One & Only Nyungwe House

One & Only Nyungwe House sits among working tea fields bordering Nyungwe Forest National Park, Rwanda’s primate-rich montane rainforest in the country’s southwest, offering a genuinely different landscape and activity focus from the volcano-based gorilla lodges elsewhere in Rwanda.

Location & Setting

Nyungwe is one of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse rainforests, home to chimpanzees, a canopy walkway suspended above the forest floor, and one of the highest concentrations of primate species anywhere on the continent. The lodge’s position among an active tea estate gives it a distinctive setting that blends agricultural landscape with forest edge, a visual and cultural contrast to Rwanda’s volcano country further north.

Wildlife & Activities

Chimpanzee trekking is the primary draw, alongside troops of Angola colobus that can number in the hundreds, a spectacle relatively rare elsewhere in East Africa. The forest’s canopy walkway offers a different vantage point on the rainforest ecosystem than trekking on the forest floor alone, and extensive birdwatching opportunities exist given Nyungwe’s status as one of the region’s richest forest birding sites.

Food & Drink

As a One&Only property, dining follows the brand’s high-end standard, with a restaurant serving Rwandan and international dishes, often incorporating produce from the surrounding tea estate and local farms into the menu.

Rooms & Cottages

Accommodation is in luxury suites finished to the standard expected of the One&Only brand, with views over either the tea estate or the forest edge depending on room position. Exact configuration is best confirmed directly with the property.

Who It Suits

It suits travelers extending a Rwanda itinerary beyond gorilla trekking to include Nyungwe’s primate trekking and forest activities, particularly those already familiar with the One&Only brand from other destinations.

Best Time to Visit

Nyungwe’s rainforest climate means rain is possible year-round, though the drier months from June through September and December through February generally offer more comfortable trekking conditions.

Budget & Positioning

As a One&Only property, Nyungwe House sits at the top end of the Rwanda accommodation market. Current rates are best obtained directly through the brand’s booking channels or a luxury travel specialist.