Gorillas in the Midst

A view of the volcano-lined horizon from the terrace at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge.

Michael Poliza

With the opening of the Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge, in Rwanda, last year, visiting the country's approximately 380 mountain gorillas is finally an overnight option.

Located just two miles from the primates' home, in the verdant Volcanoes National Park, the lodge is run by Kenya-based Governor's Camp, one of Africa's top small-scale safari operators. To build the lodge, which is leased from a community trust, its owners enlisted only local craftspeople, thus creating hundreds of jobs (and abundant goodwill).

Sabyinyo's eight suites pair traditional Rwandan terra-cotta roofs and original African artwork with modern comforts, like hot showers (a luxury in these parts) and working fireplaces. Of course, seeing the gorilla families in their natural habitat remains the real draw. Guests can spend an hour with these captivating creatures and might even get lucky enough to catch a sighting of the world's only surviving pair of gorilla twins, found on the slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. Double rooms from $570. 011-254-20-273-4000; governorscamp.com.