Umubano Tours
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Member Of:
- RTTA, PURE TRAVEL & EAC VISION
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $70 to $957 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Outstanding service: friendly, honest, thorough, efficient and with plenty of initiative
In January 2015 I toured solo Rwanda and South Western Uganda on my bicycle. The opportunity to travel came unexpectedly so I was forced to quickly put together the trip’s itinerary over a few evenings. I knew little about the area and was worried about getting a gorilla permit with such short notice during the high season. Therefore, I drafted a mail with a long list of questions which I sent to over 25 local and international tour operators. I received lots of replies, with most limiting themselves to put pressure on me to book services without addressing my queries. Only one reply clearly stood out over all the others, including some prestigious American and European-run operations: Umbano Tours. The mail Herbet Gato sent me was perfect: it was concise, knowledgeable, accurate and friendly. There was no pressure to sell services; it just explained how they could help and brought to my attention issues related to my plan that I was overlooking due to my inexperience in the region. He also put himself at my disposal to discuss my plans over the phone/Skype, even if it meant for him working late in the evenings and over the weekend. What impressed me the most is that I was obviously a ‘bad customer’ for a tour operator because I was travelling self-sufficiently with my bicycle. Umbano did not make juicy commissions from fancy hotels nor enjoyed high margins from all-inclusive fancy tours out of me. I was treated like VIP even though I booked cheap budget hostels and only wanted a gorilla permit (without guide/tour/transportation). In summary, they were friendly, honest, thorough, efficient and displayed initiative. I ended up requesting tailor-made services like car collections for myself+bike from remote non-touristic locations which were carried out with Swiss-style precision and reliability. Herbet also arranged a custom tour to the Nyiragongo Crater in Congo which took care of visa, transportation and bicycle storage. This was also perfectly organised plus I could see my safety was taken very seriously. In Congo I met other travellers who had booked similar tours with other agencies at much higher prices, thus demonstrating that Umbano offers excellent value-for-money in addition to outstanding customer service. I cannot recommend enough Umbano tours and Herbert’s assistance. To make things even better, you will also have the satisfaction of dealing with a 100% African company and thus helping the local economy. Umbano: a no brainer win-win.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic tour operator and extremely helpful/informative
Myself and my wife travelled with Umubano Tours in March 2015 and we have nothing but good things to say about the company or their staff.
All enquiries before the trip were made with Herbert, who answered all questions (big or small) and also was also willing to answer questions which were not about the tour.
Herbert was willing to structure our tour around what we wanted to do and there were no pressures to stay to a standard/ready-made tour, although there were some example itineraries and Herbert's assistance to guide us. A variety of hotels/lodges were also offered subject to our budget.
Once all aspects had been agreed, a full detailed itinerary was provided along with some additional useful information about the country itself.
On arrival we were met by Bosco who was to be our guide for the next five days. From beginning to end Bosco was a great guide, being informative and helpful throughout our stay - he would also always make sure that we were well fed!
In addition to the information about the area/gorillas, Bosco was also kind enough to share his personal experiences as well, including those of the Genocide, gorillas and his (many) children.
Wherever we went with Bosco we always felt safe and welcomed - especially as Bosco seemed to know everyone!
If anyone is considering using Umubano Tours I would have no hesitation in recommending them as highly as possible.
Thanks again for the memories!
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect day-trips to both Akagera and the gorillas park
We did two day-trips with Umubano tours from Kigali to the Akagera Park and the gorillas park.
Both experiences were amazing.
Our first driver, Didier, was particularly nice and friendly, we had a very nice day with him.
Enjoy Umubano tours!
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent stress-free trip of a lifetime!
We recently returned from an 18-day tour around Rwanda expertly arranged by Herbert of Umubano Tours & recommend him highly! After emailing Herbert with everything we wanted to do, (based on tours posted on his website), he promptly emailed a customized itinerary at a very reasonable price. From the time our guide, Bosco, picked us up at the airport with a beaming smile, until he returned us after the best trip we could have imagined, every day was a new adventure filled with laughter, wonder & many jaw-dropping moments! Bosco was excellent in ensuring we were well taken care of & translating with the locals. From visiting 3 gorilla families, (each a totally different & humbling experience); all the various monkey species going about their business, (tons of fun); seeing hippos cooling off in the water close up, (awesome!); startling a bull elephant about to cross the road with his family, (causing him to trumpet & flap his ears in warning - OMG - heart-stopping!!); having the "angry" elephant saunter along behind us picking off leaves from treetops - (poor guy's full of bullets & has the reputation of getting cranky on a moment's notice!); to dancing with natives at a former poachers' village; to staying in Dianne Fossey's room; to boating to an island to see a massive bat colony, this trip exceeded our expectations! If adventure is your thing, you must go to Rwanda! Although visiting the "gentle-giant" gorillas are a must - (please hire a couple of porters. They need this income to buy food for their families & not poach. Also, after carefully hauling me up & down the mountains which I could never have done without them, they certainly earned generous tips & were so grateful. Rwandans are the sweetest people. It's a fabulous learning experience watching the locals go about their daily lives, (walking miles up & down huge hills with goods to sell on their heads); watching roads being built by pick & ax; having fresh milk & eggs for breakfast each morning, (from the hens & cows out back); going to a local market; waving to the adorable children who grin & wave back, to enjoying driving around the beautiful countryside. It's like going back in time 100 years. But our vehicle was new & comfy & Bosco went above & beyond to ensure we were having a great time, which we always were. We 100% recommend Herbert of Umubano Tours, with Bosco as your reliable guide who will take great care of you! You will have an unforgetable, stress-free trip of a lifetime & help support these wonderful Rwanda people!
