$3,363 to $3,473 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateThis Tour Is Offered By
Kubwa Five Safaris
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Member Of:
- APTA, AUTO, UTB, ESTOA & AUWOTT
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
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BWBIETKEMGMWMUMZNARWSCTZUGZM
We extend an invitation to you as an individual explorer or group adventurers to East Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda) and Southern Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa). We provide a safe environment while at the same time exposing you to interactions with wide varieties of our land animals in their natural habitats within a safe distance. We give a tourist the adventure of a lifetime by sharing the natural wonders Africa has to has offer.
Reviews191
A Thrilling, Unforgettable Experience!!
My wife and I are from the St Louis area in the USA. We had never visited Africa, so I carefully researched safari providers. After looking through numerous itineraries we settled on Kubwa Five’s “THRILLING 18 Day Safari”.
The itinerary takes you through the Big Three East Africa countries, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, to see not only The Big Five and Great Migration, but also Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking. It includes visits to five national parks in Uganda, four in Kenya, including the Masia Mara, where we saw the Great Migration, as well as three parks in Tanzania, where we saw the breath-taking Serengeti.
When Kubwa Five said this would be a THRILLING safari they did not disappoint, it was THRILLING indeed. My wife is a photographer and took over 20,000 photos during this 18-day odyssey that brought us face to face with a silver back gorilla and his family, a large family of Chimpanzees (so close they rub against you as they pass by), numerous lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, warthogs, buffaloes, birds, crocodiles, hyenas, you name it. You are thoroughly immersed in nature, more than you can ever be in any zoo, no walls, no plexiglass, no bars, no nothing, just you and these amazing animals in THEIR natural environment, you are the outsider (this will ruin your visit to any zoo, forever…sorry).
In addition to the animals, you will be given the opportunity to participate in the cultures of East Africa, including visits to pygmy and Masia villages, as well as day to day life in a small village in Uganda. I encourage you to embrace this aspect of the tour, it will change you!
From the start, Betty Alum, in the front office, was easy to deal with and very responsive to all of our questions and concerns. At one point, we considered skipping Uganda altogether due to the Ebola “scare” (which is all it was), but Betty reassured us (correctly) that they would take good care of us AND THEY DID! Getting through customs both in Africa and back into the USA was a snap, thanks to the pre-coordination of Kubwa Five and their outstanding guides.
Speaking of the guides, they were very knowledgeable and committed to giving you a first-class experience. Samuel Kansansula in Uganda had twelve years of experience as a guide and it showed, everything was thoroughly explained and we felt well taken care of under Samuel’s guidance. In the Masia Mara, our guide brought along a Masia tribesman who showed us all the best spots in this amazing park as the Great Migration unfolded in front of your eyes. In Tanzania, Ayubu Luhala, who has 15 years of experience guiding tourists in the Serengeti, did an outstanding job of getting us to those unique, little-known places to see some mind-blowing wildlife and an unforgettable sunrise over the Serengeti right out of The Lion King.
If you are looking for a great, well organized Safari experience, look no further than Kubwa Five!
SG
Reliable. Good value. Great guide
Gorillas and chimps a highlight. Good accom. Great food. Knowledgable guide(Charles) Some roads in Uganda are very bumpy so journeys can be long.
Good variety of activities. Walking, cycling, safaris, boating etc
SG
Reliable. Good value. Great guide
Gorillas and chimps a highlight. Good accom. Great food. Knowledgable guide(Charles) Some roads in Uganda are very bumpy so journeys can be long.
Good variety of activities. Walking, cycling, safaris, boating etc
ES
Kubwa Five Safaris is an excelent option for your safari, just watch out during booking and planning
KUBWA5 Safari Holiday Review
We booked our honeymoon safari in Uganda and Tanzania with KUBWA5 this year. Our trip lasted a little less two weeks and included several parks in both countries. Overall, the experience with them was great. Since a safari holiday has many components, I’ll try to review each part separately.
My main disclaimer is that this was our first safari, so we don’t have a direct reference to compare it with. With that said, here is our experience.
Value for Money – 4.5/5
Overall, we believe KUBWA5 offers very good value for money. When planning the trip we compared several safari operators, and many alternatives we found online were significantly more expensive for very similar itineraries.
Even though we experienced some setbacks during the booking and planning stages, mainly due to pricing and itinerary mistakes that required adjustments (including a flight change on our side), the overall safari experience itself was excellent. Once the trip started, the logistics, guides, vehicles, wildlife experiences, and overall organization were outstanding, and they made our honeymoon truly memorable.
