Extraordinary Africa>Uganda>Bwindi>Chameleon Hill Lodge
If there’s one thing we can tell you for certain about Chameleon Hill, it’s that you won’t drive past it by mistake. This collection of brightly coloured buildings sits perched atop a ridge overlooking Lake Mutanda and is visible for miles around.
What’s Chameleon Hill Lodge really like?
Even before we got to Chameleon Hill, we could see we were arriving somewhere different. You arrive into the main building where there’s a light and airy dining room, and a sitting area. Both have cosy fireplaces, and chic, quirky modern art and masks on the walls. Outside there’s a deck with glorious views out over Lake Mutanda- your reviewer thought this was an ideal spot to sit and relax with a cup of excellent Ugandan coffee. Running down the spine of the hill away from the main lodge are the 10 rooms, painted equally brightly on the outside. Like many places in Uganda, the lodge grounds are fairly steep, so be prepared for a walk if you’re in a distant room! Inside the rooms are pretty and bright, and while they’re not set especially far apart, the bamboo and fencing in between gives a little privacy as you sit on your terrace and look out over the lake.
What can I do at Chameleon Hill Lodge?
Lake Mutanda’s actually not too far from the southern reaches of Bwindi National Park (about 45 minutes to an hour), so it is possible to use Chameleon Hill as a base for your gorilla trekking– though a warning, when we visited it was a pretty bumpy road! In fact, activities are really where Chameleon Hill comes into its own. The journey from here to Mgahinga National Park is probably an hour and a half to two hours, so you could (with an early start), also gorilla trek, or trek the golden monkeys, there. There are boat and canoe trips on the lake, you can visit a local coffee roastery, and there are some excellent local hikes. You can spend a day with a local craftsman, or a farmer, perhaps even have lunch in a local home. As there is so much to do here, it can make sense as a base for gorilla trekking in spite of the drive, or you can come to visit the lodge in its own right for hiking, biking and all of the community activities.
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