When you’ve been to the top hotels in the world like Singita, it’s hard to find better. But then, you go to a sister hotel of Singita, and you realize that with even the best, there is the possibility for better. Singita Kwitonda is a lodge for the goals list.
Overview
I’ve had the fortune to be in Rwanda several times, for both gorilla trekking as well as humanitarian work with partner organizations. Sometimes, when you’ve already been to a place, there’s less excitement in the moment. Rwanda is different though. It’s a place that continues to evolve so quickly, that each visit feels like the first time. There are very few experiences in travel that change the way you see the world. Sitting in a bamboo forest on the slopes of the Virunga Volcanoes, ten feet from a silverback gorilla is one of them. Doing this experience with Singita is a whole other level.
I have been lucky to experiences the Singita Lodges in Tanzania and South Africa. Each time I stay at a Singita Lodge, I don’t think that they can out-do themselves any more. Just like there’s no comparing your children, there’s no comparing Singitas — but Singita Kwitonda is something special. Singita Kwitonda is the place you stay at when you want to do it right. And once you’ve done it right, there’s no going back.
Atmosphere
Kwitonda sits on 178 acres, directly bordering Volcanoes National Park — not near the park, not a drive from the park, but on its actual boundary. That proximity is not incidental. It is the entire point. The lodge is named after a beloved silverback that once roamed these exact slopes, and that sense of reverence runs through every design decision made here. Woven roofs, handmade terracotta bricks, and green-topped structures that read from a distance as part of the hillside — Singita has done what only the best lodges manage to do, which is make you feel like the architecture is a guest too, not an imposition on the landscape.
The atmosphere is intimate in a way that large-scale safari properties simply cannot replicate. With only eleven suites, you are never jostling for a seat at the fire pit or waiting on the tracker to brief the group. It has the feel of a very well-appointed, privately owned property, where the owners happen to have exceptional taste, a serious conservation mission, and a wine cellar that deserves its own review. The guests here are a self-selecting group — conservation-minded, well-traveled, curious — and the result is an energy that is calm, purposeful, and entirely without pretension. Nobody is here to be seen. Everybody is here for the gorillas. That shared intention makes the atmosphere unlike anywhere else I’ve stayed.
Rooms
“Rooms” doesn’t quite describe what you’ll find at Singita Kwitonda. “Villa” is more like it, each with its own standalone above. Seven one-bedroom suites, one two-bedroom suite, and a private cottage, all with a prime view of the Volcanos. As usual, Singita has a prime location, and is the closest lodge to the famed Volcanos National Park, aka home to the gorillas.
I was lucky to stay in the two bedroom on property, and I would have used another two days just because of the room. There’s a lot to do and appreciate in each villa suite, and best experienced with friends and/or a plus one. With it, also comes a dedicated wellness treatment area, an outdoor shower, and covered veranda seating. The interiors lean into Rwandan craft — handmade textiles, natural materials, earthy tones that reference the forest outside — without tipping into the themed aesthetic that can make African lodges feel like stage sets. Each suite has a heated private plunge pool, and indoor and outdoor fireplaces for the cool mountain nights. These rooms feel real. They feel lived-in and carefully considered.
A note on the two-bedroom suite: if you’re traveling with another couple or with older children, book it without deliberating. The additional space and the private configuration change the stay meaningfully — you essentially have your own corner of the lodge, and at this altitude, in this landscape, that matters.
Food + Beverage
Singita takes the culinary side as seriously here as they do at any of their southern African properties, which is saying a great deal. The kitchen is an open, interactive space that anchors the main lodge, and the philosophy is farm-to-table in the truest sense: an on-site organic vegetable and herb garden supplies much of what lands on your plate.
Breakfasts are abundant — fresh juices, homemade yogurt, seasonal fruit, the kind of pastries that make you want to cancel your morning walk — and dinners are where the kitchen shines, with seasonal menus that pull from Rwandan ingredients and regional influences without losing the international polish that Singita guests expect.
The wine cellar is a legitimate destination within the property. The selection is well-curated, the team can talk through it knowledgeably, and after a morning trekking at altitude, a good glass of South African Chenin Blanc at lunch in the sun is one of those small, perfect things. Don’t miss dinner in the Conservation Room on your first night — it sets the tone for everything that follows and gives context to every experience during your stay.
Spa + Wellness
Each suite has its own dedicated indoor and outdoor treatment area, which means the spa comes to you rather than the other way around. The design was actually genius to place a full-on massage table in the middle of your dressing room and bath. After a morning on the mountain, you’ve worked for your massage, as gorilla trekking isn’t an easy walk in the park. The therapists are skilled, and the treatments draw on local botanicals. Massages hit the spot and make a real difference in your recovery the next day.
Currently, there is no gym in the traditional sense, which is partly because you’re at 8,000 feet, and you just spent three hours navigating a rainforest. Sitting in your plunge pool and looking at a volcano was the wellness program. However, when guests ask, Singita listens. They are building a full-on gym in a dedicated building to those who need to get their additional weights and cardio on.
Service
There are so many luxury hotels nowadays, but beyond 1,000-thread-count sheets, Singita has genuine heart. At the center of this, are the people who work at Singita. I know this won’t happen to everyone who goes to Singita Kwitonda, but I was greeted with hugs by one of the lodge manager’s kids when I arrived. This is the kind of magical place where people are the best versions of themselves. The people, most of whom are locals, give you both that polished Singita service, but also warmth that you can’t teach. This is where Singita Kwitonda shines.
Everything from welcoming you back after your trek, to polishing up your hiking boots better than new, the team puts care into your stay. At Kwitonda, the staff are present without being performative. They know your preferences by the second meal without you having to repeat them.
The rangers and guide-drivers who handle the gorilla treks set the tone. They brief you properly in the Conservation Room, equip you from the gear. The day of the trek, they manage the morning with a calm that is reassuring when you’re navigating dense forest at altitude. Every detail, from the pre-trek thermos of ginger tea to the cold towels waiting on your return, is handled before you think to ask for it. Singita sets the standard in service.
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FAQs
Q: Where is Singita Kwitonda located?
A: Singita Kwitonda is located in northwestern Rwanda, set directly on the edge of Volcanoes National Park. The luxury lodge is situated in the Kinigi sector of the Musanze district (Northern Province), at the foothills of the Virunga Mountains.
Q: How do you get to Singita Kwitonda?
A: To arrive at Singita Kwitonda, international flights arrive at Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. Singita Volcanoes National Park can either be accessed by a 30-minute helicopter flight or a road transfer of up to four hours from Kigali.
The drive is wonderfully scenic, but quite winding and hilly. Guests are therefore advised to pack motion sickness tablets, if needed.
It’s also important to note that there’s only one public rest stop on the way. Direct flights from Singita Grumeti in Tanzania to Kigali are available. There are also good connections on Rwanda Air between Kigali and Cape Town/Johannesburg in South Africa. This makes Singita Volcanoes National Park an excellent destination in combination with other wilderness destinations in Africa.
Q: How close are you to Volcanos National Park at Singita Kwitonda?
A: At Singita Rwanda, you are at the foot of Volcanos National Park. Singita Rwanda has the most prime location of all the lodges in relation to Volcanos National Park.
Q: Does Singita Kwitonda accept children?
A: Singita Kwitonda does indeed accept children — they can customize activities to children of all ages. However, the minimum age to gorilla trek in Volcanos National Park is 15 years old, and 12 years old to see the Golden Monkeys. You may want to keep this in mind when planning a trip with younger children.
