In the Heart of Bwindi, a Silverback is Reborn: Silverback by Marasa Africa

THE JOURNEY AND STAY

The journey to Silverback Lodge begins long before you arrive. It starts with a whisper from the forest — a promise of something ancient, something stirring — and builds with each twist of Uganda’s winding roads. As the vehicle climbs toward the canopy-lined ridges of Buhoma, children wave exuberantly from the roadside. Their chorus of echoing “Hello!” and “Bye!” rings out like a song — innocent, rhythmic, and unfiltered joy as they run beside your vehicle. The motorbikes, “Boda bodas” pass with practiced ease, carving through the raw earthed roads and the highlands mists. The scent of fertile earth, the guttering dews mixes with eucalyptus and woodsmoke for scents unique to Bwindi. The road isn’t just a route. It’s a rite of passage.

At the forest’s edge, perched like a whisper among the trees, stands Silverback, now reborn. Once a simple outpost for gorilla trekkers, Silverback has been transformed by Marasa Africa into something rare — a front row seat to the canopy-wrapped mountains. Not merely a place to stay, but a place to feel. The kind of place that doesn’t just house guests, but hosts presence. Designed by the acclaimed HesseKleinloog (HK) Studio — the same visionary minds behind Singita Kataza House and Kwitonda Lodge — the architecture and interiors channel a quiet luxury that honours both land and legacy.

From the moment you enter the newly refurbished property, the atmosphere shifts. This is not a lodge trying to imitate Africa, or to transplant luxury into wilderness. It is Africa — crafted carefully, thoughtfully, and respectfully into every material, every rhythm, every line of sight. Its design is intentionally minimalist, as if to leave no trace — no carbon footprint — on the precious nature it inhabits.

The redesign pays homage to both Ugandan heritage and international sensibility. Conceptualised with clean, contemporary lines softened by natural textures, Silverback blends the modernist restraint of architectural minimalism with the soul of its surroundings. Polished concrete floors, eucalyptus timber beams, expansive glass, and woven craft detail converge in a language that feels at once global and deeply local. One is struck by the deliberate absence of extravagance. Instead, there is something far more potent — clarity.

As you look out over the terraces, the forest breathes in and out like she lives, it's as if you're looking at a fluffy giant deep asleep. This is Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and sanctuary for nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. The lodge’s name is no branding gimmick — it’s a vow. The silverback is not just a primate. He is a protector, pathfinder, and patriarch. The lodge carries his spirit.

And here, the moment you visit, the mist appears, as if to echo to you “you are not just a guest. You are part of the journey”

THE MADHVANI LEGACY: HOSPITALITY WITH PURPOSE

Silverback Lodge is part of the Marasa Africa collection — a family of properties under the stewardship of the Madhvani Group, one of East Africa’s most respected and storied conglomerates. For the Madhvani family, conservation and community upliftment are not afterthoughts; they are foundational.

The transformation of Silverback wasn’t just a refurbishment. It was a movement — a bold reinvestment into the region, designed to create long-term sustainability for local livelihoods and wildlife alike. Through collaborations with organizations like Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH), the refugee Milaya project, Snare to Wares, Ride 4 a Woman & local Artisans, the project has breathed new life into local employment, women’s empowerment, and wildlife monitoring efforts.

Over 90% of the lodge’s construction workforce was drawn from surrounding communities. Young artisans were trained. Local woodworkers like Wood Flex, Ceramics central supplied handcrafted pieces. Content creators from the region were given a platform to capture and share the story of their home’s renaissance. It’s not just a lodge you’re stepping into. It’s a community’s pride made visible.

DESIGN THAT DISAPPEARS, EXPERIENCE THAT STAYS

The rooms are sanctuaries — elevated, glass-lined, and dressed in tones of Charcoal, stone, ash, and bark. They carry the hushed luxury of stillness, where the loudest sound is often a bird call or the distant grunt of a gorilla. The interiors don’t speak loudly; they listen.

Each element — from custom furniture to linen textures — is designed to disappear into the greater experience. The restaurant and a dining deck that floats over the forest. The scent of local coffee lingers in the air. At night, the accent lighting and fireflies flicker like memories. There is no rush here. Only rhythm.

But it’s not all silence and solitude. The sounds of children along the journey — their joy, their innocent curiosity — follow you here. You remember how they ran beside your vehicle with that uniquely Ugandan openness. “Bye!-Hello” they shouted with delight, not knowing you’d carry their laughter like a charm. That’s the magic of this place — it reaches into you, long before the gorillas do.

THE AWE FILLED MOUNTAIN GORRILLA EXPERIENCE.

Of course, the pinnacle of any stay at Silverback is the gorilla tracking experience. Guests rise early, boots laced, hearts open, and set off into the forest. The trek is not a tourist attraction — it’s a pilgrimage. And when you find them — those great, sentient beings — the air shifts. You understand, wordlessly, why this lodge had to exist. Why it had to be built here, now, and with this level of intention.

But the wonder doesn’t end with gorillas. There are forest elephants, L’Hoest’s monkeys, black-fronted duikers, and over 350 species of birds. 14 of these being exclusive to Bwindi. There’s the storytelling by local guides, the rituals of fire and food, and the quiet that rewires your brain.

WHAT IT MEANS TO ARRIVE WITH SILVERBACK

In an era of over-tourism, Silverback is a counterpoint — a reminder that true luxury is not abundance, but intentionality. That to arrive is not to consume, but to connect.

Marasa Africa has achieved something remarkable here. Silverback Lodge is not a replication of bush luxury. It is a redefinition. A place where architecture bows to the forest. Where heritage and innovation are not opposites, but allies. Where hospitality is not just service, but stewardship.

And so, when you return down the same mountain road, and the children wave again — “Hello!” “Bye!” — you feel something different. Not just that you were here. But that you belong.