Kinigi Cottage

The highlight of Kinigi was definitely the food — I had some of my favorite meals while I was in Rwanda here. We were a bit surprised when we arrived by the size of the property. From the photos we had thought it was more secluded and surrounded by open green land with views of the mountains but really the property was just a building with a front yard with firepit nestles among greens to the left and a parking pad to the right. There was also work being done on the drive while we were there and the noise detracted from the peacefulness of our stay and our ability to enjoy our patio. We had issues with the glass bathroom door. There were curtains on the outside but it was difficult to enter the room and also close the curtains for privacy. There was also a window in our bathroom that wouldn’t fully shut and showering made the entire bathroom floor wet no matter how you positioned the shower head. We had three people in our room but only two towels and one day only received two hot water bottles for nighttime. It would have been great if that had been better recognized based on the reservation. Additionally, we were never able to use the on-site sauna as staff required an hour notice which we weren’t told in advance and ultimately didn’t align with our time frame. However when we first arrived I believe someone else had used the sauna and the smell of eucalyptus was so all consuming that the property smelled terrible and brought on a headache.

The ideal accommodation for gorilla tracking:
Kinigi cottage is such a cozy and hospitable place.
The location is only a few minutes drive away from the Volcanoes National Park base station. We spent a couple of days there and greatly appreciate the friendliness of John and the whole team there. The breakfast and the dinner are delicious and hearty, consisting of a soup, a salad and a main course — ideal after hiking. The living space is very cozy and it was so relaxing to sit in front of the fireplace in the evening and enjoy a glass of wine. Besides that everyone went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. So, I definitely recommend staying there.

Such a paradise. Beautiful garden, welcoming host. John was so sweet and patient welcoming me. The room with balcony has a stunning view and the common area has a really home feeling where you can sit and come together with other guests. This is a rest for the soul.

Our stay at Kiningi Cottage was a truly memorable experience. The location is stunning: serene, surrounded by nature, with amazing views and crisp clean air. It’s just a 10-minute drive from the Volcanoes National Park Headquarters, which is a big plus if you're doing a trek.
The guesthouse itself is beautifully designed — exotic, aesthetically done, and very well managed. Everything is spotless and thoughtfully arranged. The staff do everything to make your stay comfortable, and Joachim, the manager, stands out — he's warm, helpful, knowledgeable, and genuinely cares about your comfort.
The breakfast is a delight — a generous spread with pancakes, chia pudding, omelettes, fresh fruit, and more. In the evenings, they light a fire in the living area, creating a cozy space to sit, chat, play cards, or just relax. One evening they even lit a bonfire in the garden and hosted local traditional dancers — a really special touch that made the stay even more memorable.
And just when you think it can’t get better, they come by at night and tuck hot water bottles under your sheets — a simple but wonderful gesture that makes your night warm and comfortable.
Bonus charm: the property has a sweet dog named Nala and a friendly cat called Cheetah, both lovely companions during your stay.
Highly recommended for anyone looking for comfort, beauty, warmth, and a little bit of magic near the jungle.

Huge thank you to Joachim and the team at Kinigi Cottage. We stayed here for 2 nights while in town for the gorilla trekking and the location couldn’t have been better.
Honestly have never experienced such a welcoming and comfortable stay anywhere in the world. You can really see how much thought and effort has gone into every aspect of service, ambiance and detail of this place. It has such a cosy charm and the entire team will go out of their way to ensure you are comfortable.
Really hope to be back one day to visit again.

What a special place. We were so well looked after. The food was excellent — local, vegetarian dishes that were served beautifully. The breakfast, which is included, is out of this world. The whole place is wonderfully designed and authentic to the area. Super well located, a few mins walk to the museum and women’s center where you can buy crafts. Good location for Volcanoes National park, short drive away. We were there with our 1 year old and the staff went out of their way to make us feel comfortable, playing with our son, and providing a lovely crib. Highly recommend.