Amazing Gorilla Trek!!
Umubano provided us with unbelievable service before, during and after our gorilla trek. They gave us a fair price and treated us with the utmost professionalism throughout. In addition, we also established an enduring friendship with Herbert, an incredible individual.
Fantastic Experience with Umubano Tours!
My husband and I spent 4 nights in Rwanda with one day in Kigali and two days of Gorilla trekking. We booked our whole tour through Umubano and cannot recommend them enough - they were fantastic! Herbert was very professional and responsive to our emails. We were met at the airport by our guide, Didier who was wonderful. He gave us a lot of insight into the people of Rwanda and its history. The vehicle was impeccably clean and well maintained. Everything was delivered exactly as we had agreed and according to the itinerary. Would absolutely recommend Umubano tours!
DE
Email Geigia | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Trek Rwanda with Umubano Tours - go for it!
Great experience. At very short notice (14 days before) we decided to include a gorilla trek within our activities in Rwanda. Very easy communication with Herbert from home and great organisation at Musanze. Information, transport, payment - everything clear and reliable! The trek itself was gorgeous - still shivvering when thinking at first encounter with the Susa Group! I do recommend Umubano Tours!
US
Email William H. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very Professional, knowledgble and Flexible!
Umubano Tours were very professional, attentive and flexible. While I only had a 3-day tour, Umubano Tours offers dozens of different tours around Rwanda as well as into the Democratic Republic of Congo that allows for a night stay near the top of an active volcano that I wish I had extra time for. I organized my trip through Gilbert who has been with Umubano Tours for around eight years and organized a flawless visit. My guide was Didier who has been with for over four years and was very knowledgeable and open as I would ask questions not only about Rwanda’s recent history, but about the type of food, agriculture, and local traditions. Didier was also very flexible as I had other requests which he was all too happy to arrange at no extra charge. Also, Didier was very accommodating when I would ask to stop frequently to take pictures.
The city tour is very basic and probably could be avoided, but a visit to the Genocide Museum is a must and free of charge.
Visiting the Mountain Gorillas. There is a $700 permit fee and a one-day visit is probably good enough, but you have come this far and I would recommend another day as you will not only be able to compare the different gorilla families, but guarantee you will take the perfect photo/video that you may have missed the day before!
Unless you can guarantee that it will not rain when hiking, here is a list that you should bring: Waterproof Boots, Gators, Higher quality/thicker hiking pants (stinging nettles everywhere!), and gloves. There are multiple options to see the various gorilla families and each brings its own experience. Personally, I enjoyed the Susa group the most as, not only was it the largest family, but with more adult males – there was plenty of aggressive play that really made the experience worthwhile. Depending upon the shape you are in may greatly effect which family/hike you can visit. Some are affected by the altitude (around 8000 feet high) and tire much easier. Otherwise, the hikes themselves range in distance and difficulty – but even the longest hike may only be 2-3 hours uphill one way. The drive to each Gorilla family trailhead may also require a 1-2 hour drive. Porters are also available to help bring your backpack if you prefer.
Part of the fun is that the Gorillas are very active and do move frequently - so just when your guide says you are close – the gorillas have moved even further up the mountain. Additionally, the guides carry machetes and will constantly be clearing a new path throughout the hike. Once you find the family, there is a limit of one hour – but surprisingly it does not go as quick as you would think
The guides are very professional and will all but guarantee you will get close enough for an experience you would not forget!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Umubano is the best!
Gato Herbert and his men will be the perfect interpreters and guides for you in Rwanda. Gato has all the qualifications- he speaks several languages, seems to know everyone in the travel industry, and is passionate about his home country. Rwanda is safe, clean, and malaria isn't a big problem there. The UT staff's national pride is infectious- they simply love the villagers and the crops they raise and love going off the beaten path. Ask about the twin lakes banana beer/ basket weaving!
Everyone sees the gorillas- and that's fine- but if you want to spend some time really seeing how Rwandans live then hire Umubano Tours and spend a few more days in Rwanda!
Email Iain and Plum | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda
We organised a 4 day tour to visit the golden monkeys, gorillas and a tour around Kigali. Herbert was extremely efficient in replying to our emails when booking our trip and we had no problems.
Upon arrival, we were picked up by our guide, Didier who drove us to Musanze for the monkey and gorilla treks. The treks were absolutely fantastic. Didier was a brilliant guide, very attentive, welcoming and extremely knowledgeable about his country. What we particularly enjoyed was hearing and seeing the true Rwanda and not just the touristy parts. Definitely feel like we've made good friends.
I have no hesitation in recommending Umubano tours. They were the cheapest we could find for the gorilla trekking (everywhere is expensive) but the experience we had was excellent.