For that reason we would still rate the overall value for money at 4.5/5. The only reason it is not a full 5/5 is because of the issues during booking and planning, which required extra attention from our side. However, during the trip itself everything worked smoothly.
Booking – 2.5/5
This was the main low point of the experience.
We decided to go with KUBWA5 after doing some research. Our main reasons were that they are a local company in Uganda (our main destination), they had good reviews, and their price was competitive.
We spent several months between our first quotation and the final version of the itinerary. During that time we asked for different options regarding destinations and plans. If you’re spending $20k+ on a trip, I think that’s fairly reasonable.
When we were finally happy with the quote and itinerary—and only after paying an $8,000 USD deposit—they realized they had made a mistake in the pricing and that the trip had been underquoted by nearly $12,000 USD.
That’s obviously a lot of money for a mistake. We even considered canceling everything, but we eventually decided to adjust the trip by changing some dates and hotels so we could stay closer to our original budget while still traveling with KUBWA5.
Our advice: double-check and confirm all pricing carefully before paying the deposit.
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Planning – 2.5/5
KUBWA5 are very flexible during the planning stage. They send a comprehensive PDF for every quote detailing the itinerary, planning, and budget. We actually used that document as a reference even during our trip.
They are very open to adjusting the itinerary and usually respond relatively quickly to requests or changes.
However, mistakes can happen. For example, our initial itinerary included leaving a hotel at 2 a.m., which turned out to be unrealistic for that location. Because of this we had to adjust several parts of the itinerary, which forced us to change one of our flights and cancel our final airport transfer.
Some of these planning adjustments also ended up costing us extra money, particularly when we had to modify flight arrangements after the itinerary changed.
These were manageable issues, but my recommendation is to carefully review every step of the itinerary and confirm travel times beforehand. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or request changes—they are very open to making adjustments.
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Logistics – 5/5
After the initial challenges during booking and planning, I have to say that the trip itself ran perfectly.
From the moment we landed until the end of our honeymoon, everything worked smoothly. Everyone was aware it was our honeymoon and we received many thoughtful touches along the way.
Every transfer was on time and well organized. We had several domestic flights during the trip, and KUBWA5 kept us updated with schedules and made sure everything was coordinated.
Once the trip started, the logistics were flawless.
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Hotel Selection – 4/5
Hotels in Uganda and Tanzania usually fall into luxury or mid-range categories.
With luxury properties you will generally have a great experience. However, be careful with hotels labeled “mid-range,” because the quality can vary a lot. Some mid-range lodges were excellent, while others were a bit below our expectations despite having the same classification.
Overall we enjoyed most of the hotels, but I recommend double-checking specific properties beforehand if you want to avoid surprises.
Hotel staff in both Uganda and Tanzania were consistently excellent. Everyone was polite, attentive, and many places added small details to celebrate our honeymoon regardless of whether the hotel was luxury or mid-range.
I also recommend bringing some local currency for tips, which is appreciated by staff.
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Guides – 5/5
The guides were the absolute highlight of our trip.
You should know that on safari you spend a lot of time with your guide, both during game drives and while traveling between destinations.
Our guide in Uganda, Charles (@kimbugwe.charles on Instagram), was fantastic. He made sure we were always happy and safe. He’s a great driver and incredibly knowledgeable about Uganda—animals, parks, culture, and local life.
He made sure we saw all the animals we hoped to see during game drives. He is also very well connected, which helped with different activities and arrangements during the trip. He even organized a picnic for us, bought us fresh fruit, and took us to some great places for shopping.
In Tanzania we had Bakari, another exceptional guide. He is an extremely talented tracker and driver. He always seemed to know where to go during game drives so we would be in the right place at the right time.
He knows the parks very well and always made sure we felt safe and were enjoying the experience.
I can’t stress enough how important a good guide is during a safari. Charles and Bakari are a big reason why our trip was so memorable.
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Vehicles – 4.5/5
Vehicles are another important factor during a safari because you spend a lot of time in them.
KUBWA5 vehicles were excellent. We booked a private tour, so we had the vehicle to ourselves. They were large and comfortable, with fresh drinks and charging ports available.
The cars were in very good condition, which is important considering the long distances and rough terrain. It’s actually common to see safari vehicles with mechanical problems, but ours performed very well.
