A fraction of our Team.
Big Apes Africa
- Located In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Member Of:
- USAGA, UTB & UWA
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $80 to $1,020 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
IT
Email Omar | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Trained guides, organizational flexibility and knowledge of the area
A wonderful journey to discover the country's largest parks. Big Apes offers a wide range of dates and allows you to tailor the itinerary to your travel needs. Over 11 days, we explored the eastern part of the country, discovering ever-changing habitats and landscapes, spotting hundreds of animals, including all the Big Five (yes, even the leopard, we were lucky!). Don't miss the Chimpanzee trekking and Gorilla trekking to immerse yourself in the rainforest on the border with Congo. Making everything truly unique was the experience and professionalism of our guide, Ronaldo, who led us on sightings, helping us better understand the animals' behavioral dynamics and characteristics. He was always very kind, punctual, and available to chat and answer numerous questions and curiosities. Among the activities we enjoyed most, and which we recommend including in your tour, were the boat safaris, offering the opportunity to see hippos, buffalo, crocodiles, elephants, and an extraordinary variety of birds up close. All the accommodations were very welcoming and well organized, dinners with excellent and varied food.
(automatic translation from Italian)
IT
Email Simona | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very good operator
Exciting experience Gorilla. Tour very good organized and an excellent guide Ben!!!!!!
Email Danielle | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Don't trust Big Apes, neither Peter
I've contacted Big Apes in March to book a trip for August. When I was still asking for quotes, the communication was polite and efficient. However, just after I've paid the deposit, the communication changed to rude and unreliable. After the payment, I've checked with the accommodations and they haven't received any request on my name. So then I've asked Big Apes if my hotel reservations were made and if they could send me the receipt for the trekking permit. After being ignored and asking again and again, I've received the following answer from Peter, the agency's owner : "We don't account to our guests but our auditors unless you are conducting an investigation. You paid for a service because you were convinced that we would offer you the service. We procure permits in company names and not one at a time only but sometimes in bulk, information we cannot share with you. You are free to sue us when your time comes and we don't offer the service. Should you have a change of heart, we are happy to offer you a refund under our cancellation times. The only receipt you are entitled to is the one in our company names for the money you sent. Kindly let me know if this is clear to you." At this moment I had my first shiver down my spine. Don't they account to their guests ???? Anyway, when I asked about cancellation, I've received an email with apologies (not from Peter, from someone else, never from Peter) for the harsh way of communication from their colleague and they said my tour were secured with them and that their drivers/guides were very professional (I thought the owner would be too, but I was wrong). I decided to give them another chance. After few weeks, no reservations yet. When I've asked when my reservation would be made, again they didn't want to commit and said that they couldn't tell me when (without a signature on the email this time). After asking again and again, they said my reservations would be made in July (my trip would be in August and August is high season). Then, I've requested the cancellation and, as you can guess, another headache then began. After being ignored again and I had to keep asking again and again, they said the refund would be made in September (after 5 months, but the agreement was 4 months) even they haven't done any reservation. I asked why it would be made in 5 months instead of what we agreed and I was ignored, of course. I've tried to ask few more times but no answer at all. I gave up and waited. September arrived and, of course, no refund, so I've sent a couple of emails, but no answer at all. I've contacted SafariBokkings asking for help and they said that they would contact Big Apes from their side. The next day, SafariBookings said that they received a reply from Big Apes and that they committed to process my refund by October 10th and asked me to wait longer. I did. October 10th arrived and NO REFUND AT ALL, NO CONTACT AT ALL.
Anyway, despite having lost money, I am grateful for the deliverance, it could be worse. DO NOT TRUST BIG APES NEITHER PETER, the communication completely change after making the payment, they don't keep their word and they don't refund your money, if it's the case, even promising you they will. I had USD 1,079.24 lost and my time wasted. DON'T CHOOSE BIG APES !!!
Reply from Big Apes Africa
Posted on Oct 14, 2025Dear Danielle,
We appreciate your patience in waiting for the refund. As much as we agreed not to subject your refund request to our company policy so that you wouldn't lose any bit of your money but receive it back in full as you paid it, we apologize for the delay in processing it.
As it was communicated to you via email, your refund is being processed and you will be receiving it as soon as possible.
Thank you so much!
DE
Email Andreas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Cool experience!
I had an amazing time with Big Apes Africa! I saw amazing animals (very close contact to gorillas and chimps), had nice overnight stays in differend places around Uganda, a friendly tour guide and really made an incredible experience i will never forget!
