Wilderness Bisate Concession Newsletter – February 2025

This month, even the gorillas seemed to be in particularly high spirits, with reports of absolutely incredible sightings and very interesting interactions between the different family members. We even had some reports of families joining together for rare moments of interaction and peaceful inquisitiveness. The treks themselves were slightly more difficult, with the gorillas retreating into the middle sections of the foothills and mountains, possibly due to the dryer weather. This only further enhanced the experience for our guests however, and fuelled by our lunch packs and an extra-dark Rwandan coffee brew, they enjoyed these longer treks, and explored more of the beautiful misty forested mountains.

With construction of the new Wellness Centre at full steam ahead on our property’s boundary, the future of Bisate looks ever bright!

Elsewhere we have undertakings in the lodge Maintenance Department, and our team is planning a rapid-fire round of spruce-ups during the very few days that we have available to sneak into rooms, and hit all of the niggly items that creep up on us during the year.

February was a fantastic month, with the ideal balance of outdoor adventures and indoor activities. The dry weather made trekking the gorillas and monkeys a most enjoyable experience for our guests, who also took advantage of the beautiful surroundings on nature walks, tree plantings, and visits to our local communities. The Bisate vegetable gardens are always a unique experience as well.

At Bisate Reserve, we hosted a memorable traditional dinner that brought together our guests and sister lodge’s staff from Wilderness Sabyinyo in a vibrant celebration of culture. The evening was filled with music and laughter, with our staff leading guests in lively traditional dances and drum-playing, creating an unforgettable cultural experience. Guest enjoyed a delicious dinner savouring the flavours of local dishes, before ending the night around the boma fire with cocktails. Guest enjoyed the warmth of the fire, shared stories, and connected under the stars. It was a truly special evening that blended tradition and fun.

February was a productive month for the reforestation team. The sunny weather gave the team the perfect opportunity to get the nursery ready for the rainy season. Fixing the shelter to protect the young trees from heavy rainfall in the coming months is such a smart move, ensuring they are safe and able to thrive. It’s also wonderful that the community co-operative workers could join in and contribute to the maintenance of the nursery, strengthening both the team and community ties.

With the rains approaching, it really is the perfect time to plant. Regular and reliable rainfall is a huge benefit to the young trees, helping them establish deep roots.

We also have a massive month-long planting project planned for April, and a big push for the reintroduction of vast swathes of African alpine bamboo, as well as other canopy species, to form the framework of the section of land close to our Kwanda Day Lounge and the Wellness Centre. 

The Bisate property is becoming increasingly popular for birdwatching year-round, with our reforested areas attracting numerous new bird species. Twitchers at Bisate were excited by a recent first-ever sighting in the area. In February, William, our Bisate guide, and his guests spotted a Kikuyu mountain greenbul near the Bisate volcanic crater. This Albertine Rift endemic is a medium-sized, chunky bird with a grey head, lightly striped cheeks, olive-green underparts, and a pale eye-ring. It is found in the montane forest here, often joining mixed flocks with other bird species. Its song consists of a series of barking and mewing notes. 

At Bisate, nestled as we are alongside the breathtaking Volcanoes National Park, the spirit of Umuganda – a traditional monthly community cleaning event – came alive. During a period of low guest occupancy, the Bisate staff took the opportunity to gather together and dedicate their time to preserving the beauty of their surroundings. With great pride, they rolled up their sleeves to clean and maintain the lodge’s lush grounds, ensuring every corner was pristine. As the team worked in unison, laughter and camaraderie filled air, embodying the true essence of Umuganda – community, unity and collective effort.  This initiative not only helped maintain the lodge’s exceptional standards, but also showcased the dedication of the Bisate team to environmental stewardship and values, and emphasising Rwanda’s rich cultural heritage. 

Furthermore, the enthusiasm of the staff at both Bisate and Bisate Reserve for enhancing their food and beverage knowledge reflects a strong commitment to excellence. Benjamin's role as a Concession Food & Beverage Manager is invaluable; his readiness to assist and share his expertise undoubtedly fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the team.

CITW Rwanda provides new school uniforms for Ejo Heza Nursery

Wilderness and Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Rwanda are proud to have supported the tots who attend Ejo Heza Nursery School in Nyarusizi village with school uniforms valued at USD487.00. The little school is the closest to Wilderness Bisate Reserve and Wilderness Bisate here.

The school is very small, with a total of 28 children and one teacher, Claudine. The children all come from the Bisate community, and together with their parents, were delighted to receive the school uniforms, which included two sets of pullovers, skirts, shirts and shorts for each child (of course based on gender), plus a teacher’s apron.

The parents, the children and Claudine expressed their happiness, and gratitude to our generous Wilderness guests for supporting the school – and making a difference in the lives, not only of the children and the parents, but all the Bisate communities as well. 

Teacher Claudine said, “I am so proud to be a teacher and also to be with the children here in the Bisate community. The children are the ones who will become the future teachers, managers, conservationists and doctors, etc. I always appreciate all the support received from Wilderness and CITW. This is greatly valuable to me. Thank you again!”

The staff was very friendly and they always took great care of us. Very very good. Bisate lodge is very beautiful, the food, the cocktails, are so delicious. Everything was thoughtful and perfectly organized. Nice walk around the village. William and JP, the housekeeper and cleaning staff fantastic! – L&R

Our welcome was memorable! So attentive to our needs, friendly + positive, kind, made us feels at home, cleanliness engaging + interesting staff. Felt like family we don’t want to leave! – D&Y

The service was amazing. Everyone on the staff is so hospitable. Everyone is accommodating (Especially with the whole family needs). The food was so fresh and delicious. The fire in the room is a nice touch. – P&F

Everything! The villa and main lodge are beautiful, the staff could not be doing enough for guests and were so, so very sweet. – G & I

Everything was perfect. All the people very, very kind, the manager extraordinary, we have an amazing time. We definitely will come back - P & O