What “Eco” Means at Nkuringo

Eco is part of our name. At Nkuringo, its meaning comes through in how our properties are built, supplied and run, and in the decisions made every day around water, energy, food, materials, waste and employment.

Each property works within its own setting. Bwindi, Kibale and Entebbe have different water sources, energy needs, supply routes and communities around them. Our approach begins with understanding those conditions and making operating decisions that fit them.

It starts with how a lodge works

Long before a guest arrives, decisions have already been made about where water comes from, how power is generated, what the kitchen buys, which materials are used, how waste is handled and who supplies the lodge.

These are ordinary parts of running a property. They are also where Eco becomes practical at Nkuringo.

These decisions are connected. The way water is collected affects how it is used. What the kitchen buys affects what enters the waste stream. Where supplies come from determines which farmers, makers and businesses become part of running the lodge.

Water and energy

A lodge has to understand the water and energy available where it stands.

At both Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge and Mirima Kibale Lodge, rainwater is collected from the roofs and stored for use around the properties. Mirima also draws water from a solar-powered borehole, while water from Lake Nyamirima is used for flowers and landscaping.

Solar supplies part of the electricity used at both lodges, with generators available when required. Solar energy also provides hot water for guest showers at Mirima.

Using rainwater and solar reduces the amount the properties need to draw from other sources while making use of resources readily available in their settings. Reliable backup systems remain part of running working lodges where water, hot showers and electricity still need to be available when weather conditions change.

What we grow, refill and reuse

Everything brought into a lodge eventually has to be used, stored, reused or disposed of. That makes the everyday movement of food, water and materials through a property worth thinking about carefully.

Both Mirima and Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge have vegetable and herb gardens that supply some of what their kitchens use. Organic material from the kitchens and gardens is composted and returned to the properties, where it can support another growing cycle.

Drinking water is filtered at both lodges and made available through refill stations for reusable bottles. Keeping bottles in circulation reduces the number of disposable drinking-water bottles needed during a stay.

Waste is separated by type so that organic material can be composted and other materials can follow the appropriate waste stream. We also reuse materials where they still have a practical purpose, including glass bottles repurposed around garden beds.

The kitchen, gardens, guest rooms and stores are all part of the same operating system. What comes into the property influences what needs to be reused, composted, stored or eventually taken out again.

Built and run close to home

Running a lodge creates work and a constant need for food, repairs, construction, furniture, equipment and everyday supplies.

Where practical, Nkuringo works with Ugandan farmers, artisans, builders and suppliers. Ugandan builders and craftspeople have contributed to the properties through construction, furniture, art and handmade pieces. Farmers and other suppliers continue to provide some of what the lodges need each day.

Where we buy determines which businesses become part of the everyday economic activity created by the properties. Buying within Uganda where practical keeps many of those purchasing relationships within the country and gives Ugandan businesses an opportunity to participate in the supply chain behind each stay.

Employment is another part of that relationship. At Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge and Mirima Kibale Lodge, 90% of the team is recruited from western Uganda. Across the Collection, people from the areas around our properties work in hospitality, kitchens, gardens, maintenance, guiding and other parts of the operation.

The people who work at the lodges and the businesses that supply them are part of what keeps each property running every day.

Beyond the lodge

Some of Nkuringo's work reaches beyond the lodge grounds.

Our roots in Nkuringo began alongside communities on the edge of Bwindi, and that relationship has continued as the business has grown. Today, Gorilla Junction Foundation runs much of our community and conservation work around Bwindi and Kibale, with programs connected to skills, education, livelihoods and the landscapes around our properties.

A USD 10 per guest, per night contribution from lodge stays supports the Gorilla Junction Foundation Fund and provides a regular source of funding for programs that continue throughout the year.

The Foundation's programs and the people behind them have their own story, which we cover in more detail on our Community & Conservation page.

Explore our Community & Conservation work →

A practice we keep improving

The way our properties operate continues to develop. Equipment changes, systems improve, suppliers evolve and experience teaches us more about what works well in each setting.

We are also putting better measurement behind areas such as water, energy, waste, sourcing and restoration. That information helps us make better operating decisions and gives us clearer facts to share as the Collection develops.

Eco remains part of the everyday work of running Nkuringo Eco Collection.

Last edited: Sept 1, 2026