must have been lily – petals lined along. It was comforting. Then came the lights, glowing inside the bamboo chandeliers, complementing the large headboard made from similar material and beneath it, pillows so soft they could heal a heartbreak.
If we lose wilderness, we lose forever the knowledge of what the world was and what it might, with understanding and intentionality, yet become. #KaaraLodge #ExploreTheExtraordinary @TourismBoardUg @ugwildlife @UTAUganda pic.twitter.com/hXtkokkyvk
— Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge (@KaaraLodge) November 8, 2024
In the East corner, an Ankara fabric robe hung in waiting, apple green slippers beckoning my tired feet to a soft feel, a mini luggage area and a mahogany reading table on the West. There was no single-use plastic in the room, a glass water bottle sat on the bedside table, refillable shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion bottles were lined in the bathroom, next to the big glass window overlooking the forest.
Sliding doors opened to the well-lit, cozy private balcony where nothing but sounds of nature harmonized. Everything was squeaky clean, each bit looked intentionally placed where it was, and home, suddenly felt so present. Kaara Lodge was home for 3 days and 2 nights, but this lapse felt like a lifetime of goodness, great views, warm hearted staff, love-filled dinner tables and endless laughter by the library nook.
Bwindi – a dreamy backdrop
Kaara Lodge comes alive as the piercing sunrise edges between hills, casting its rays on the dewy – or rather foggy – forest top of Bwindi, giving the fog over Namib desert a run for its money in the ‘most picturesque’ category.
The quaint feel exuded by the woody terraces, rails and art pieces at Kaara meets the vibrant greens of the thick, usually dotted on as impenetrable, Bwindi Forest, a mash up that carefully leaves a spot on the parade for the Virunga ranges – Muhabura, Mugahinga and Bisoke to showcase their vastness, splendor and glory – in a distance.
A particular picture will forever be burned in the back of my mind, sliding the bathroom door open; ranges of dark green forest top loosely covered by receding fog, a blue sky littered with cottony clouds and nearby tree leaves rustling to the direction of the wind. Like a beautiful montage slowed down for the viewer to get sucked into the frame, all through a spotless clean, wide bathroom glass window.
Might as well have been a magic carpet beneath my feet because for a moment I couldn’t tell whether it was a wall hanging or a vivid, satisfying dream.
The lodge has six cottages, each with a private balcony that offers residents the best views of the forest.
“The views from your private balcony will stay with you for the rest of your life,” the lodge’s trip adviser profile reads in part, and needless to say, truer words have never been spoken!
Self-Contained, sustainable
Kaara Lodge boasts a wide array of amenities that make one’s stay hustle free. From the restaurant to the bar, business center with internet access, free parking, free wifi, and complementary services ranging from laundry to massage, room service and evening entertainment from the resident cultural troupe.
An in-house masseuse is at your service after a long day in the mountains; whether your program included gorilla trekking, visiting the Batwa or taking a nature walk, you will be pleased to end the show in the hands of a professional, treating your body to some tender loving care. You might as well take a bow, she is that good!
The lodge is pet friendly, allows 24-hour check in, express check-in/out, offers a complimentary welcome drink and provides budget accommodation for tour guides.
“We also have pick-up arrangements for guests who would prefer that, the service is available,” Mr. Ninsiima says.
Running on 100% on solar power, the facility is the epitome of sustainability; upholding the zero diesel emissions ideal, collecting rainwater that is filtered through UV filtration system, growing own food and vegetables to reinforce the farm-to-table component and lower transport emissions, empowering local communities and contributing to conservation initiatives.
“The idea is to be as self-sustaining, operating responsibly. But in so doing, we also create more activities that our guests can partake in while at the lodge such as picking produce from the garden for their dinner. We are trying to get local suppliers for products like milk so that we eliminate the plastic packaging and single use plastics,” Mr. Peter Muzoora, the Director Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge told PrimeNews.
READ: Enterprises Exhibit Sustainable Food Preservation Practices at Kampala Vegan Festival
In a trend where facilities label themselves as “eco-friendly”, “sustainable” and “responsible”, it is worth diving into how Kaara Gorilla Mountain Lodge is walking the talk. Be on the look out for the story in our next publications.