The One&Only Nyungwe House resort, on the edge of the Nyungwe rainforest in the mountainous landscapes of Rwanda’s southwest, will start welcoming guests on October 1.
Set within a working tea plantation, alongside one of the largest montane rainforests in Africa, One&Only Nyungwe House will have farm-to-table dining, spa and wellness offerings that embrace nature and local traditions, and curated experiences to discover.
The 23 guestrooms and suites are all designed to fit within the natural surroundings, utilizing local African craftsmanship while offering a contemporary look and feel. Log burners in each guestroom and suite will burn fragrant eucalyptus, while private decks offer views over the African terrain or viewing galleries of the rainforest and wildlife.
According to the resort, conservation and support for local communities are important to One&Only Nyungwe House. Experiences include the opportunity for guests to participate in Umuganda, a nationwide initiative in Rwanda in which locals spend the last Saturday morning of every month working in the local community, giving back in some way, from developing infrastructure to environmental protection.
Trekking, Stargazing and Outdoor Experiences
Guests at One&Only Nyungwe House will have the opportunity to select from an array of curated experiences during their stay. In addition to trackking chimpanzee and rare monkey populations through the forest, guests can enjoy a wide range of remote outdoor pursuits from birdwatching, to a canopy treetop walk. Hiking trails lead from the resort deep into the jungle, such as the easy Karamba Trail, which begins in the open-air site of a former gold mine and has a pebbly trail made from sparkling quartz.
The more challenging Mount Bigugu Trail covers the highest peak in the park with views of Lake Kivu, dramatic hills and flora and fauna. Other signature activities include stargazing and nocturnal field walks, flying over the panoramic African landscapes by helicopter, jungle boot camp workouts, spear throwing and archery lessons, an introduction to the African kitchen garden or insight into the secrets of African tea.
Farm-to-Table Cuisine
One&Only Nyungwe House will offer African-inspired cuisine within the surroundings of a traditional boma. Guests can enjoy the natural flavors of Nyungwe and experience the “farm-to-table” cuisine, favoring seasonal ingredients from the lands of Gisakura. The dining room offers views of the tea plantation, while the tea lounge offers tree-top views.
African Holistic Spa Therapies
The One&Only Spa will offer a retreat inspired by nature with a range of exclusive beauty and wellness treatments using organic natural skincare products from luxury South African brand Africology. Each treatment combines traditional African holistic therapies with natural ingredients, including bespoke herbal oil massage for total body relaxation and Africology rituals to boost energy. Signature treatments will include Intoga Amasatchi, a 75-minute, deep-tissue, full-body treatment using hands and wooden sticks, which traditionally represent the wisdom and direction of the healer to stretch tight muscles and relieve toxic overload.
One&Only Nyungwe House is the first new property to open within the One&Only Nature Resorts portfolio, joining Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley in Australia. The expansion of One&Only’s nature resorts will continue in 2019 with the opening of One&Only Gorilla’s Nest in Northern Rwanda. Located on the foothills of the Virunga Volcano range, the resort will offer gorilla trekking in the habitat of the Volcanoes National Park and complement One&Only Nyungwe House to provide a luxury twin-center experience for guests travelling to Rwanda.
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