Ecotourism in action
Bamboo Ecotours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- Association of Uganda Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $110 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
US
Email Jose | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing service and very friendly.
The whole experience was impeccable and tailored to our taste. The staff was very nice and friendly and everything went very smooth.
NL
Email Louisa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Highly recommend for Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
We (Louisa and Peter) did a Safari in Tanzania before and while our tour operator for Tanzania also offered us to plan the Gorilla trek, we felt more comfortable in picking a local tour operator in Uganda.
We studied reviews on here and shortlisted Bamboo Ecotours. The communication with Edison via E-mail to plan and book our 2-Night/3-Days Gorilla trek went absolutely smooth.
The planning process went transparent and also flexible in terms of adding on activities later on. We only decided on the actual day that we wanted to add the Coffee making experience and were able to do so. (Highly recommend for coffee lovers). We were considering to add another cultural experience on our last day (return to Kigali), but then felt a bit tired and opted only for the visit of the Genocide Museum. It was really great that we could be this flexible with other activities outside of the main event : The Gorilla trek
The gorilla trek is in the end organized by the local authorities - so has nothing to do with Bamboo ecotours. But also this was organized very well. We especially loved the local dance group that performed for us before the actual hike and really motivated us :)
In our case, it rained heavily after we had our one hour meet and greet with the Gorillas. Shout out to future trekkers : Please read the tips and instructions and try to pack accordingly: pack raingear, wear proper hiking shoes, wear long-sleeved shirts and also gloves come in really handy.
I didn't bring my gloves and I made it just fine, but it would have been better if I had brought them.
As back to Bamboo Ecotours: Our Guide was Fred, he is very kind, friendly and shared information about the local people/customs and also a bit about his own hometown/family. He also accommodated us very flexible with our requests on activities and was open to our suggestions.
We also felt that we paid a fair / competitive rate for our experience compared to other offers/quotes we have seen.
Maybe it would have been nice to see a few more different options for accommodations prior to booking, but in the end we were also happy with the one that we had (Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge). The lodges itself look like tree houses (without being actual tree houses), very dreamy and romantic. You feel like being in the middle of a rainforest. One of the perks is that the lodge offered to wash 4 pcs per person for free - that was very nice. The dinners were very good (no buffet, you ordered a few hours in advance from a small cart). Breakfast did not have a lot of choice, but it was fine. The packed lunches were small and not up to the standard that we were used from Tanzania.
After our Gorilla trek, the lodge provided the service to clean our shoes, that was very sweet and helpful.
Last but not least:
Big thanks for Edison and Fred for making this trip and experience special and completely carefree for us!
Email Himal | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organised
The tour was very well organised. Great communication from Edison about the meeting point in Kampala. The driver and guide, Herbert, was very knowledgeable. Felt safe the whole time. The lodge was comfortable and right in the middle of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Friendly and helpful staff. Overall I was really happy with the tour, got to see lions. elephants, hippos and many others. Herbert was a great guide.
AT
Email Brigitte | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Gorillas & Wildlife in Akagara National Park
I just came back from amazing 3 day trip, drive from kigali to akagera , there even Rhino !! + elefant, buffalo, lions - drive safari very good but absolutely fabulous was the evening boat safari. Next day long drive to Uganda for gorillas, yet explanations of driver/guide on scenery/country/peoples made it worthwhile. Then gorillas: a big silverback plus female and baby, watched the whole group for 1h. It was not cheap, but I am so glad I decided to go for it! Can only recommend 100%, organiser excellent. Pls take also small money with you for tips for locals - women dancing, the trackers, the porters etc.. so good when villagers see that tourism brings more than poaching!
