$2,530 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateThis Tour Is Offered By
We'd rather take your smile to the bank!
Lush Africa Safaris
- Offices In:
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United States
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2004)
- Member Of:
- Association of Uganda Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
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KERWZATZUG
We are the safari company you can count on before, during and after your trip. We have been in business for 20 years, operating in East Africa while affiliating with tour operators across Africa. Africa is our home. Every safari, therefore, is simply your fam tour of our own house; it is that effortless for us. During your safari, from start to finish, you will be in safe and experienced hands. Our offices are strategically situated in the US and Uganda, operating 24/7.
Reviews52
US
Great overall experience and an amazing trip.
We really enjoyed our time and overall experience with Lush Africa Safaris. We did a 12-day Rwanda/Uganda Trek to see the Mountain Gorillas (Uganda) and Golden Monkeys (Rwanda) followed by a Safari in Nairobi National Park --> Maasai Mara --> Serengeti --> Ngorongoro Crater --> Amboseli. The only thing is I wish we would've added just one more day onto Serengeti, but the overall trip was amazing. Our guides Yves, Julius and Daniel were amazing. We got all of the Big 5, entire Prides of Lions, Kilimanjaro views one morning, and true upclose and amazing experiences with the gorillas and monkeys. We did the Hot Air Balloon in northern Serengeti (well worth it).
Also -- don't get too hung up on bringing a camera -- we used our iPhone / Samsung Galaxy and the pics were AMAZING. Didn't use our camera at all actually.
US
Top tier
I started looking at various tour operators about a year ago but was constantly running into the issue of not being able to do everything I wanted with one operator. I had just about given up when I found Lush African Safaris. Abbey was able to organize a trip that had every destination and activity (some less common than others) I was looking for, without going outside of my budget. We went back and forth for a couple of weeks discussing locations and accommodations before we built the perfect adventure. Can’t thank Abbey enough for all of the time he spent on this.
Fast forward several months and I arrive in Kigali and meet Yves. He was kind, punctual and knowledgeable on every topic I could think of asking about. He was also able to fit a few activities that I wanted to do but weren’t discussed prior to my arrival to Rwanda. Once we got to the lodge Yves was also able to negotiate a larger room with a better view and a balcony without any extra charge. I can’t recommend Yves enough.
Next up, I fly to Nairobi and meet my Kenya guide, Jackson. He is a super cool dude who waited without complaint an extra few hours outside of the airport for me while the airline looked for the walking stick I used while gorilla trekking in Rwanda. The airline wasn’t able to find the walking stick (they did after we left- so we went back later on). Upon finding out that they lost my walking stick, Jackson gifted me his- very cool, I know. He was able to accommodate everything that I wanted to do (including a request he had never been asked before). Jackson loves animals so he wanted to see everything at least as much as I did which meant he was willing to stay in the park from opening to close and never tried to waste any time. At the lodges I would regularly speak to others that were on safari that had only seen 1/10th of what I had.
Last but certainly not least, I meet my Tanzania guide Lordlugard or Lordie for short. Lordie is basically a scientist working as a guide who could tell me the binomial nomenclature for just about everything we encountered. We talked a lot about animal behavior and it didn’t take long to see the value in this. We would do things like go to the opposite side as other safari vehicles of a rock outcrop and at first not be able to see anything but suddenly we’d have the best seat in the house as the lion or leopard moved right in front of us for a better view of its surroundings. Lordie was also happy to stay in the park from opening to close which was exactly what I wanted.
A safari is only as good as your guides and all 3 of mine exceeded all expectations and left me thankful for the adventure of a lifetime!
US
Avoid Lush Africa Safaris – Poor Management, Broken Promises, and Unsafe Vehicles
I do not recommend Lush Africa Safaris. Abbey, the owner, was terrible about communication unless it involved asking for more money. He would outright lie, claiming things were booked when they weren’t, and failed to follow through on commitments and providing pertinent information. I had to repeatedly remind him about details, and his last-minute scrambling caused us significant stress and lost sleep.
