Field photo setting off for rhino tracking
Karumuna Safaris
- Located In:
-
Australia
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- Uganda Tourism Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $70 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
AE
Email Megan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great Experience
I went for UWEC & botanical garden tour, it was a day well spent the tour was very interesting and informative, plus karumuna safaris offered very genuine hospitality. Keep up the good work Nick & Richard.
US
Email Derrick Bulls | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great personalized serviceeven came to meet me to sign disclosure agreements
Surprisingly, we had a personal guide. We upgrade our accom at a minor upchsrge. The time spent with them was phenomenal. I'd highly recommend using them.
Only criticism is that when we where on the way to Murchison falls we where on what I considered to be a public transport.
Other than that extraordinary. Do it.
SE
Email Ebba and Filippa | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great excperience
We hade a great experience with Karumuna safaris. The trip lasted for 7 days, starting in Kampala. Everything was very well organized. We payed everything in advanced and certainly got what we payed for when we arrived. Our guide was very friendly and made us feel safe the whole journey. He drove us everywhere and attended in all of the activities. We can really recommend Karumuna Safaris.
SE
Email Petra | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great experience for a good price!
Great experience, especially considering the price. Crew were really helpful and they were very concerned about our well being. Would recommend!
CH
Email Mike | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent Tour through Kibale, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi
Richard and his team delivered what they promised. Excellent communication, no problem with permits and dates and hotel suggestions were good. We've done other safaris in Africa and this one was definitely well organized, informative and great fun. Uganda is definitely worth visiting and Richard's team are a great choice for guides, coordination etc.
LV
Email Uldis Maurins ; Anda Maurina | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Our quide and manager were excellent
The program and the service were very good. Just sleeping in the tent was difficult during the trekking.
LV
Email sigits | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice time and company to feel Uganda
Karumuna Safaris is young, growing company. Richard and his team are very open and prosessional. I think they have great perspectives, ambitions and future! Lets help them! But we will get great service and nonforgetable moments in the nature and between nice local people.
LV
Email Maris | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Nice wildlife adventure in Africa
Last September with Karumuna Safari we have wonderful week in Uganda. This was my first trip to Africa and expectations was fulfilled completely. First, although not traveling together earlier the group was surprisingly very solid and, second, our local guides from Karumuna Safaris (led by Richard Kesembo) who organized this trip were very good. In 9 days, I can say we saw a lot and have no objections that Winston Churchill named Uganda as the Pearl of Africa early last century. Staring from Mabamba swamp on Victoria lake, after crossing equator, visiting Kidepo Valley and Murchison Falls National Parks as well as managing boat tour by Victoria Nile to Murchison Falls and finally - a Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. What more you can expect from so short visit to Uganda? It was a real nature adventure I was dreaming from childhood when was reading books about savanna wildlife. We saw lots of animals, including 4 of the big Five-excluding lions although Karamuna guys even additionally perform a night game trip in Murchison Falls National Park. But probably it was not our day this time. So, something should be left for next time.
What surprised me, was a nice and welcoming people in Uganda. Believe me. I have been in very many remote places and in very many countries (so far only in Northern hemisphere), but here I feel very comfortable and relaxed in contacting people. By the way, in Kidepo was also possibility to see the “untouched” or real Africa where tourists are very seldom. This was something what is difficult to imagine here in Europe and I was amazed that people can live in such harmony with nature without services that are in our everyday life.
During travel in most remote site - Kidepo, extraordinary accident happens. It is hardly to imagine how we could get out from situation, but the guys helped very much to sort it out, make necessary local arrangements, adjust the travel schedule and even assisted it after we already return back at home.
Finally, if you asked me about the travel how it was organized, I would say “very good”. But if you asked me about if something goes wrong during travel (like our group experienced and can happens with you anywhere in the world), when in such situations I should say – “perfect”. This company can manage everything in drastic or critical situation where travelers could be confused, helpless and could not see the way out. I am fully trusting these guys and if I will decide to come back to Uganda next time, only the Karumuna Safaris will be my choice. Thanks a lot for the nice time!
So, if you are planning to go on safari in Uganda, do recommend you Karumuna Safaris as they are excellent nature guides, and can assist you to solve any problem or your wish.
CH
Email Carola | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It was a amazing, varied time wirh a very good symatic driver Richard.
We got really spontain organized a perfect tour around the mount elgon. Our guide heard about our wishes what to do and to see and everithing was great with various guides. The locations and the food were very good. And we felt very safe during our travel with the van. Thanks again!
BE
Email Manuel Silva | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They need to improve certain areas
I did a 7 day tour with Karumuna Safaris as solo traveller. The good points:
- The cost was much lower compared to other agencies... But be aware that you get what you pay for. They delivered, but the accommodation was quite basic most of the times, and the guide and driver quite young and unexperienced
- They managed to organize everything in a very short notice. Richard went the extra mile to make sure I did not miss a thing, even though a lot of the attractions were fully booked. I missed the chimps during the chimpanzee tracking, but it's not their fault
- Flexibility with payment methods
The bad points:
- Henry, the guide, was quite unexperienced and he lacks customer service skills. There was a constant lack of communication, he was late (90min late on one ocassion) and disaorganized quite often (not even aware of the plan for next day). I communicated with him to find a solution together and he simply did not care and became even more aloof. He even got quite arrogant, i.e. I asked him why we were stopping so often when actually we were late to reach our destination, and he said "all the stops are strictly necessary". Truth is, some of the stops were for them to buy food for their families... Should not be a problem if you communicate it in a different way.
- Driving issues: we were driving quite fast in many occasions, to the point that we run once into a bumper without braking off and I literally went flying towards the front. They were stopped by the police and got a fine (not sure why) and also the van had mechanical issues which forced us to stop to get it repaired
- Trying to save money on silly things: for example, refusing to use the A/C in the car when it was quite hot and opening windows instead (so you are breathing fumes be getting dust inside) saying that the airco consumes too much petrol, or stopping to get bananas as a snack and asking you to pay 1000 ugx out of total cost of 2000, when 7 out of the 10 bananas were eaten by the guide and the driver
I personally found the experience a bit unfortunate, because with little effort it could have been much better... But I got the impression that they did not care anymore at some point (I haven't heard again from anyone in the agency, even though I'm still around in Kampala). The trip was quite ok but those small things sometimes can make a big difference... You might think I may sound picky, but I have worked and travelled in many countries in Africa, so my standards are quite low compared to the classic Western tourist. To summarize, go for them if you are in a very low budget but if you can pay more, I recommend you look for other options