Review: Singita Kwitonda, Rwanda

This review is a bit of a first for me, as I didn’t actually stay at Kwitonda Lodge. Instead, I stayed in Singita Kataza House, the private villa on the same premises that promises complete isolation.  The idea is that you never have to set foot in Kwitonda Lodge at all. But, alas, Kataza didn’t deliver on that, so we found ourselves popping over to the lodge more often than planned, which means I’ve got some street cred to give my thoughts.

So consider this an abbreviated review of the more detailed Kataza House.

Getting there

You’ve got two options to reach Kwitonda: road or helicopter.  From Kigali, it’s a 2.5 to 3-hour drive through Rwanda’s signature hills.  The scenery is lovely (if you like a rolling green blur), but the winding roads might have you regretting breakfast.  If you’d rather avoid the car-sickness lottery, hop on a 25-30-minute helicopter ride.

Setting

Singita Kwitonda Lodge sits right on the edge of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, constantly whispering, “The gorillas are this close.” Surrounded by wetlands and lush meadows, the lodge offers front-row seats to the dramatic peaks of Sabyinyo, Gahinga, and Muhabura volcanoes.  The setting is pure magic—misty forests, rolling greenery, and an atmosphere that feels equal parts rugged wilderness and peaceful mountain escape.

Facilities

At the heart of the lodge is the central area, where you can gather around fireplaces while enjoying sweeping views of the Virunga Mountains.  The design prioritises open, communal spaces that never feel overcrowded.  Outdoors, there are plenty of alfresco options, with outdoor dining areas and seating that allow those views to absorb you.

Back indoors, there’s an interactive kitchen and bar-deli, focusing on a farm-to-table philosophy.  A curated wine cellar complements this.  As is mandatory, there is also a boutique selling locally inspired items.

For those curious about conservation, the lodge features a dedicated Conservation Room, providing insights into local wildlife preservation efforts.  Just a short walk away, the Akarabo Nursery not only serves as a reforestation initiative but also supplies fresh produce for the lodge’s fresh produce. From here, you can do some activities, like pottery, although it somehow electrocuted my wife, so it’s not a ringing endorsement.

The design of the lodge is quintessentially Singita: polished, high-end, and seamlessly integrated with its environment. Natural materials, spacious interiors, and an abundance of glass allow light to flood in, creating a luxurious yet grounded atmosphere with ample seating areas and an undeniable connection to the landscape.  You could comfortably spend your day here.

Currently, Kwitonda doesn’t have a spa or gym, but both are planned for 2026, along with additional rooms and a day-use room. The latter will be especially welcome, given that late flights out of Kigali mean a proper place to relax before departure is much needed—a feature that Wilderness Bisate already provides. For now, late checkouts aren’t an option, making this future addition a practical and much-anticipated improvement.

Rooms

Singita Kwitonda Lodge offers nine one-bedroom suites, two two-bedroom suites, and the exclusive-use Kataza House, a private four-bedroom villa. We took a tour of the one- and two-bedroom options, and while they were lovely, let’s be honest—coming from a four-bedroom villa with more facilities and enough space to host a small United Nations summit, they didn’t quite compare. That said, the design elements were identical, so it’s all the same polished Singita aesthetic—just scaled down.

You can immediately tell you’re still on the same property—everything from the design to the materials feels consistent, and the views are virtually identical, just scaled down. Large floor-to-ceiling windows face the mist-covered volcanoes (and yes, the mist really does live up to the name). The interiors blend contemporary design with traditional Rwandan craftsmanship, using volcanic stone, eucalyptus wood, and hand-fired terracotta tiles to create a sense of earthy elegance. Natural textures and earthy tones dominate the spaces, while woven ceilings and handcrafted decor add warmth and a distinctly local touch. It’s thoughtful, cohesive, and unmistakably Singita.

Each suite has a private heated plunge pool, indoor and outdoor showers, and a large soaking tub.  Cosy fireplaces—both indoors and outdoors—offer warmth on cool mountain evenings, while spacious sitting areas and covered verandas provide the perfect spots to unwind and admire the surroundings.  The suites include in-room massage areas, which is a polite way of saying there’s a massage bed somewhere in the bathroom.

I wouldn’t call them massive, but a suite is certainly a fair description, mostly because of the separate living area, but also the outdoor space afforded to you. They’re also nicely spaced out so very private.

Here’s a video tour of a one bedroom unit.

Service

I’m a kinda fella, so won’t comment on that.  No one spat in my face when during the time we spent there, so thumbs up.

Food

This I can definitely comment on, as we found ourselves escaping to Kwitonda Lodge for several meals—mainly because we weren’t exactly enamored with the culinary offerings (or chef) back at Kataza House.  At first, they placed us in the private dining room, however, after 12 days of dining in isolation, we opted to move into the main dining area for some human ambience. There’s also dining available at the bar, which adds a more casual option if you’re not in the mood for the full dining room experience.

Dinner is à la carte, with a choice of three starters and three main courses.  Freshly baked bread arrives daily—some of it genuinely standout, like the pumpkin bread and beetroot bread.  The portions here are small but plentiful, a welcome change compared to the inconsistent family-style portions at Kataza that often left us wanting.

The dinner menu celebrates a sustainable, farm-to-table approach, focusing on local ingredients and seasonality.  Starters include a Garden Vegetable Soup, enriched with herb crumbs and a coconut reduction, alongside Glazed Quail pairs charred onion and crispy onion with a ponzu dressing.  Mains include the Green Garden Risotto, a creamy dish infused with spinach purée, pea salsa, and camembert cheese.

Activities

This is a bit of a given. You’re here for the gorilla trekking.  If you’ve booked here and decided that gorilla trekking isn’t for you, you either have the world’s worst travel agent, or you have a weird fantasy with buffalo dung.  Suffice to say, gorilla trekking is one of the greatest activities on earth.

Conclusion

On this trip, we stayed at Singita Kataza House, spent time at Kwitonda, and visited the brand-new Wilderness Bisate Reserve. Wilderness has once again proven they can compete with Singita, offering a stronger sense of place, a more original aesthetic, and greater intimacy with just four rooms.  Yet Singita knows how to create lodges, and they know how to give them everything you could ask for, before you ask for it.  So the answer to which is best will depend on what you want.  Design, Wilderness, but everything else it felt like Signita have once again created a winner.