The vehicle we were given in Uganda was awful—not a “luxury” vehicle at all. The seatbelts, AC, cooler, and even the armrest didn’t work. On our very first day, before we had even started the safari, we got a flat tire on the highway. Then, two days in a row, we had a dead battery, which nearly caused us to miss our chimp trekking. We lost hours dealing with these issues and waiting for a replacement vehicle. When I raised these concerns with Abbey, he dismissed them with a simple “sorry to hear about your situation with the vehicle.” This is HIS company, and according to one of our guides, he owns the vehicles. He knew—or should have known—that what he provided was neither the luxury safari vehicle he promised nor even a safe vehicle for such a trip.
He also didn’t book our flight from Kigali to Nairobi until just 36 hours before departure, despite assuring me it had been booked more than two months earlier. This caused us to have to change our itinerary at the last minute as he didn’t put us on the flight he told me we would be on. On top of that, he forgot to book our hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti—even though it had been paid for nearly a year in advance.
The one positive: the tour guides themselves were excellent, especially Derrick in Uganda. He was outstanding, and I truly hope he finds another company to work for—he’s far too good to be tied to someone who caused as much stress and disappointment as Abbey did.
CA
Great communication, easy to book, amazing guides!
We had the trip of a lifetime with Lush Safari. From the very first email, Abbey made the planning simple and safe, customizing our itinerary and always responding quickly.
In Kenya, our guide Peter felt like family — patient, kind, and always finding the best views, from lions by the road to the Great Migration crossing. In Tanzania, Patson shared his 16 years of experience with us, driving safely, spotting incredible wildlife, and telling great stories. Thanks to him, we’ll never forget the elephants less than a meter from our car and hundred of baboons passing our vehicles.
Every day was unforgettable — from luxury camps to rustic tents, from lion cubs to endless herds of wildebeest. If you’re considering a safari, book with Lush Safari and ask for Abbey, Peter, and Patson. They made our dream trip a reality.
P.S. if you booked any extra services like Ngorongoro crater walk, for example, make sure to confirm with your guide
MX
Delivered above & beyond!! Gorillas a MUST see!!!
When I started looking for an African operator I was a bit nervous and went by the reviews so I hope this one can help others.
Whatever I can say of Lush Arican Safaris will come short. I had the best experience posible with them. I'll break it down.
Communications: Back and forth with Abbey was always smooth, clear and most importantly quick. Either by email or WhatsApp, he was always reachable and answered back. You can feel he knows every trip is special and treats it that way, very personal and warm. From the first quote, to the very last day and even beyond (they helped us recover my daughter's AirPods and took them to our hotel in Nairobi, thank you Flouzine and Jackson!) So I can say that they are TOTALLY RELIABLE.
Value for money: obviously African safaris are a bit on the expensive side but every dolar we payed was totally worth it. The experiences we had were unbelievable and once in a lifetime. They even upgraded us in a couple of hotels and lodges.
Service in Africa: This is also something that was just perfect and I might come short on my praises. The whole team is very profesional. The guide/drivers we were assigned in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania were just the best! They really know what they're doing and not only they treat you great, but they put us once and again in the best spots to enjoy the different sights and spectacles. Specially Derrick in Uganda and Joseph in Tanzania were not only real pros, but I can definitely say that we struck real friendships with them.
Finally, we took a12-Day Great Migration & Great Apes Safari (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania). I might say that if either because of time or budget concerns you are deciding whether or not to visit the Gorilas in Uganda, it is a no brainer GO SEE THE GORILLAS. This was definitely the highlight of our whole trip, really something words can't describe and an experience that will forever remain in our minds.
Other Safaris & Tours18 – Offered by Lush Africa Safaris
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3-Day Murchison Falls Luxury Getaway
$1,430 to $1,463 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourLuxuryLodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Entebbe Airport (End)
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5-Day Lion & Leopard Tracking + Gorilla & Chimp Tracking
$3,025 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Kigali (End)
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5-Day Uganda Gorillas, Batwa Trail & Lake Bunyonyi
$2,200 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Resort
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Batwa Experience (Highlight), Lake Bunyonyi, Entebbe Airport (End)
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4-Day Gorilla Trekking in Uganda via Rwanda
$1,947 pp (USD)
Rwanda & Uganda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Kigali (Start), Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Kigali (End)
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![4-Day Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit]()
4-Day Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit
$1,430 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP, Arusha (End)
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![4-Day Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda]()
4-Day Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
$2,640 to $2,750 pp (USD)
Rwanda: Private tour
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Kigali (Start), Volcanoes NP (Gorillas), Kigali (End)
