Mambo Gorilla Safaris Uganda
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2008)
- Member Of:
- Uganda Tourism Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $1,000 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
Email Luke L | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not a better tour operator in Uganda! Dedin is loving, responsible, and tons of fun!
My wife and I spent our honeymoon on an 8-day safari with Mambo Gorilla Safaris. The experience did not disappoint in any way.
I have been to 50-something countries and all 7 continents, and never has my choice in tour operator had such a profound impact on my trip. Dedin and Mambo Safaris are the reason that our trip was so perfect.
My wife and I both fell in love with all of Uganda – the wildlife, the landscapes, the natural beauty, and especially the people. Of all these things, our experience with Dedin, his family, and his Mambo team is the thing we remember most.
Let me say this – Uganda is a beautiful and safe country. That said, who you choose to travel with is important. There are things that can come up and the best decision you can make is to travel with someone who is well-connected, responsible, and accountable. The first lodge that we stayed in had made some changes and we did not enjoy the experience. We mentioned this to Dedin and he immediately made some calls and had us in a new – much improved – lodge. He knows everyone in the national parks, in the lodges, and seemingly everywhere in the country. This allows for a more relaxed and interesting experience knowing that you’re in the hands of who I believe must be the best-connected man in Uganda.
Dedin also has a giving heart. Proceeds from Mambo Safaris go toward supporting his orphanage and school, Loving Hearts Uganda. We got to meet the kids in Dedin’s hometown which, by the way, is an absolutely gorgeous village overlooking the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen.
While in Queen Elizabeth, we got word that two local children had drowned while swimming. Their families were very poor and without search resources, and it was a very sad situation. Dedin went out of his way to go to the village and ask the family and villagers what he could do to help. He ended up giving the family some money and bringing them large bags of food to feed the search parties while they were looking for the children. Needless to say, Dedin is a good man.
Let’s talk about our trip. We started in Entebbe and Dedin picked us up at our hotel near the airport. We had a delicious lunch on our drive, and stopped to see Rhinos on our way to Murchison falls on the Nile. Murchison falls is beautiful, and I definitely recommend the river cruise to see the falls. We did a number of game drives in this area, and saw plenty of awesome African animals. We stayed at a lodge on the Nile, which was a wonderful experience. At sunset you could see crocodiles swimming across the river and hear and see hippos grazing at night.
From there, we went to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We stayed at a lodge called Kazinga, which was an absolute blast. The lodge is in the park, and we saw all sorts of wildlife right from our room. We had a great experience watching some Lions in the park, and saw plenty of elephants as well. We took a river cruise in this area as well, which was fantastic.
We had a great time on our Chimpanzee trek. The chimps were high in a fig tree for the first 30 minutes or so, and then they descended from the trees right in front of us. It was an incredible experience watching these animals move from to the trees and come down right in front of us.
From Queen Elizabeth, we drove to Lake Bunyonyi, where Dedin’s hotel is. It’s worth noting that there is a lot of driving from place to place in Uganda. Don’t worry though, as the whole country boasts such awesome and varied scenery that you never get bored looking out the window whole driving.
We stayed one night in a lodge called Chameleon Hill on Lake Mutanda. If you are able, this is a must-do. Lake Mutanda is gorgeous, and the drive there along the Virunga range is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever taken.
From there, we stayed at Dedin’s resort on Bunyonyi. We got to meet and spend time with Dedin’s family, who are absolutely lovely. While staying at Bunyonyi, we did the grand finale – a Gorrilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It was everything you think it would be. The trek in was beautiful. We stopped and picked some fruit from a tree for a snack along the way. The guides also provided some snacks along the way. We spent an hour with the gorillas. They’re beautiful, mysterious, and intelligent. Spending time in nature quietly watching these animals in their mountain habitat was an absolutely unforgettable experience.
We had a lot of highlights, but I will not have time to mention all of the small moments that we enjoyed so much. Stopping along the road for fresh jackfruit or pineapple. Trying Ugandan coffee. Learning about the country and its people from Dedin along the way. Trying Uganda’s many delicious foods (we actually never had a bad meal. Everything was absolutely delicious. Don’t forget to make a stop at a Pork Joint!). Visiting the equator. Stopping to walk with some Zebras along the road. The list goes on and on.
