On the savannah plains below the Rwenzoris, Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge is being built near the Kyambura Gorge at the edge of Queen Elizabeth National Park. The Gorge is almost at the geographical centre of the Greater Virunga Landscape, at the heart of the Albertine Rift that straddles Uganda, Rwanda and the DRC. This landscape is one of the most important areas for avian, primate and wildlife biodiversity in Africa.

Like our other lodges -  Bwindi Lodge , Mount Gahinga Lodge and Virunga Lodge in Rwanda - the Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge will continue to build on our philosophy of being ecologically sensitive and working closely with communities. Kyambura Gorge Lodge will initially have 8 bandas (rooms) overlooking the Gorge and rolling savannahs of Queen Elizabeth National Park and is expected to open in June 2010. The original site for the lodge, adjoining the gorge, had about 25 acres. We have since increased it to about 60 acres to protect the neighbouring areas of the gorge by creating a buffer zone between them and the gorge, as well as purchasing the site of an illegal brickworks, which will be reconverted back to wetland.

In 2007 research sponsored by Volcanoes and conducted by Nicole Simmons, a researcher from the USA, revealed only 17 chimpanzees remained in the isolated troop that live in the Gorge, about half that of 20 years ago. This is most likely due to habitat loss and pressures from the growing human population. Investigation of possible travel corridors connecting Kyambura to nearby forests revealed that the Kyambura chimpanzee community had become isolated, meaning that other females had not been able to join and breed with the Kyambura chimps. Fortunately the Kyambura chimps are still breeding and over the past 18 months 3 babies have been born, increasing the population to 20.

With the support of Volcanoes Safaris and The Great Ape Trust of Iowa, Nicole Simmons conducted interviews with local farmers which revealed that the Kyambura chimpanzees do not appear to be a large problem for most people on the land near the gorge but other primates, especially baboons are raiding crops on a near daily basis as are other animals such as bush pigs. These raids not only destroy the primary food source for local people but also mean that the fields need around-the-clock guarding, which is usually carried out by children and prevents them from going to school. Because of these conflicts, negative attitudes towards primates (including chimpanzees) are widespread, putting the animals at risk of attack or harassment.

The Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Ecotourism Partnership, a major long term eco-tourism partnership project, will link the eco-lodge we are building to the community, promoting the conservation of chimpanzees through tourism, and creating a buffer zone in the area around the gorge to help protect the habitat for chimpanzees.

Volcanoes Safaris Trust, a separate non profit entity for our work supporting communities and conservation, is working to partner with local people living near the gorge and will provide them with seedlings and a startup allowance to grow buffer crops such as coffee. The coffee will then be sold with proceeds going back into local communities and other Kyambura conservation efforts.

At the Volcanoes Kyambura Gorge Lodge you will be able to explore the gorge and track the community of chimpanzees there, along with other primates, as well as viewing the 600 bird species and different game on the savannahs of Queen Elizabeth National Park.