OVERVIEW:
Nyungwe House is a partner hotel of One&Only, a company with a portfolio of luxurious properties in some of the world’s most exotic destinations! Other offerings we sell include One&Only Cape Town. Nyungwe House is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals, all safari activities, parking, and Wi-Fi. Children aged 2–12 years incur a reduced rate, and youngsters aged 0–2 years stay for free! Please note, there’s a minimum age requirement for treks – 15 years.
ACCESS & LOCATION:
The property is situated within a tea plantation west of Nyungwe Forest National Park, approximately 230 kilometres from Kigali International Airport. Visitors can choose either to drive all the way (4–5 hours) or to fly in from Kamembe Airport (35 minutes followed by 45-minutes road transfer). You can even approach via helicopter, which takes just half an hour. From the road, Nyungwe House is clearly signposted, and a well-laid track leads to the property.
ACCOMMODATION & FACILITIES AT ONE&ONLY NYUNGWE HOUSE:
Nyungwe House has 22 rooms and suites, occupying six wooden villas and beautifully furnished with traditional Rwandan art. The difference between categories is size, with suites providing more spacious accommodation. Each option has a king-size bed or twin beds, bedside tables and lighting, a separate seating area, a cosy fireplace, and plenty of storage space. Amenities include a satellite television, a telephone, multi-pin plug sockets, charging points, and access to Wi-Fi. En-suite facilities comprise separate flush toilet with bidet, twin washbasins, shower cubicle, and big bathtub. And each unit has a private deck – from here, guests enjoy spectacular views of Nyungwe Forest! You can also look out for wildlife, such as primates and birds.
The six villas are linked to Nyungwe House’s communal buildings along wooden walkways. The buildings are made out of wood, dark slate, and terracotta tiles, blending with the surrounding landscape. A chic reception area flows through to a pleasant lounge/bar, featuring comfortable seating around coffee tables, an inviting fireplace, a collection of books and games, and views of the tea plantation. There’s an elegant dining room too, with a few double doors opening out onto a dining terrace. In both spaces, guests can tuck into delicious buffet breakfasts, à la carte brunches, and unashamedly lavish evening meals. Lunches usually take the form of picnics in Nyungwe Forest, and private dining is available on request. Nyungwe House also has a well-equipped fitness centre, a spa with two treatment rooms, and a curio shop. There’s a fire-pit too, the perfect place to socialise with your fellow travellers! And there’s also a heated infinity pool.
ACTIVITIES AT ONE&ONLY NYUNGWE HOUSE:
Nyungwe House offers two types of activities – resort and national park. Within the property’s grounds, guests can enjoy walks, bike rides, wildlife watching, stargazing, and archery!
- In Nyungwe Forest, activities focus on chimp and monkey treks, birding, and a good range of walks or hikes. Treks set off a short distance from the property, and they’re a wonderful opportunity to see not only the primates of the forest, but also a wealth of other species.
- Nyungwe is home to 85 types of mammal in total, among them leopard, golden cat, serval, civets, genets, duikers, giant forest hog, white-bellied pangolin, and African giant squirrel.
- Birding in the forest is equally impressive, with highlights such as red-winged francolin, yellow-whiskered greenbul, large blue turaco, and purple-breasted sun bird.
- There are 130 kilometres of trails in total, and we highly recommend the national park’s canopy walk, which is the highest of its kind in all East Africa!
- Additionally, guests can get involved with Nyungwe House’s work with the local community, by picking tea leaves within the plantation. You can learn about the local people’s daily lives too.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course