This Tour Is Offered By
We'd rather take your smile to the bank!
Lush Africa Safaris
- Offices In:
-
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:
-
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.
Reviews50
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.
US
Lush Safari delivered a wonderful primate trekking experience in Rwanda & Uganda.
We did a 10 day primate trekking safari in Rwanda and Uganda. A few of the highlights:
We started in Kigali. The first stop was golden monkey viewing in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. The mountainous terrain and fertile soil was stunning.
We visited Bwindi for gorilla trekking. It was simply amazing to spend an hour watching and observing them up close (literally feet away). We also visited a village neighboring Bwindi. We loved meeting the children and seeing their school. We were greeted by one of the men in the tribe and one of the oldest residence. They showed us their homes and way of cooking. They performed traditional music and dance.
Queen Elizabeth National Park provided a big five experience. We also spent an afternoon on the channel between Lake George and Lake Edward. It offered great hippo, elephant, crocodile, water monitor and bird viewing.
Kibale National Park provided an up close and (too) personal view of chimpanzees. It was probably the wildlife highlight of the trip.
A tour is only as good as its guide. Our guide Derrick was wonderful. He ensured that the trip ran smoothly and comfortably. He is very knowledgeable and a wealth of information. On more than one occasion, Derrick altered the itinerary to accommodate weather impacts so all activities were completed.
Finally, here are some impressions on Rwanda and Uganda. Uganda is called the 'Pearl of Africa'. A visit will make clear why. The landscapes are stunning and the people are very, very friendly. The soil is so rich that everything grows in abundance. After our tour, Derrick dropped us in Jinja. We highly recommend spending some time here touring Lake Victoria and the Nile before returning home.
US
Excellent. Very attentive
We were very happy with the tour operator and the local tour guide.
