I Was Punched by a Gorilla in Rwanda — and It Was the Most Luxurious Experience of My Life

It came hard and fast — a quick punch squarely to my left buttcheek. Before I had a chance to react, my tiny assailant fled on foot, seemingly unashamed of his actions. I looked up to realize everyone in my travel party was staring at me before our guide asked if I was alright. “I am more than OK,” I replied, the stun wearing off as the sting set in. “That was the best moment of my entire life.” And it was all thanks to a stay at the brand-new Bistate Reserve, a resort just as fantastic as the memories it helps create. 

You see, my aggressor was a 3-foot-tall juvenile gorilla living in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, somewhere near the Congo border. He had tumbled down the hill just as we arrived in his family’s clearing, landing between me and my much taller husband. After his little roll, he looked a bit embarrassed, like a kid would be if he fell off his bike in front of his friends. So, he mustered up the courage to redeem himself, first looking at my husband, then choosing to throw a punch my way and scurrying off as quickly as he came. 

The moment was a part of my gorilla trek through the famed national park, set up by Wilderness, a conservation and hospitality company that offers tours and stays around Africa. In September, it opened the doors to the Bisate Reserve, its latest offering in east-central Africa, on the same property as its Bisate Lodge. 

“The development of Wilderness Bisate Reserve was an opportunity to extend and enhance the positive impact that has been achieved by the existing Bisate Lodge, building on its success in terms of further reforestation and restoration of natural habitat, along with employment and community upliftment opportunities,” Manzi Kayihura, the chairman of Wilderness Rwanda, shared. 

Kayihura added that when the team (which included Nicholas Plewman Architects + Associates and interior designer Câline Williams-Wynn of Artichoke) went to design the reserve, they didn’t intend to “elevate the levels of luxury over and above the current luxurious Bisate experience, but there were certain enhancements that we wanted to make to better deliver a world-class product and experience.” Namely, they wanted to give people the “luxury of space,” increasing room sizes to allow for more lounge square footage and space for in-room dining and spa treatments.  

“We’ve found that many of our guests simply want to enjoy the comfort of their private villa, particularly after gorilla trekking, so we have tailored this really intimate, exclusive offering for maximum guest comfort,” Kayihura said. 

And comfort is in abundance here. As you pull into the volcanic rock driveway, you’re greeted by a friendly security guard, then at the bottom of the steps, a friendly hotel manager and a friendly porter to help take your bags, ensuring you barely have to lift a finger, as they walk you to the main lodge, which is a near perfect replica of a royal Rwandan residence, complete with a towering thatched roof, a crackling fireplace in the center, and an emerald-green bar to the left. Lest we forget the gleaming green glass chandelier dangling above said bar, with each piece hanging so precisely that it mirrors the volcano landscape out the window. And this is all before you see what can only be described as one of the most spectacular — and palatially appropriate — rooms in hospitality. 

There is absolutely zero chance you can walk into one of the four en-suite villas without your jaw firmly hitting the floor. As the door swings open, you’re first welcomed into a massive mudroom, a necessary step post-gorilla hike as you will get muddy. In this room, yet another friendly staff member will help you remove your hiking gear and whisk it away to be cleaned.

Then, you step into the main lounge area, with a full kitchen to the left (stocked with cookies, teas, coffees, and a fresh ginger drink), a plush seating area in the middle facing the first fireplace (yes, the first), and a stocked bar to the right.

You then move into your bedroom area, with the roaring second fireplace, a soaking tub, and a rainfall shower. There’s also a closet area approximately the size of my first apartment — and out on the back terrace is the main event: A woodburning hot tub with a view of the verdant hillside that will leave you breathless. 

“We hope that guests will feel that they’ve experienced something truly unique, a place that has been created with incredible attention to detail and is a tribute to Rwandan culture,” Kayihura shared. 

Once again, this is also all before you actually go out and explore the surrounding region, which is what Wilderness does best. 

As part of my stay (and as part of yours), the team assisted in every part of the gorilla trek planning, from securing the proper permits to sharing a precise packing list (and still having extra gear on site just in case) to getting us to our guide, John, on time in the morning to meeting us after our gorilla journey with a post-hike cocktail. 

But before we got to sip that drink, we hiked, and hiked, and hiked some more. We were following John, who had nearly a decade of experience as a tracker and then guide under his belt, into the thickest part of the forest, wielding his machete through vines, over downed trees, and through pastoral landscapes, all the while keeping our eyes peeled for the massive animals. Once we arrived, John had us mask up (gorillas can catch all sorts of human viruses as they share 98 percent of our DNA) for what we thought would be a quiet encounter. And I promise, post-punch, it was as serene an experience as they come.

We had the honor of sitting in silence for 60 whole minutes, save for a few grunts from the animals and a few more grunts back from the trackers, letting the gorillas know we came in peace. From just feet away, I watched as a mother nursed her child, as a juvenile rough-housed with its 400-pound silverback father, and as they all nibbled away on the plants — flowers, stems, leaves, and all — around them.