Email Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Couldn’t recommend enough
Bamboo ecotours is definitely the tour company to use to explore Uganda. We had the wonderful Herbert who really made the whole experience for us. The communication from the company and the information they provided was brilliant, super helpful and very quick with responses (always under 24h). The service we received was 100%, I literally couldn’t fault anything- we had the tour to ourselves with Herbert and this seems to be common for Bamboo Ecotours, they like to ensure you are receiving the best service and are comfortable at all times. The accommodation was lovely, we paid for basic and they even managed to book a few midrange places for us which was a great surprise! Herbert could not have been more accommodating and brilliant the whole tour, always explaining the schedule and making sure we were safe and happy as well as showing us all the fabulous animals. We were super lucky in seeing all the animals that Uganda had to offer (rhinos, leopards, lions, giraffes, zebra, python, hyena, gorilla, chimpanzee, monkeys, baboons, buffalo, elephant, hippos, crocodile)- I would highly recommend doing the 10 day tour so that you can see the Rhinos and get a chance in all of the parks. Uganda is absolutely amazing and Bamboo Ecotours show you all the best of it, they use tour guides from local villages so that you get someone who really knows the local areas and cares about the environment. Literally can’t recommend enough!
Bamboo Ecotours made our holiday easy to plan and gave us an unforgettable experience!
We booked 2 days of Gorilla Trekking and 1 day of Golden Monkey Trekking through Bamboo Ecotours and it was fabulous. Our planning from the USA was seamless with Edison. He was very responsive and clear with his messaging and answered all the questions we had prior to the trip. He also arranged for our Gorilla Trekking permits. We flew into Kigali and our driver, Godfrey, met us at the airport and drove us into Uganda to our first lodge, Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge (which was absolutely amazing!). Godrey was so great and took good care of us while transporting us to our various treks and then back to Kigali. I have absolutely zero complaints and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Bamboo Ecotours to anyone interested in Gorilla Trekking!
US
Email Mike Bray | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best Uganda Tour Operator
We (family of 6 adults) used Bamboo Ecotours to book our 6 day adventure to Uganda. Every part of the trip went very smoothly. First the booking was a breeze. I had originally contacted 3 tour companies, but Edison was always the quickest to respond, had great itinerary ideas and hotel suggestions and had the lowest price. Our guide was Fred who picked us up in a new safari Jeep that comfortably fit all 6 of us. Fred was always very organized and was a great driver (because many of the roads were very rough). We did the moderate price lodges which were all beautiful and different. Several had swimming pools that made it relaxing at the end of the day to cool off and have a beer. I think my favorite was Rwakobo Rock. Beware there is a lot of driving on this itinerary, but you see so much too. The first day was mostly driving to Kabile National Park, but day two we trekked Chimps. The following day we saw lions, elephant and water buffalo at Queen Elizabeth NP. The next day was the big day to see a troop of 14 gorillas. The final two days were in Lake Mburo NP were we saw zebras, giraffes and were lucky enough to see two leopards hunting, also saw lots of hippo and crocs on the lake. I highly recommend this tour company. There isn't anything I would have changed about our trip.
FR
Email Simon C | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing trip and guide, we recommend !
We had a wonderful day 4 day experience with bamboo encounters doing gorilla trekking, visiting the Elisabeth national park and doing chimpanzee trekking.
We were accompanied by Fred who is a safe driver, good explainer and most importantly a wonderful person to share such a nice trip with.
The communication with Edison before and after the trip was great, very clear organization and quick answers to all kinds of questions?
We recommend Bamboo ecotours very much!
Fantastic organized local tour operator!
It was really easy to discuss the tour with Edison in advance. He always answered our questions quickly and very competently. In Uganda we were then picked up by Amanya. He guided us safely and competently through Uganda and was very accommodating. The trip through Uganda remains unforgettable! We can recommend a tour with Bamboo Ecotours to everyone!
QA
Email Milan | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very Responsive and Supportive in Customising Tour to Fit Schedule
Very reasonably priced compared to other tour operators, but I couldn't tell where there were any sacrifices made in the final product. The lodges/accommodation were nice (paid for budget option) and the tour guide Jackson was also friendly and informative, finding out what interested me the most and seeing if any additional stops/excursions could be made. There were no surprises, as Edison provided a full itinerary and even though I paid my card, did not charge me an extra 3% to 5% like other places in East Africa did to me. Highly recommended and would use them again in a heart beat if returning to the region.