Typical Ugandan operator by Richard Tusasibwe
Gatatu Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2011)
- Tour Types:
- Budget & mid-range tours with set start dates and a fixed itinerary
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $65 to $710 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Sarah C | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gatatu: gold star service
A tailor-made day trip to Lake Mburo in Nov '16 proved highly enjoyable - as always with Gatatu. Excellent planning + communication. We set off early from Kabale and reached Mbarara for breakfast at a well-chosen motel. The combination of local knowledge and intercultural skills guaranteed real insights into not just the flora + fauna of a lesser-known national park (beautiful landscape), but also into the Bugandan heritage. I just loved the Ankole cattle! This was my fifth trip with Gatatu and I took the best photographs to date. The zebras, especially, were stunning but I also got fab shots of Ugandan cranes for the first time. A 64 year old widow, I travel the world independently, but return again and again to Uganda because the experience is so authentic, moving and humbling.
PT
Email Joao Leonardo | 35-50 years of age
Perfect tour, great organization. Recommened!! 5 star company*****
We enjoyed very much our 6 day safari with Gatatu Safaris.
All was taken care off and we felt very welcome in Uganda.
Our guide/driver was a very nice, clam, and experienced person that took us to everywhere we agreed, we could see all we expected to see, and Richard is doing a great work helping kids from the region with his school.
Was a great experience in the last day to visit the school and be with the kids.
If we planning to do a safari i recommend Gatatu Safari.
Thank you Richard and Deo.
IN
Email Dhruv | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent time with Gatatu
Richard was great through the booking process. Steven, our driver/guide was excellent. He was accommodating to all our requests and showed us a really good time. Overall a very good experience. Id recommend using Gatatu and supporting local safari tour operators.
DE
Email Thieu-Duy Thai | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Gorilla Tracking Experience with having very flexible and helpful Tour Guides
After having some incidents with the booking agency, the tour operator intensively supported me in finding a solution and making the gorilla tracking tour take place.
The moutain gorilla tour has definitely been the absolute highlight of my two weeks tour in East Africa. In Uganda, I have met the friendliest people ever giving me a very warm welcome to their country Uganda.
Regarding the tour itself everything was very well organized and managed. If you are coming to meet a gorilla, look into his face you really see how they express their feelings and the moment you look into their eyes you become clear that the gorillas are very similar to us.
Knowing that they are an endangered species and there are only a few spots left where they still exist results in the fact that it is a MUST to visit those unique creatures.
I would like to thank Gatatu Safaris for making this experience possible and would highly recommend them at any time.
US
Email Greg | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Great trek to Lake Bunyonyi
We really enjoyed a combination trekking (hiking) and canoeing on beautiful lake Bunyonyi. The views as you hike up the surrounding hills are amazing! Our guide was very good and gave us lots of information and local people, history and customs. The meal at the end of the day was very good too.
Email Susan White | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic experience with Gatatu
We went on an 8 day safari with Gatatu in November and have been left with wonderful memories. We were extremely well looked after by Jasper our guide who managed all aspects of our trip well and was very knowledgable about all the wildlife we encountered. The days spent on the chimpanzee habituation and gorilla trek were amazing and surpassed expectations. Also the option of visiting the school Richard supports is recommended - you will be treated like a visiting celebrity. The accommodations and meals are of a high standard. I can definitely recommend Gatatu Safaris.
US
Email Kacie McFarland | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Want a once in a lifetime trip that also helps a local primary school? Book Gatatu today!
We decided to go see the gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda for our honeymoon, best decision ever! My husband searched online ad nauseam for the best deals and we were so lucky/thankful we stumbled across Gatatu tours! The owner, Richard, was such a pleasure to work with. He always replied to the endless questions we had and really helped us personalize our trip. Per our request, we even got to meet the kids he helps support. We loved the questions the kiddos had for us and were very impressed with all the plans Richard has for the school (his passion and dedication to these kids is truly inspiring!). As for the main attraction, I can't talk up seeing the gorillas enough! It was such a humbling and amazing experience. I was thrilled to learn how gorilla tourism is not only helping the gorilla population slowly bounce back but the Rwandan & Ugandan governments are also giving portions of the money made from gorilla tourism back to local communities through infrastructure. So if you want to fill your half empty cup, help out the gorillas and local communities including Richard's primary school, warm your heart with a once in a lifetime experience PLUS take some unbelievable photos, then Gatatu safaris is the best option for you! As previous people have commented, they require a wire transfer to book the trip (this is not uncommon, we did the same for a prior trip to Tanzania). Richard is 100% trustworthy and I would be more than willing to answer any questions you may have about the process (or share some of my favorite gorilla pics with you!). Feel free to email me. Bottom line, my advice is to book Gatatu today and then prepare yourself for an unforgettable trip!!! Thanks again Gatatu Safari and keep up the amazing work!
US
Email Thomas Mell | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing Luxurious Primate Experience
Gatatu Safari is a Ugandan based locally ran tour company. The communication with the owner (Richard) is phenomenal. Richard will answer all your questions and change anything and everything you like. He will work with you on customizing everything of preference from activities to lodging upgrades (tents, deluxe rooms, lodges, etc.) He answers most e-mails the same day. Also, the prices they offer can not be beat. We stayed in luxury lodges and Gatatu was the only company that offered them in our price range. The best part about the company is that the owner (Richard) has a degree in social work and he started a school to help children. He uses a portion of the profits from his company to help fund the school and support the children. So, you can feel really good about supporting this tour company as the money does not feed into some euro-based big business. This is also why I believe you will find the best prices here. Note that since the company is not a Euro-business, they do not accept credit card at this time. Payments are made via wire transfer, if this worries you please feel free to contact me or Gatatu can put you in contact with my facebook to confirm your money is safe (and also check out some tour photos)! Working with Gatatu was very professional. They picked us up where we requested right on time and we were dropped off to our exiting destination promptly. Vehicle, safari guide/driver, and bookings were all as promised. All-in-all we were very happy with our tour. We have many recommendations if needed about activities and lodges. I would say your best bet for Primates is through Gatatu as many other companies have a significant mark-up. Gatatu will make sure you get the most for your money.
Email Kat | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Brilliant experience, lovely staff, all perfect - please book with them too!
Had a lovely driver called Dao - very kind guy, excellent driver for our safari trips! All accommodation was as expected for a budget tour; very clean, good food, friendly staff. A stay at Entisi in Lake Bunyonyi is a must!! The tour was expertly organised with one activity after another - never a dull moment! Well worth every penny as this tour company is small with a friendly approach. We were very well looked after and free for stops anytime during the long journeys - a major advantage of private travel versus pupils matatus! Please book with Gatatu Safaris, you will have an excellent trip!
Email Immy | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible experience with Gatatu Safaris
We had an absolutely brilliant week-long safari with Gatatu Safaris. They tailored the trip to our wishes and offered a very competitive price. Our guide, Dao, was one of the friendliest and most accommodating people we met. He went out of his way to make sure my friend and I had a brilliant experience.
The safari was all-inclusive and we went for the budget option. This did not mean, however, that Gatatu were tight with the services they provided. We ate at a number of very nice hotels and stayed in a stunning guest lodge for our last three nights. I can't imagine the treatment you would get if you went for the luxury option!
The whole tour ran extremely smoothly and we were never left waiting. It was a jam-packed tour with two game drives, gorilla trekking, chimp trekking, a boat trip and a canoe trip. We really did get value for our money and felt we did and saw so much in the week we were with Gatatu Safaris.
I highly recommend Gatatu Safaris for a memorable, personal experience in Uganda and Rwanda.
Thank you to Dao and Richard for a truly memorable experience.