Wagtail Safari Lodge

Wagtail Safari Lodge is a mid-range accommodation facility used by travelers to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park a home to mountain gorillas. The lodge is situated in Rubuguri village which is near Rushaga sector of Bwindi. Rushaga sector is home to mountain gorilla families such as Nshongi, Kahungye, Mishaya, Busingye, and Bweza. Wagtail Safari Lodge is built giving stunning views of the Kigezi hills and Virunga ranges while at the camp.

Wagtail Safari Lodge was constructed in an African style using local materials such as trees, roofed with papyrus, and banana fibers that act as a ceiling. Guests staying at Wagtail Safari Lodge will enjoy the sound of birds that live in the vegetation around the bush.

Wagtail Safari Lodge 2 self-contained bandas with double beds, self-contained banda with 2 twin rooms, 2 self-contained tents with double beds, four single rooms with shared bathrooms, and a campsite where those that want to stay in tents can stay. Wagtail Safari Lodge has a bar with soft and hard drinks and it has a restaurant with delicious food. They have children’s activities, free parking, electricity, laundry services, and a luggage room.

Getting to Wagtail Safari Lodge

Wagtail Safari Lodge can be accessed within a single day using road transport or air transport. Road transport users get to bwindi from Kigali by crossing to Uganda using Katuna border in Kabale or Cyanika border in Kisoro. Travelers from Kampala can access wag tail safari lodge by using Kampala/Entebbe via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, and Kisoro road. The journey from Kampala to Wagtail Safari Lodge takes 9-10 hours while from Kigali it’s 4-5 hours. Luxury travelers can fly to Kisoro airstrip from Kajjansi airstrip or Entebbe international airport which takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. From the airstrip, it takes about 2 hours to connect to wagtail lodge using road transport.

Activities to do while staying at Wagtail Safari Lodge

Gorilla trekking in Buhoma from Wagtail safari lodge

Gorilla trekking: Guests staying at Wagtail Safari Lodge are those that are coming for gorilla safaris in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Gorilla trekking in Bwindi from Wagtail Safari Lodge can be done in Rushaga sector which is the closest region to the park. Gorilla trekking in Rushaga starts in the morning and therefore travelers must wake up to keep time for briefing. Trekkers are briefed about the rules and regulations of the gorilla trekking activity and grouped not exceeding 8 people.

Groups are led in the jungle by armed ranger guides who know the best routes to use and protect trekkers from dangerous wild animals. During the search for gorillas which takes 2-7 hours depending on the location of the gorilla family and the speed of trekkers, trekkers get an opportunity to encounter different park mammals, primates, and birds. When the mountain gorillas are located, trekkers are given 1 hour to be around the apes, watch them do daily activities, take photos and learn about their habits.

Gorilla habituation: You can stay at Wagtail Safari Lodge and visit Rushaga sector of Bwindi where mountain gorilla habituation takes place. Rushaga sector is home to Bikingi gorilla family which has been put in place for gorilla habituation purposes to enable travelers to be around mountain gorillas for 4 hours. The gorilla habituation experience is done by 4 trekkers that are accompanied by researchers, conservationists, and armed ranger guides. The search for the semi-habituated mountain gorilla family can take 2-7 hours and the moment it’s located, the trekkers are given 4 hours to be with mountain gorillas while taking part in the activities to make them get used to the human presence around them.

Some of the birds of Bwindi impenetrable forest national park include buff spotted woodpecker, least honey guide, rock martin, greater honeyguide, white-headed barbet, African pitta, green breasted pitta, green breasted pitta, lesser honey guide, hairly breasted barbet, thick-billed honey guide, grey wagtail, western nector, angola swallow, forest robin, little greenbul, Kivu ground thrush, little rush warbler, olive thrush, green crombec, sedge warbler, chestnut wattle eye, brown illadopsis, and chin spot batis among others.

Community tour: While staying at Wagtail Safari Lodge, don’t miss out on having a community to the Batwa people who live around Bwindi impenetrable forest national park. Community visits are led by the local guides and money collected is paid directly to them to help thee improve their lives and community. A visit to their homes takes you around the jungle where guides move telling you stories of how they used to survive in the jungle eating fruits, honey, and meat from small animals. You will visit their homesteads and interact with the members, watch them do daily activities, visit gift shops, and get entertained by the traditional dancers.

Nature walks: Staying at Wagtail Safari Lodge, nature walks can be done inside Bwindi impenetrable forest national park where armed ranger guides led the activity. There are designed nature walks trails in Bwindi and rangers will take you through the best ones based on what you want to see. Nature walks in Bwindi enable you to encounter different park animals such as bush pigs, elephants, buffaloes, duikers, giant forest hogs, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, and birds such as chestnut wattle eye, African hill babbler, African jacana and much more.

Birding in Bwindi national park

Birding: Bird lovers staying at Wagtail Safari Lodge can be part of the organized birding activities around the lodge or even the national park itself. Birding activities are led by professional guides who take you around the park through different birding trails. Each of the sectors of Bwindi has got the best birding spots where a number of birds are seen.

Best time to stay at Wagtail Safari Lodge

Travelers can book and stay at Wagtail Safari Lodge during their safari in Bwindi impenetrable forest national park at any time of the year however there are months that are better than the rest. The dry months are the best to book and stay at this lodge and they occur from June to September and December to February. They are characterized by little or no rainfall that makes the trekking trails stay dry, vegetation is thin and short with good views of the animals, and the roads leading to the ark and the lodge are in good condition.

Travelers most especially the budget ones can book and stay at this Lodge during their safari to Bwindi impenetrable forest national park to enjoy huge discounts. The rainy season occurs from March to May and October to November and is characterized by too much rainfall that makes the trekking trails muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall and thin with unclear views of the wild animals while the roads leading to the park and lodge are impassable.