Come and explore the Thousand Hills of this unknown African destination and track the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s most stunning national park!
Overall operator rating 9.8/10 from 4 trip reviews
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I was very impressed with the website when I was looking for a company to plan our trip to Murchison Falls. My friend and I were going to Uganda to visit my daughter and her friend who were working as volunteers with an NGO in Jinja. The four of us wanted to visit Murchison Falls.
We were pleased that the operator was able to make arrangements to suit our budget. They also accommodated our wish to be picked up in Jinja instead of Kampala.
Our driver, Beki was wonderful. Not only was he a very competent driver, but he was full of good humour and knowledge about the culture of Uganda and its animals and plants. He answered all of our questions about everything we saw on our trip to Murchison Falls and we had many as this was our first trip to Africa. He pointed out many things of interest to us and made us feel so comfortable on our trip. Beki helped to make our safri a most enjoyable and memorable experience.
The company sent us an information package and a complete itinerary before we went on our safari. I thought this was very helpful. I have only praise for their staff. If Beki is representative of all their drivers, then you are ensured of an amazing safari experience.
We thought they did a very good job of meeting our needs during our trip to Uganda. They were responsive when we asked to modify the standard itinerary - visiting a local hospital, the Kampala marketplace, and the veterinary school at the University.
At our request, they substituted an extra game drive for the scheduled activity, and accommodated our request for a different hotel in Kampala on our last days.
Our guide/driver was named David, and he answered all of our questions, maintaining his composure despite some unforeseen circumstances (car broke down, and he had to get a different driver to bring us back to Kampala).
We took the luxury option except for Travellers Rest, which we chose when the Nkuringo Lodge was not able to honor our reservations. It was an unexpected pleasure to stay at Travellers Rest -- wonderful food and friendly service at a very reasonable price. The Primate Luxury Tented Camp, where we stayed when we tracked chimps in Kibale, seems like it's not quite ready for prime time but shows promise for the future.
Overall, we were very pleased, and if we were going to make the trip again, we'd call them.
We would be delighted to provide you with information about our holiday. We have nothing but praise for this operator, both for their helpfulness throughout and their flexibility in planning our itinerary.
We had a rather unusual plan for our holiday, in that, as well as touring the game parks, we wished to seeand meet Ugandans on the ground as much as possible,and also we wished to end our holiday by being taken to Gulu, where our daughter is working as an NGO.
They responded to this by including a 2-day visit to a farm in the far south-west, near the Tanzanian and Rwandan borders, and by agreeing to drop us off in Gulu, rather than returning us to Kampala.
We visited Lake Mburo, Queen Elizabth, Kibale and Murchison Falls National Parks, in addition to Nshenyi village referred to above. All this was achieved in an 11-day itinerary, at a very reasonable cost. Our driver was fantastic. He was not only one of the best drivers I've ever come across either inside or outside of Uganda, but he was also very friendly, and most knowledgeable about all the wildlife, including the rich variety of birds we saw. He also had phenomenal eyesight; even when the road he was negotiating was particularly pitted and rough, he still managed to catch sight of birds and game a long way of, which we would have missed.
Altogether a most positive, enjoyable and educational trip. I'd recommend anyone to go; Uganda is a truly beautiful country. We look forward to returning.
I found the safari operator to be very accommodating with any special requests we had regarding the itinerary.
The Safari Lodge pool made for a perfect setting for a sunset swim, overlooking the channel filled with hippos. The lodge also provided the unique experience of waking up to a hippo grazing outside our door.
Overall a great trip. Thanks
Itinerary
Day 1 : Kampala – Lake Bunyonyi After breakfast we depart Kampala and drive to the southwest of Uganda. With lunch en route we will reach Lake Bunyonyi in the afternoon. The deepest lake of Uganda is situated closely to the border with Rwanda and also called “Little Switzerland of Uganda”. Dinner and overnight at Arcadia Cottages.
Day 2 : Lake Bunyonyi – Parc National des Volcans Enjoy some relaxing moments on the shores of this peaceful lake, before we head to Rwanda in the afternoon. Note that the border crossing might take some time and a visa is required (not included). From here we continue to the most beautiful national park of Rwanda: Parc National des Volcans. Dinner and overnight at Mountain Gorilla Nest Lodge.
Day 3 : Gorilla Tracking – Kigali The highlight of your safari: a meeting with the gentle giants of Rwanda! Especially hikers will love the tracking in the beautiful ecosystem of the park. It is difficult to foresee how many hours you will hike and expect to walk a long distance in steep and muddy conditions, sometimes with rain overhead, before you encounter any gorillas. But it will definitely be worthwhile as you observe them closely while they eat, play and rest. A unique and unforgettable experience! After this exciting tracking we will return to the camp and then transfer to the capital city. Dinner and overnight at Serena Kigali Hotel.
Day 4 : Kigali – Kisoro In the morning you can enjoy a city tour and visit some interesting, historical sites, including the Kigali Memorial Centre. After lunch it is time to depart the country of the many hills and return to Uganda. The green landscape, with the backdrop of the Virunga Volcanoes, is breathtaking! If time allows you will have the opportunit to explore the surroundings of Kisoro with a village walk and learn more about the local tribe that lives in this area. Dinner and overnight at Nkuringo Safari Lodge.
Day 5 : Kisoro – Kampala After breakfast we calmly head back towards the capital city. Look out for zebras and impalas as we pass Lake Mburo National Park, and take some photos at the Ugandan equator. Arrival in Kampala at the end of the afternoon.
Included in the price: - Ground transport per comfortable 4WD safari vehicle - English speaking driver/guide - Overnight in luxury accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary, based on a double room - Full board except for breakfast on day 1 and dinner on day 5 - Bottled mineral water throughout the safari - Park entrance fees and ranger fees - Activities as described in the program
Exclusions: - International flight - Visas for Uganda and Rwanda - Gorilla permit (USD $500 per person) - Meals and drinks not mentioned above - Laundry and tips - Items of personal nature
Note: Please note that demand is very high and only 8 persons per day are allowed to see the gorillas. Therefore we advise you to book permits at least 4 months in advance.
If you wish to stay in budget accommodation please notify so we can inform you the price. Please complete the enquiry form below for more details and tailor-made safaris in Uganda and Rwanda!
