Ingagi Park View Lodge | An Eco-friendly lodge in Musanze
In Rwanda’s Musanze district you find the Eco-friendly Ingagi Park view lodge, well known for its amazing views of the Virunga Mountain Ranges and exceptional service. The lodge is a mid-range property that features beautifully decorated chalets with African inspired decor with a mix of contemporary style decor.
The lodge is a great option for visitors looking for accommodation while visiting Volcanoes National Park for the gorilla trekking adventure in Rwanda, the property offers comfortable mid-range accommodation with a perfect blend of amazing views and proximity to the starting point for most of the activities. Ingagi Park view lodge is located just 10 minutes away from the Kinigi Park headquarters and this is ideally the major starting point for all park activities.
Aside from gorilla trekking Volcanoes National Park offers a visitor to Rwanda so much more as there is a plethora of things to do that include golden monkey trekking, hiking one of the Virunga Volcanoes with the most popular being the Mount. Bisoke Hike, bird watching, and cultural visits. The park is also strategically situated two and a half hours away from Kigali City.
Accommodation at Ingagi Park View Lodge
The lodge has 12 en-suite chalets with different types of rooming that include single rooms, double rooms, and triple rooms that cater to families/friends travelling together willing to share. The chalets are spread out across the large property and situated away from each offer hence offering one a feel of privacy while in their room. The chalets have been built to blend in with environment as they feature stone floors and brown neutral colors.
Each room at Ingagi Park View Lodge consists of;
En-suite bathroom with a toilet, a shower, a sink, a mirror, shampoo, lotion, shower gel and bathing soap.
Hot running water available in bathroom the throughout the day.
Comfortable and clean linen including bed sheets, mattress covers and duvets.
Strong comfortable and wooden beds.
Mosquito nets suspended from the wooden beds.
A private veranda.
Complimentary drinking water.
A fireplace that is lit on cold nights for extra warmth.
A closet with wooden hangers.
Bathrobes and bathroom slippers.
A flat iron and hair dryer.
A large mirror, a reading desk and chair.
Bedside table with drawers and a bedside lamp.
Comfy circle chairs in the room where one can sit as well as a table in case you need to place your other things.
Large windows that let in enough light, perfect way to be woken up by the sun rays peeking through in the mornings.
Facilities and Services
Restaurant – The hotel’s restaurant is beautifully decorated with authentic Rwandan decor and serves delicious food throughout the day. There is a chef’s special for the day and a set menu is also available in case one wants to order directly off the menu. The restaurant serves a breakfast, lunch and dinner. The staff usually set up nicely for meals either in the restaurant or the lush lodge gardens.
Bar – Ingagi Park View Lodge has a well-stocked bar with some of the finest liquors and wines so one can order a drink at any time while on their stay. The hotel has a bar attendant present in case a guest needs a glass of wine, a gin and tonic or a cold beer. The perfect way to end your day is possibly with a drink while enjoying the sunset over the stunning Virunga Massif. The bar is situated upstairs in the lodge main area hence offering incredible panoramic views, a coffee shop is also available upstairs.
Reception – The lodge features a reception area which is the first place you encounter as you approach the lodge’s main area. Here guests are welcomed to the lodge, can ask questions and are taken through a short briefing before being taken to their respective tents. A receptionist is always available in case you need anything throughout your stay.
Reading Area – At the lodge’s ground floor you find a private reading area that is stocked up with amazing literature on wildlife, nature, gorillas, and Volcanoes National Park. A perfect place to spend an afternoon/evening catching up on some helpful information.
Wi-Fi – The lodge has Wi-Fi available for guests at the property so one is able to browse the internet and update your social media at any time.
Other Services at the Lodge include ample car parking area and maximum security.
Attractions and Activities
Gorilla Trekking –Gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a worthwhile memorable adventure that brings you closer to the mountain gorillas spending up to one hour watching them and taking photos. If you traveled with a tour company your driver guide picks you up straight from the airport, transfers you to the lodge and then takes you to Kinigi park headquarters where you are assigned a gorilla group on the day of trekking after which begin your trek. If you are doing self-drive you can use google maps to locate the area from the hotel or even ask the staff at the hotel for directions.
Golden Monkey trekking – Golden monkeys are primate species with golden fur on their backs and interesting facial features, these primates exist in groups of up to 30 individuals and are rather active compared to gorillas. Golden Monkey Trekking starts at Kinigi headquarters is less strenuous than gorilla trekking and requires average physical fitness. The monkeys are usually found in less than one hour of trekking with the guidance of park ranger guides.
Dian Fossey Tomb Hike – The Dian Fossey hike is one of the activities around park and the 4 hour hike takes you to where she was buried. Dian Fossey was a researcher who spent a great deal of her life time researching the mountain gorillas and pushing for the conservation and protection of the gorillas. A visit to the Dian Fossey tomb is an opportunity to learn more about her work and incredible contribution to the mountain gorilla population.
Volcano Hiking – For travelers looking for adventure, Volcanoes National Park offers hiking opportunities with beautiful views. Visitors can choose among 4 main peaks out of the 5 Virunga mountain ranges to hike. The most popular is the Mt. Bisoke hike which can be done in one day; the hike offers breath-taking views of the Crater Lake at the top of Mt.Bisoke. The other volcanoes to hike include Mt.Karisimbi which is a 2 day hike, Mt.Muhavura and Mt.Gahinga.
Bird watching in Volcanoes National Park – The Park offers excellent bird watching with over 180 species of birds 17 of which are Albertine rift endemics, the park is rich in avifauna making it a worthwhile destination for your Rwanda Birding experience. A birding excursion in Volcanoes National Park involves birding in Musanze, Buhanga forest, Rugezi swamp (IBA) which hosts the Grauer’s Rush Warbler and birding in the park’s forest habitats.
Visit Iby’Iwacu Cultural Village – The Iby’Iwacu cultural visit is a great way to experience the way of the life of the Rwandans as you get a look in to their culture, traditions and norms. The cultural visit can be done after your gorilla trek depending on what time you return. While at the cultural village you will visit the traditional medicine man, a craft centre and even be treated to the unique Rwandan traditional dances which you are free to join in.
Getting to Ingagi Park View Lodge
By Road
Ingagi Park View Lodge is accessed from Kigali by road and the distance from Kigali to Musanze district in Rwanda is 96km. The journey is along a paved road and is just two and a half hours away from Kigali when using a private car. The route is Kigali – Rubavu – Musanze – Ingagi Park View lodge. The drive is scenic and offers stunning views of the panoramic landscape of Rwanda and the small busy towns along the way that are usually filled with locals busy with the day’s activities.
By Flight
The lodge can also be accessed by taking a flight from Kigali International Airport to Volcanoes National Park with Akagera Aviation which arranges charter helicopters to the park. The lodge can arrange pick up or your driver guide can pick you up at the airstrip and drop you off at the lodge.
From Uganda
The lodge can also be accessed via Uganda. The connection is along a paved road from Kisoro in Uganda crossing at the Cyanika border post into Rwanda and then to Musanze town at the foothills of Volcanoes national park. The distance between Kisoro and Musanze is 40km.
