CHIMPUNDU LODGE: An unforgettable tale of luxury and a little piece of visually arresting heaven

Chimpundu Lodge!  

So Unforgettable.

Located at the heart of one of Uganda’s tropical rain forests called Kibale National Park, the lodge sits quietly, but in a loud way, sits amongst some of this region’s oldest trees, some as old as 200 years and standing over 55 metres tall.

Chimpundu is a compound term derived from two words: chimp and mpundu (a Runyankore word for chimpanzee). The lodge neatly unfolds in the middle of Kibale National Park staged by the Fort Portal—Kamwenge highway to usher you into a state-of-the-art sanctuary deserving of guests who love tranquillity, nature and luxury in one. 

The lodge is built with such finesse and modelled with a careful finishing that venerates your stay with honour.

The 14 lavish cottages are well spaced, yet so near each other to give off a beautiful feeling of being alone, yet not lonely—a perfect recipe for what a getaway should be. 

The guests get to appreciate the esoteric architectural design of the cottages and the wooden suspended walkways in the forest, which are complemented by the large wooden and other local raw materials furnishings and finishings— a rustic aesthetic and reminder that you are amidst Kibale Forest National Park.

The Park is biologically diverse with over 120 mammals, which include several primate species such as baboons and chimpanzees, as well as elephants and antelopes. The forest and its surroundings also harbour up to 370 species of birds, including 23 that are endemic to this part of the Albertine Rift. 

It is estimated that there are over 1,500 chimpanzees, divided into at least a dozen different communities, four of which are habituated to humans. The Kanyantale community has been subject to daily tourist tracking since 1993.

A combination of a raucous cacophony of singing and chirping birds and the stridulating crickets forms an omnipresent soundtrack to this nature’s movie that is occasionally interrupted by the resident primates, especially chimpanzees and monkeys, each craving for attention

As the sun sets over the giant trees and night draws, loud silence takes over, punctuated by mood lights that illuminate the suspended wooden walkways, creating an ethereal ambience for just about anything- be it a casual chat by the balcony or a glass of wine or simply cuddling, for romantics.

The rooms are a whole vibe and a whole topic for another day- but words like spacious, warm, cosy and well-appointed, give you an idea of what we are talking about.

At sunrise, a cup of coffee on the balcony immerses you, in this natural and unforgettable feeling of being one with nature. You get to watch sunrays tear through the thick canopies to shine a new light on you. A standalone swimming pool at the corner of the lodge waits to grant you that stretch the body longs for as you sip on a glass of wine from the wide assorted collection at the hotel.

For bird lovers- there is a variety in the natural forest, but you can also get to visit the nearby Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. The word bigodi is derived from Rutooro (language) kugodya which means to walk sluggishly—which is what you need to do, to be able to take in the over 138 bird species, which include hornbills, the African pitta and the kingfisher.

A trek in the Kibale National Park will lead you to chimpanzee families as they go about life in the wild- there is over a 90% chance of seeing chimpanzees. On a good day during your nature walk in the park, you will chance upon a forest elephant. Kibale has a few of them and only the lucky ones get to see them.

Chimpundu Lodge is appropriately located- because away from the Kibale Forest National Park, the nearby Kasenda and Kasunganyanja crater lake belts offer up to 50 explosion crater lakes, each of which is beautiful in its way. Other nearby attractions include the Semliki National Park which is famous for the male and female hot springs as well as a lowland tropical forest that hosts 441 recorded bird species and 53 mammals.

For adventure freaks, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, which is less than a two-hour drive away, is another attraction. The Park is home to the famous Rwenzori Mountains as well as 70 mammals and 217 bird species.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is also a 2-3 hours’ drive away from the Lodge. The park that straddles the equator is home to over 95 mammal species and over 600 bird species.

The Katwe explosion craters as well as Lakes Edward and Lake George, which are connected by the Kazinga Channel are another major attraction in this park. Queen Elizabeth National Park is also popular with big cats and other carnivores- up to 20 species that include lions, leopards, side-stripped jackals, spotted hyenas and lions, including the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha as well.