Then, after what felt like a blink, our hour was up, and we had to head home. Though, when your home is Bisate, it doesn’t feel as painful. As we left, John said that he hoped we would share just how impactful this experience was to help change people’s perception of Rwanda post-genocide. 

“We’re eager to say it’s better,” he shared. “We want to promote the country’s image as being shinier than ever.” 

Kayihura echoed this sentiment, noting, “We hope that guests will feel that they’ve made meaningful connections with our staff and community members and that their stay has contributed toward the conservation purpose of Bisate Reserve. We’d like all our guests to feel that they have experienced the very best hospitality and service.” 

Before we departed the Reserve, Bistate asked if my husband and I would like to plant a tree, which we can watch grow every time we return. We chose two plants: a hypericum revolutum shrub with small yellow flowers that the local chameleons love to eat and a lobelia giberroa tree, which will one day feed the gorillas as they make their way down the hillside. 

Bisate more than delivered on its wishes for guests. I did walk away with that feeling of connection Kayihura hoped guests would, and I had the bruise right on my tuchus to prove it for a good week later. Yet still, I never wanted it to fade away. Hopefully, the gorilla will see my newly planted tree as a peace offering and give me a high-five or a gentle nudge, or just let me watch from a distance next time instead. But I’d take a one-two punch all the same. 

Want to have this adventure for yourself? Here’s my review of Bistate Reserve. 

The Rooms

Bisate Reserve has four en-suite villas, accommodating a maximum of eight guests, in addition to the original Bisate Lodge, which has six en-suite forest villas, accommodating a maximum of 12 guests.

The villas at Bisate Reserve are more than double the size of Bisate (more than 2,200 square feet), which helped the team create more space for everything from in-room dining to massage treatments. Each villa also has a separate lounge area, a butler station, and those aforementioned hot tubs that can be set up and waiting for you post-trek.

Additionally, Villas 1 and 2 can be interlinked to create a family room for groups traveling together. 

Food and Drink

The food and beverage service, overseen by executive chef Angelus Karangwa, is absolutely top-notch and would fit well into any five-star resort in a major metropolitan area. But it becomes all the more impactful when you consider its semi-remote location. (Though it’s also of little surprise that its food is so good as Rwanda’s produce is world-class.)

Each night, guests can order fromL a rotating menu of East African and global dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients like coconut, chili, ginger, and turmeric. Grab a bottle of wine from the cellar, filled with varietals from around the world, but don’t skip over the mocktail menu during sundowner hour, which pairs well with the homemade dips and locally sourced yucca chips.

Activities and Experiences​

The activities feel endless here. Of course, you can have the reserve help you set up a gorilla trek or a golden monkey outing (which are arranged in advance via Wilderness Rwanda), but you can also head out for a guided or self-guided nature walk through the property’s private forest, go birding, take a guided visit to its on-site nursery to meet with the Bisate agronomists and plant an indigenous tree.

You can also tour the vegetable garden with one of the on-site chefs, guides, or managers​, have a sundowner with other guests at the main area, or head off-property for a guided walk of the surrounding communities to meet with the neighbors​​. 

The reserve can also help you set up a visit to the Dian Fossey gravesite​ or the Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. 

The Spa

No dedicated spa on-site exists, but that doesn’t stop the reserve from delivering a relaxing experience. You just need to book an in-room treatment, and they’ll come to you. There was nothing I could have wished for more than the 30-minute foot massage post-hike, during which I promptly fell asleep. 

Family-friendly Offerings

You could technically buy out the entire Bisate Reserve if you’re traveling with eight guests. As mentioned above, Villa 1 and Villa 2 can be interlinked to accommodate a family of four. The minimum age to stay at the reserve is 6. However, the minimum age to participate in the gorilla treks is 15. But, while adults are gorilla trekking, the lodge will provide childcare services (on a complimentary basis). 

Accessibility and Sustainability

Bisate Reserve has easier accessibility compared to Bisate Lodge, with the option of assistance with a buggy. However, the villas are not wheelchair friendly. Thus, a certain level of mobility is needed to take stairs and walk the pathways.

The reserve is currently undertaking an ambitious reforestation project covering 103 acres once used as agricultural land. Already, 100,000 indigenous trees (including our two tiny ones) have been replanted, which is meant to encourage wildlife to return and flourish. Additionally, Bistate hopes to be sustainable for the community through collaborative partnerships and job creation. 

“Our core mission here is to transcend luxury hospitality to embrace a profound commitment to conservation, as showcased in the restoration of Bisate itself, with previous farmland now a thriving reforested area,” Kayihura said. See more about Wilderness’ sustainability commitments here. 

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Lower rates are available in March and April, with a slight increase in pricing in May. The high-demand season runs from June to the end of October when the rates are highest, and from mid-December to the end of February, so book accordingly. Stays begin at $3,200 per person, sharing per night, which is fully inclusive.