Asilia Africa, which has long been known for offering considered luxury and conservation-minded safaris on the grassy plains of East Africa, will expand into a new country altogether in 2026, with the opening of Erebero Hills on the fringes of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
The eight-suite property rests on 18.2ha of land on the northern fringes of Bwindi, a Unesco World Heritage Site that is a haven for Central Africa’s population of endangered mountain gorillas. In that sense, it’s as much a lodge destination as a bold project in reforestation, as Erebero Hills looks to grow a living rainforest buffer around one of Africa’s most storied forests.
“A gorilla property has always been an ambition for Asilia; to offer guests all East Africa’s wildlife highlights within one seamless journey. But before we could commit, we needed to find a truly unique and special location,” says Cai Tjeenk Willink, head of strategic operations for Asilia Africa. “After years of searching, we finally found the perfect spot on the edge of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: a site that captures the spirit of Uganda’s wild beauty and offers real potential for positive environmental impact.”
The site certainly tells the story of what’s being planned. While the amphitheatre of forested hills is dramatic, the truth is more complex. What were once exhausted tea farms are being returned to nature.
“The boundaries of Bwindi are what we call ‘hard’, the forest stops abruptly, with almost no transitional zone between the park and the surrounding communities. This causes wildlife conflict and limits movement for many species,” says Tjeenk Willink. “Our long-term ambition is to create a conservancy along the northern boundary of Bwindi, a reforested buffer that restores corridors for wildlife while creating new livelihoods for local people. We’ve already begun planting and testing reforestation methods on the lodge site itself, building a knowledge base that will guide a wider, community-led restoration effort.”
To date, 25,000 indigenous trees have been planted, with a further 35,000 seedlings purchased from local nurseries. The result is both ecological and economic: rainforest habitats are slowly being stitched back to the boundaries of the park, as new economic opportunities are created for the Batwa and Bakiga communities that have long called these forested hills home. Community visits will help guests at Erebero Hills to understand the Batwa’s deep connection to the forests of southwestern Uganda.
And it’s the forest that underpins the design language of the new lodge. Created by award-winning Balinese design studio Pablo Luna Studios, Erebero Hills takes its palette of colour and texture from tea leaves, mountain contours and the cathedral-like forest canopy.
Buildings are terraced into the steep mountain slopes, with overhangs and suspended decks creating a sense of immersion in the forest. Materials are local and low-impact — bamboo, stone, earth, woven textures — to let the landscape take centre stage. The main pavilion brings a library, swimming pool, terrace and bar for guests to while away time, while a sunken fire lounge is ideal for misty mornings and quiet evenings. Inside the eight suites, you’ll find rooms of quiet luxury fitted for the realities of life in Bwindi: boot-room entrances for muddy arrivals after a day of trekking, outdoor showers for extra time beneath the boughs, and deep bathtubs gazing over the forest for soaking tired legs. Because it’s forest trekking that will bring most travellers here.
Inscribed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1994, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest protects the world’s largest population of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) — roughly half the global population lives here. Gorilla treks set out at first light with trained rangers and trackers, searching for the “nest” made by gorilla families the night before. Once located, hikers are allowed to spend 60 minutes — no more — in their company; time enough to watch them feed, groom and negotiate the quiet dramas of forest life. Erebero Hills will open to guests in August 2026: the beginning of the dry season (June to September), the most popular time for gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
But Bwindi isn’t only about gorillas. Hiking trails here thread through one of Africa’s richest biodiversity hotspots, with chances — if you’re in luck — to encounter chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, elusive forest elephants and an outstanding bird list topping 350 species. And Erebero Hills is set to offer easy access to the most popular areas of the park, while enjoying a sense of quiet seclusion.
“From a logistical point of view, Erebero Hills is perfectly positioned; close to the Kihihi airstrip but away from the busy Buhoma area where most lodges cluster,” adds Tjeenk Willink. “Guests can follow gorillas from both Ruhija and Buhoma, giving us unique flexibility. [And] the site itself is spectacular: an amphitheatre of steep forested hills with sweeping views across Bwindi. You can hear the river that marks the park boundary flowing through the valley below. It’s a setting that feels deeply connected to the forest yet refreshingly tranquil.”
