Madhvani’s Silverback Lodge earns Uganda a spot on global hospitality design stage

August 19, 2025 in Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Wilderness Bisate Reserve, Volcanoes National park Rwandca

Silverback Lodge, perched on the edge of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, has been shortlisted for the prestigious AHEAD Middle East & Africa (MEA) Awards, placing the country on a global stage that celebrates excellence in hospitality design and guest experience.

Owned by Marasa Africa, Silverback Lodge is Uganda’s only entry in this year’s competition and will contest in the Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps category. It faces strong regional rivals: Rwanda’s Wilderness Bisate Reserve in Volcanoes National Park, Tanzania’s Singita Milele in Grumeti, andBeyond Mnemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania, and Zambia’s Chichele Presidential Lodge in South Luangwa National Park.

Marasa Africa, part of the Jinja-based Madhvani Group, manages a portfolio of safari lodges and hotels across East Africa. In Uganda, its collection includes Paraa Safari Lodge and Chobe Safari Lodge in Murchison Falls National Park and Mweya Safari Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Silverback Lodge, with its intimate scale and forest setting, represents the company’s push into more boutique, experience-driven offerings.

The AHEAD Awards, held annually across four regions – Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East & Africa – recognize standout achievements in the creation and renovation of hotels, resorts, and hospitality spaces. Categories span new builds, guestrooms, bars, restaurants, and even accessibility innovations.

Winners for the MEA edition will be unveiled at a high-profile ceremony in Dubai later this year, with the victors advancing to the AHEAD 100, a curated global list of the most compelling new hotel openings. From there, a final selection is made for the Top 10 worldwide, a benchmark for excellence in the hospitality industry.

With a judging panel comprising over 60 industry leaders – including architects, interior designers, and developers – the awards focus not only on visual design but also on how properties integrate into their landscapes, respect local heritage, and create memorable guest experiences.

Silverback Lodge, with its views over Bwindi and proximity to Uganda’s famed mountain gorillas, offers a distinctive blend of ecological sensitivity and guest comfort that has become increasingly central to hospitality design in Africa.

For Uganda, the nomination underscores the country’s growing profile in high-end, experience-driven tourism. It also places Silverback Lodge alongside some of the continent’s most recognized safari properties, reinforcing Bwindi’s reputation as not just a biodiversity hotspot but also a global travel destination with design-led hospitality credentials.