Sales Director, Chigo Tours Africa
Chigo Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2014)
- Member Of:
- Association of Uganda Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $650 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email lrchere | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Educational, Memorable and Fun
Memorable Hour with Gorillas
A friend and I went to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in May 2016 to see the Mountain Gorillas via Kampala where we work. Our trip was planned with great detail and our local guide Martin Ngabirano met with us a few days before our trip to see if we had any additional questions about the trekking. Martin, is very personable, extremely knowledgable about the culture, environment and an excellent birder. Our three day trip started early in the morning from Kampala with a mid day stop at the Equator for a bite to eat and a few pictures. The drive is approximately 10 hours through hilly and mountainous geographical areas of Western Uganda. That evening we stayed at the Rushaga Gorilla Camp which I would highly recommend for trekkers. The staff was helpful and the scenery from the lodge is beautiful.
On the second morning we left for the Rushaga Gate for gorilla orientation and to meet the ranger, trekkers, guide and porters. Do hire a porter to carry your backpack, camera bag, and help you through some physically demanding areas and you are helping the local people. The time it takes to trek the gorillas can vary from a half an hour to 6+ hours. Our guide told us that we would be following the Bweza Gorilla Group. We hiked for approximately an hour and a half before we saw our first subadult. We were instructed to keep our distance to 7 meters but on occasions it can be closer due to the where the animals are feeding next to the trail. Visitors to the forest are allowed 1 hour to observe the gorillas and may take photos, and videos at this time. No flash is allowed. We saw 8 of the family members, feeding, and climbing trees. To spend this hour with these astonishing beautiful animals and the very skilled rangers, and guides was a life time experience. After the gorilla trekking we left the Rushaga gate and drove two hours to visit the Ruhija community Orphanage just outside the Ruhija gate in Bwindi. This orphanage is run by remarkable lady, Happy and the children are taught by a dedicated staff. Ruhija Little Angels Orphanage and Primary School is found on Facebook. We spent the night in the Ruhija community at the Trekkers Tervan which is comfortable.
The third morning after breakfast we headed back to Kampala and and on our way we saw Blue Monkeys, numerous birds and gorgeous scenery.
The gorilla permit is now $600 except during the rainy season months which are April, May and November when the permit is $450.00 When you go gorilla tracking, you are not just supporting the protection of the gorillas as well as the surrounding communities, but also helping to preserve the entire Uganda National Park System.
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Email Michel | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
My experience with Chigo Tours been my first with such an organization was excellent.
The communication to set the stage for the trip was smooth. I was able to get a very good idea of the main purpose of the trip and the do and don't once in the forest with the primates. There was no surprise except for the fact I was lucky enough to find a gorilla family within 40 minutes of the trek. The Company's staff I came inyo contact with is very knowledgeable of his trade, very courteous with superb driving skill. Good job team Chigo Tours.
Email Francis Kwebiiha | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent service
Martin is a good guide who treats his clients with respect. We were given different options based on our budget. The guides are also very knowledgeable about the places and people so you get to relax knowing you are in good hands.
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Email Elizabeth | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing introduction to Uganda!
Chigo Tours and Martin Ngabirano were absolutely fantastic! I've lived and worked in Namibia and travelled in several African countries, and I can definitely say that Martin is unique among guides. The communication about my itinerary during the planning process was prompt and clear. He was able to accommodate all of my requests, and even a last minutes schedule change due to a missed flight!
Martin is a safe and knowledgable driver. The vehicle I was in has definitely been around Uganda several times, but Martin keeps it in perfect running order! It was comfortable, and had a great "pop top" for animal viewing.
The highlight is definitely getting access to all that Martin knows about Uganda and the amazing wildlife here. It is so exciting and awe-inspiring to see these animals in their natural habitats -- and that excitement is doubled when you get to share it with Martin! We saw all of the "usual" animals, elephant, hippo, water buck, Uganda kop...and also a leopard and many many exquisite birds!
Overall, the whole trip was a true delight. Thank you!!
Excellent tailor-made wildlife tour of Uganda
In February, my girlfriend and I embarked on a 12-day tour through southwestern Uganda, with a focus on forest wildlife. In coordination with Diane, we organized a tailor-made trip which followed our particular interest. Savannah wildlife, which, while very interesting, can be found in many other places in Africa, but the primate and birdlife in Uganda is very unique. Our driver/guide was Martin, a very intelligent, eager and friendly man with excellent English skills. He drove very safely and provided us with loads of interesting information about the culture, history and politics of Uganda and elsewhere in the region. He also carried identification books so we could look up animals we had seen. At all times, he was extremely enthusiastic to share his country with us and make our trip comfortable and enjoyable. At each stop, we had a local guide whose knowledge and ability to spot wildlife was superb and Martin was able to add some of his own knowledge and stories during our walks.
We visited Kibale NP where we experienced the chimpanzee habituation. Able to spend an entire day with this amazing creature, this activity is strongly recommended. We also visited Bigodi Swamp – where we saw tons of colorful birds; Semuliki – less impressive secondary forest, but still full of birdlife; Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth NP – one of the greatest concentrations of large animals we have ever seen; Kalinzu NP – another area of great chimpanzee encounters, but without the crowds, where we were lucky enough to see baby chimps with their mothers and witness a chimpanzee hunt; Bwindi Impenatrable NP – home of Uganda’s famous mountain gorillas, which is a must-see; Mgahinga NP – home of the extraordinarily rare golden monkeys, a cute and approachable primate; and finally Lake Bunyoni – a relaxing lake surrounded by farmland and a fair share of fascinating birdlife.
With little information about Chigo Tours circulating on the internet, we were understandably worried about how the trip might go, but because of the very competitive price and the great communication from Diane in the office, we decided to go for it. And we are pleased to declare that we had a fabulous tour which exceeded our very high expectations and we would certainly recommend Chigo Tours to our friends.
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Email Elizabeth | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
I highly recommend Chigo Tours!
This company is on point. Diane is organized and has great communication skills. My friend and I did safari trekking with the tour guide Martin. He knows everything about Uganda and loves his job! I highly recommend Chigo Tours!
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Email Jana | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good experience
Trip was very well organised, i had nothing to worry about. Hotels were of good quality, driver on time, and all for a fair budget price. I definitely recommend Chigo Tours.
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Email Irina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great experience!
Wonderful trip to Gorilla Trecking and Lake Bunyoni with Chigo tours. They were always punctual, provided information prior to all excursions, and answered all of our questions. Loved stopping during the rides for photo ops and driving with the roof up in the open ugandan air! Highly recommend :)
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Email Joco | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
GORILLA TREKKING Uganda
We arrived at Bwindi National Park by clean open roof minibus driven by handsome and careful driver Mr. Martin. During the arrival, we were able to take pictures of the fantastic landscape of Uganda. We stay in a lovely and pristine lodge. Guides and porters were fluent in English and knowledgable about area and gorilla life. They cared very much about our safety in the challenging environment. It was one of my the best tracking ever.
Awesome experience on the safari
This was a first and certainly not the last. John was amazing taking us down the dirt paths and with his hawk eyes spotting everything that seemed to move. He even tracked down lions which are always a rarity to spot. Meals and accommodations were excellent and well timed in the process. We even went to a salt mine in our travels. It was 2 days crammed with so much to see and learn from our guide.