A recent visit to the brand-new Wilderness Bisate Reserve in Rwanda offered an unforgettable encounter, beginning with a playful punch from a juvenile gorilla during a trek in Volcanoes National Park. This extraordinary moment set the tone for a stay at a resort designed not just for luxury, but for creating profound memories and fostering deep connections with nature and local communities near the Congo border.

Wilderness, a conservation and hospitality company, opened the Bisate Reserve in September, located on the same property as its established Bisate Lodge. According to Manzi Kayihura, chairman of Wilderness Rwanda, the reserve was developed to expand and enhance the positive impact of the lodge, focusing on further reforestation, habitat restoration, employment, and community upliftment. The design, executed by Nicholas Plewman Architects + Associates and interior designer Câline Williams-Wynn of Artichoke, aimed to deliver a world-class experience by offering the “luxury of space,” rather than simply escalating existing luxury levels. This includes larger room sizes to accommodate more lounge area, in-room dining, and spa treatments, catering to guests who prefer to relax in their private villas, especially after strenuous gorilla trekking.

Upon arrival, guests are met with exceptional hospitality, starting from the volcanic rock driveway where friendly staff assist with luggage. The main lodge itself is a near-perfect replica of a royal Rwandan residence, featuring a towering thatched roof, a central crackling fireplace, and an emerald-green bar adorned with a gleaming green glass chandelier that mirrors the surrounding volcano landscape.

The accommodation at Bisate Reserve consists of four en-suite villas, each a palatial space. Entering a villa reveals a massive mudroom, essential after a muddy gorilla hike, where staff whisk away hiking gear for cleaning. Beyond this, the main lounge area boasts a full kitchen stocked with treats, a plush seating area facing the first fireplace, and a well-appointed bar. The bedroom area includes a second roaring fireplace, a soaking tub, and a rainfall shower. A spacious closet, comparable in size to a small apartment, is also present. The highlight, however, is the back terrace, featuring a wood-burning hot tub with breathtaking views of the verdant hillside.

The core of the Bisate experience revolves around gorilla trekking. The Wilderness team meticulously handles all planning, from securing permits and providing precise packing lists to arranging guides and post-hike refreshments. Guided by experienced trackers like John, guests navigate dense forests, machete-wielding through vines and over downed trees. Upon reaching the gorilla family, visitors don masks to prevent the transmission of human viruses to the gorillas, who share 98 percent of human DNA. The subsequent 60-minute encounter is serene, allowing guests to observe the animals from feet away – a mother nursing her child, a juvenile playing with its 400-pound silverback father, and the family foraging on plants.

Beyond the trek, the experience carries a deeper significance. Guide John expressed hope that visitors would share the impactful nature of the experience to help change perceptions of Rwanda post-genocide, aiming to promote the country's image as