Uganda really us the pearl of Africa. It is an incredibly bountiful country, lush green and covered with beautiful plants and crops. The people are beautiful, and we never had anything but a positive interaction. The animals, obviously, are worth the trip by themselves.
I struggle to find anything negative to say about Uganda. The best thing, however, was meeting Dedin and his family. We stay in touch to this day, and my wife and I are already planning a trip back. We met a lot of other tour operators along the way, and never once did I wish that we were with someone else. Dedin made our honeymoon unforgettable in every way. He is now my friend and my brother, and I am eternally grateful that he shared his beautiful country and home with us for our honeymoon.
CH
Email Lino | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Didan is an easygoing guy that really cares that his guests have good time.
- The accomodations ranged from high-class lodges to medium-priced.
- Communication was always fast via Whatsapp.
- The price of the tour was a little cheaper than the ones offered by other operators.
- The tour was well-organized and everyone was really friendly.
Email Ayelén | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent !
We took a tour with Mambo Gorillas in June 2023. The trip was amazing, Didan organized everything and he allowed us discover beautiful places that were not in our original plan. Thank you for this inbelievable Trip ! We will come back
MY
Email Mark Lee | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Safe and responsible
I recently took a 11-day trip to Uganda from December 22nd to January 1st and was blown away by the experience. As an Asian, I had the wrong preconceptions about the African continent, but Uganda completely exceeded my expectations. I booked my trip with Mambo Gorilla Safari, and the owner, Didan and driver Moses, ensured my safety and well-being throughout the entire trip. I couldn't be more grateful. The safari experiences were outstanding, I had the opportunity to spot various animals such as Giraffes, Lions, Leopards, Hippos, Uganda Kobs, and more. I highly recommend the Gorilla and Golden Monkey trekking in the mountains. Didan even went above and beyond by inviting me to celebrate New Year's Eve with his friends, who were all incredibly friendly. If you can afford it, I suggest opting for medium or higher range accommodation instead of budget options, for greater comfortability. Overall, it was an amazing trip that I'll never forget.
DE
Email Marie-Louis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing 4-day trip in Uganda/Rwanda with Mambo Gorilla Safaris
I did a 4-day trip with “Mambo Gorilla Safaris Uganda” in October 2022 including Kigali Genocide Memorial, Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Golden Monkey Trekking in Volcanoes National Park, Chimpanzee Trekking, boat safari, and forest walk in Queen Elizabeth National Park. My main tour guide/driver was Didan (Hirary picked me up from the airport in Kigali). My experience was amazing with many unforgettable highlights (e.g., encounters with gorillas and chimpanzees). I enjoyed every minute! Both guides but especially Didan, who I spent most of the time with, were welcoming, well-organized and punctual, very flexible and open-minded, and extremely friendly. Everything went smoothly and Didan adapted the itinerary so that it best matched my individual interests and wishes (e.g., additional stops at viewpoints, activities in addition to the original schedule such as a forest walk, rich cultural/local insights). Didan was a very reliable guide (great communication, drove safely, provided me with necessary information prior to any activity) and also frequently asked for my feedback/opinion which I highly appreciated. He definitely made this tour special. I can highly recommend Mambo Gorilla Safaris for your trip to Uganda!!! Thank you so much :).
Email Aaron | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mambo Gorilla Safaris ran every aspect of the trip perfectly.
Didan at Mambo Gorilla Safaris is the best! He took me around Lake Bunyonyi and showed me all the cool sites. The gorilla trek itself was one of the most majestic experiences of my life. Worth every penny!
CH
Email Estefania | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful authentic Ugandan experience - Best trip ever!