Wow! What a place! 😍
First of all I would like to thank you all for the amazing hospitality! We felt so warm and welcome!
The host (Joachim)? Is an wonderfull guy! He really takes care about his guests. He knows so many things to do in the area and he will always make sure everything is planned perfectly! We would like to thank you personally!
The staff are also amazing, with a big smile and a heartwarming welcome!
The food, the rooms are just perfect! The view in the room on the vulcano is just unbelievable beautifull! Everything is perfectly clean.
Big ups! Best hotel I ever visited in Rwanda!
Thankyou so much for everything!
I would really recommend this place!

We have been travelling for 9 weeks through Africa and this is one of the best places we stayed. Friendly, kind staff, great facilities, exceptional breakfasts and a homely feel which encourages socialising with other guests. Very close to local tourist attractions and excellent value for money.

Very good location to visit the Bisoke and gorillas. Very good service, very helpful people. Nice decoration. We stayed with 4 people during two nights. Delicious breakfast, lunch package and diner.

The host is very nice and knew we were going on a gorilla hike. Since it's been rainy and muddy lately, he lent us gaiters and jackets. The room is comfortable, the food is delicious, and the staff are all very friendly. They provide hot water bottles in the evening, very thoughtful. The price is reasonable, highly recommended.

Nice location with very friendly staff.
Rooms are small, but sufficient.
Food is very good! The Wi-Fi was broken during our visit, but we could use the hotspot of the manager. There is a nice fire place in the common area too. From Security to Cooks and Manager, everyone was welcoming and friendly. Location is perfect if you want to climb mount Bisoke.
They even cleaned our shoes after the hike, which was really appreciated.
Recommendation: Add a little more vibe to the area (maybe few candles, always some background music, some cosy lights), but these are just minor advices.

The room (the upstairs one on the right) was amazing. Huge room, huge fireplace, huge bed, so gorgeous that I took as a video as inspiration for when I finally build my own place. The team were so kind, made a fire every night for me, provided brilliant hot water bottles, supper in your room if you wanted it, pre dinner drinks. The value is outstanding if you compare it to some other well known places in Volcanoes. It's very near the park entrance. Breakfast was huge and lots of variety. Had supper every night bar one — soup, salad and main — plenty of it, delicious flavours, simple food — if you feel the need to eat Michelin starred "gastro" food every night this probably isn't the place for you but then Rwanda probably isn't either! Loved the sociableness of sitting down and eating breakfast and supper with other travellers or enjoying a pre dinner drink in the shared sitting room or whilst watching a local dance troop. Again though if you like 5/6 star resorts where you don't mix with the riff raff this may not be the place for you!

15 minus drive from Virunga park centre.
The beds are a bit narrow, but all the rest compensates for that. Best breakfast I got in Rwanda.

Beautiful place, with amazing staff and host. Incredible view of the volcanoes and such a quiet peaceful place. All you hear is bird sounds and other animals and the night sky is great to look at too. Highly recommend.

We had a great 3 nights stay in Kinigi cottage and felt well taken care of. There is an amazing living room area with a fire place and a dining table where we shared dinner with other guests and made wonderful new friendships! The food and breakfast were also really amazing, incorporating the best of Rwandan cuisine and coffee. The cottage is only 5min walking to the Dian Fossey museum which is a must to do, especially before trekking with the gorillas as you learn so much about them in advance and in an interactive way.
Most of all, the service was great and we were well looked after by the managers Joachim and Angel who also shared very useful information with us. When we were cold in the night, they provided us with a hot water bottle, and after trekking they organised for our hiking shoes to be cleaned before we left. They also organised for an intore dance performance one evening around a bonfire. That was great fun.
Thanks again and we hope to be back soon!

Amazing experience! A truly unique place that makes you feel like you are staying at someone’s house more than a hotel. The living room and dining room were cozy on a rainy day with a fireplace. The bedroom was crazy beautiful with an unreal balcony and views. Angel is super friendly and knowledgeable. We will be back again and again.

We absolutely loved our stay. The best team, amazing atmosphere and location. It felt like coming home!
We would have loved to stay longer. If you’re going to Volcanoes Nationalpark, make sure to stay at Kinigi. One of the best experiences we have ever had.