We were never completely sure if the air conditioning worked, but honestly we never needed it.
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Wildlife & Parks – 6/5
The wildlife experience was outstanding and a huge part of that was thanks to our guides.
Thanks to Charles in Uganda and Bakari in Tanzania, we were able to see the Big Five, which was one of our goals for this trip. Charles even managed to spot a leopard, which we know can be very difficult to find.
The gorilla trekking experience in Uganda was one of the main reasons for our trip and it completely lived up to expectations. Charles helped ensure we had a great local guide and we were lucky to visit an amazing gorilla family. It was truly one of the highlights of our honeymoon.
In Tanzania, Bakari made sure we saw all the big cats. We saw lions, leopards, and cheetahs—including an incredible moment watching cheetahs hunting and lions eating.
From our experience, Tanzania is particularly good for big cats, especially in the Serengeti, where animals are easier to spot because of the open landscape. If you want the classic safari experience with lots of wildlife sightings, Serengeti is hard to beat.
Safaris in Uganda feel a bit different, but in a very special way. The highlights there are gorillas and chimpanzees, which are unique wildlife experiences. We also saw elephants and hippos very close, especially around River Station.
We also highly recommend doing a boat safari on the Nile in Uganda, which gives you a completely different perspective and great views of wildlife along the riverbanks.
Overall, the wildlife experiences far exceeded our expectations.
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Food – 4/5
Overall the food was good, although the quality varied depending on the hotel.
Most lodges offer international-style cuisine, but there are usually local dishes available as well, which we recommend trying.
Because game drives can last many hours, sometimes meals are packed for you to eat on the go, which is a normal part of the safari experience.
Overall the food was enjoyable and there were always good options available.
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Safety – 5/5
Safety was something we wondered about before traveling, but throughout the entire trip we always felt very safe.
This applied everywhere: in the hotels, during game drives, on the road, and while visiting parks. Our guides were excellent drivers and very attentive.
We also always felt comfortable regarding wildlife and general security.
Some lodges even escort guests to their rooms at night to make sure no animals are nearby, which shows how seriously safety is taken.
Final Thoughts
Overall, we had an amazing honeymoon safari with KUBWA5.
I would recommend booking with them, but I strongly suggest paying close attention during the booking and planning process, double-checking pricing, itineraries, and hotel selections beforehand.
Once the trip began, everything ran smoothly. The logistics, vehicles, wildlife experiences, and especially the guides made this a truly unforgettable trip.
IT
PERFECT
The journey begins even before we leave: together with the entire team, we planned our itinerary based on our needs, booking all gorilla, chimpanzee, and golden monkey permits in advance. During the organization process, they provided prompt and precise responses and paid great attention to every detail, from activities to accommodations. Throughout our trip, the driver was always punctual, precise, and always ready to accommodate our requests and resolve any unforeseen issues (because yes, during a two-week road trip in Uganda, unexpected things can happen).
An incredible trip, made possible by their organization.
Truly satisfied.
(automatic translation from Italian)
Other Safaris & Tours129 – Offered by Kubwa Five Safaris
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3-Day Queen Elizabeth National Park Thrilling Vacation
$825 to $935 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Queen Elizabeth NP, Equator point Uganda (Highlight), Entebbe (End)
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8-Day Gorilla & Chimp Trekking plus Lalibella Tour
$5,147 to $5,257 pp (USD)
Ethiopia & Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Addis Ababa (Start), Lalibela (Town), Entebbe (City), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Entebbe Airport (End)
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3-Day Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi & Community Batwa Walk
$1,705 to $1,815 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetTented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (End)
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6-Day Tour in Ethiopia and Primates Trekking in Uganda
$4,204 to $4,314 pp (USD)
Ethiopia & Uganda: Private tourBudgetTented Camp & Guest House
You Visit: Addis Ababa (Start), Lalibela (Town), Entebbe (City), Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Entebbe Airport (End)
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![3-Day Breathtaking Uganda Safari to Murchison Falls NP]()
3-Day Breathtaking Uganda Safari to Murchison Falls NP
$825 to $935 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Murchison Falls NP, Entebbe Airport (End)
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![5-Day Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Uganda]()
5-Day Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking Safari in Uganda
$2,530 to $2,640 pp (USD)
Uganda: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Entebbe (Start), Kibale NP (Chimps), Queen Elizabeth NP, Bwindi Impenetrable NP (Gorillas), Lake Bunyonyi, Entebbe Airport (End)