I am beyond grateful for the experiences we had with Mambo Gorilla Safaris. They gave us the most authentic experience of Uganda! It was without a doubt the best trip of our lives yet! The safari experience and gorilla tracking were a dream. We saw elephants, lions, water buffalos, zebras, giraffes, hippos… and many more animals. The experience of walking in the jungle tracking gorillas was epic! I never thought I could feel so comfortable next to huge gorillas. These animals are so peaceful and passive. But theses experiences were small in comparison to getting to know the children at Loving Hearts School. That was for sure a major highlight of our trip. It is inspiring to see people like Didan making the difference in these children’s lives. He is the owner of the resort and also the Loving Hearts School. It makes me happy to know that part of what we payed for our trip, a really fair price by the way, went to those children at that school.
The resort views right in front of Lake Bunyonyi are incredible! And the service there is really great too. We really enjoyed getting to know Sam and the other employees. They all try to make you feel very special and comfortable.
What made the trip even better was to have a guide like Paul Turyagumanawe. His knowledge, positive attitude towards life and hard work made us want to be a better person. If you come to Uganda, you need to make sure you choose Paul as your guide! He went out of his way just to show us the most beautiful views or to get us to try tasty and safe street food! His driving skills are impressive in those, sometimes, dusty and bumpy roads. We felt safe all the time with him. We had such an amazing and fun time and we are grateful to know that we have a long-life friend in Uganda now.
If you want an authentic, unique and unforgettable experience in Uganda, Mambo Gorilla Safaris did an amazing job doing that!
CH
Email David | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime - An absolutely wonderful experience!
Our trip with Mambo Gorilla Safaris was undoubtedly the most unforgettable and unique trip we have ever experienced. The reason we chose to book with Didan and Mambo Gorilla Safaris is because we wanted to see Uganda as it’s meant to be appreciated; in all its authenticity with its lush beauty, terraced hills, fertile plantations, untouched wildlife, and vibrant people. Our trip was 8-days and began from Kigali in Rwanda. During our trip we saw beautiful Lake Bunyonyi and the incredible children at Loving Hearts Uganda, explored the vastness of Queen Elizabeth National Park and its tree climbing lions, stayed in luxury tents at Kazinga Wilderness Safari Camp with hippos and hyenas roaming freely throughout the night, floated the Kazinga Channel with crocodiles and elephants, stayed in the beautiful Leopard Camp at Lake Mburo National Park where we saw zebras and giraffes in a golden sunrise, and finally concluded the trip with an epic hike in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to see Uganda’s oldest family of mountain gorillas, the Nkuringo family. We were so grateful to see so many incredible sights throughout the trip but what impressed us the most were the people. Our guide, Paul Turyagumanawe, will be a lifelong friend. His effort, attitude, and knowledge throughout the week impressed us tremendously and we had so much fun roaming throughout Uganda with him. We felt 100% safe in his hands throughout the entire trip and he did an incredible job of making sure we had the best possible experience. The little things like buying us bananas or unfamiliar fruit from the street to taking us to see places off the beaten path really made us feel special. We felt like he went the extra mile at all times and we’re grateful we can now call him a friend.
What Didan is doing with Mambo Gorilla Safaris, the Bunyonyi View Resort, and especially Loving Hearts Uganda is changing peoples lives. We were so pleased to hear that 30% of our very reasonable tour fees were going to help the ~130 children at Loving Hearts Uganda. If you have the chance to visit them, it’s an absolute MUST. The highlight of our trip was spending time with them singing, dancing and seeing their smiling and loving faces. They have so much love to give and only ask for your kindness in return.
There is a tremendous amount to learn and to experience while in Uganda and we’re so grateful Didan prepared such a wonderful itinerary and Paul executed it to perfection. If you want a customizable, affordable, unique and unforgettable safari experience, this is the right company to choose.
BE
Email Mathieu Goedefroy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I had a great time!
I had a great time staying with Charity and Didan. These big hearted people go out of their way to make sure your stay is the best.
My time with the mountain gorillas of Bwindi was unforgettable.
Email Colin | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing people, very professional
I worked with Mambo Gorilla Safari Uganda to plan gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and they were nothing short of amazing. Communication was fast to answer any questions and the information provided was plentiful. The entire experience at their accommodation at Lake Bunyonyi was great and their entire staff is fantastic and super friendly. I highly recommend working with this company to have an amazing experience while in Uganda.