Perched at a breezy altitude of 2,295 m, this property is situated below the southern boundary of Volcanoes National Park. The pleasant midrange lodge, which opened in 2003, is the most convenient imaginable base for gorilla-tracking in the Virunga Mountains. It lies about five minutes' drive from the Kinigi park headquarters (meeting point for gorilla tracking and all other activities in the national park), 20 to 30 minutes' drive from the town of Musanze (formerly Ruhengeri) and less than three hours' drive north of the capital, Kigali.
The hotel stands in neat green grounds. What might otherwise be a perfect setting is marred by a circle of tall Antipodean eucalyptuses (fast-growing but thirsty invasive trees that negatively impact the water table) blocking a wonderful view of the ragged edged rim of Sabinyo, the extinct volcano where mountain gorillas were first observed (in 1902). Its peak now forms the tripartite border of Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC. The large thatched dining and lounge area is attractive
but feels rather exposed on chilly highland evenings, though log fires are normally lit to counter the cold. The lodge serves good lunchtime buffets and three-course dinners, and packed breakfasts are offered to gorilla trackers.
As its name suggests, Mountain Gorilla's Nest functions mainly as a base for gorilla tracking in the nearby Volcanoes National Park, where Dian Fossey undertook her legendary gorilla research project in the 1970s. It later was the location of the film Gorillas in the Mist. In addition to gorilla tracking, the national park arranges visits to Dian Fossey's grave, tracking excursions to see the rare bamboo-dwelling golden monkey, and ascents of the various volcanoes. There is a nine-hole golf course on the hotel grounds, and traditional music and dancing displays are arranged by request.
Functional rather than characterful, the motel-style en-suite 
accommodations are in semi-detached cement-and-stone duplex cabins dotted in a circle around the main outdoor sitting area. The bright and spacious rooms all have two beds, adequate wooden furnishings, a writing desk and a bath with hot shower. There are also suite-like tiled apartments with a fridge, TV (rubbishy local TV stations only) and sitting room.
This is a markedly inferior option to its main rival, Virunga Lodge, but it also works out at a fraction of the price, making it the obvious choice for anybody with budget restrictions. It has the advantage of being far closer to the Kinigi park headquarters, where gorilla trackers assemble at 7 am, and will also appeal greatly to golfers. Most organized tours to Rwanda stay here, and while fussy clients will probably find much to nitpick about, it is a perfectly adequate option if taken on its own lower midrange terms.