Small negative aspect: even though declared so before meals were not fully covered so the tour guide asked to pay an extra amount for that.
Overall i did really enjoy the trip a lot, strongly recommend it!
CA
Email Andrea | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful Tour
We had a wondeeful tour, seeing gorillas, chimpanzees, and golden monkeys in Rwanda and Uganda. Our guide Andrew was fantastic, going above and beyond to ensure we had the best experience possible. The accomodation and food was also very good. Highly recommend!
CL
Email Jorge Ruiz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Safari Experience
We did a 3-day safari with Big Apes Africa to see the gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the Golden Monkeys in Volcanoes National Park, and the experience was simply unforgettable.
Our guide, Blair, was excellent throughout: very kind, always attentive to our needs, and an outstanding driver on the challenging mountain roads. His experience and passion for nature were evident, making every moment of the trip both safe and enriching.
The gorilla trekking was one of the most exciting experiences of our lives.
The organization was flawless—everything went as planned, and we always felt we were in good hands.
I fully recommend Big Apes Africa for anyone looking for a well-organized safari with quality guides and unique experiences in Africa.
IT
Email Paola | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Professionality, competence and courtesy
Great organization, thanks to Bella who took care of logistic and quoted a good price. A huge thank you to Ben, a very good guide and an excellent driver, with a special focus on our needs/desire. We higly recommend this Company also for punctuality and reliability. All this allowed us to enjoy an exciting and unforgettable experience in Uganda's fantastic natural world. Trekking with gorilla was a great and unique experience, but also the boat tour with the rangers in the Kazinga channel is worth the trip.
IT
Email FABRIZIO FACCIOLI | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Don't book with them
GREAT guide/driver, but TERRIBLE office organisation. I strongly recommend you don't book with them.
I work in the Tourist Industry and I'm very expert and objective: Never trust Big Apes and Peter for your trip to Uganda.
Our tour guide, Sam Waako, was wonderful - knowledgeable, communicative and funny. The safari itself was great.
However, the office organisation was terrible, not up to par.... Peter (the manager) was absolutely silent. No call, no email, no communication whatsoever if not through the guide but I believe a manager who considers himself as such should pick up the phone and talk to the customer who is complaining of a problem.
My advice would be - book with a different company. It's all fine if everything goes well, but if there's a problem then They won't solve it.
Reply from Big Apes Africa
Posted on Sep 30, 2025WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR SAFARI WAS GREAT EXCEPT FOR ONE THING; CHANGE OF ONE LODGE/ACCOMMODATION;
Gorilla trekking is done in specific locations/trailheads with a limited number of lodges within the same price range/class. Once you are allocated a certain trail head, it is usually best to use the lodges near your trekking location unless the guest has a particular interest in a lodge far from there and does not mind waking up very early to get there.
When you have ONLY two lodges within a certain class and price range that you have always used, it is only reasonable that when one fails to get you a slot, you use another. just like Chefs have bad days, the house keeper did not arrange the room the best way.
IN the face of this, we upgraded you to two rooms Bikingyi 3 and Buhoma 3 at not extra cost.
We regret not giving you a complimentary dinner on the day as per your request after the change of the lodge.
Whereas we maintain the right to change accommodation as per our terms and conditions, we chose not to give you dinner because we felt we had gone above and beyond to give you a very competitive price right from the start for example giving you a Landcruiser at a price of a Van for your group of four, and a number of price cuttings you are familiar with.
We felt confident that our guide passed on every communication right but I must admit that we can do better amid all the busy schedules to arrange personal calls which we do for most of our guests apart from you unfortunately and we are truly sorry.
When
Email Nathan | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Chimp and Gorilla Trekking - Unforgettable Experience
The chimp and gorilla trekking were fantastic experiences! The organisation of all the paperwork like permits and accommodation by Big Apes was faultless with no issues at any point. Ismail is a fantastic guide who is very knowledgeable. He prioritises the customer experience and I felt extremely safe and comfortable with him.
One minor criticism which has been fed back to Big Apes and I understand is being reviewed, is that the communications before arrival in the country could have been better. Otherwise all communications when I arrived were clear and Ismail was fantastic in ensuring the itinerary was understood and delivered.
Thank you Big Apes for an unforgettable trip!
CH
Email Valerie | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic
Our guide Gerald was the standout highlight of the tour, and we had a great time with him. The tour itself was well planned and the excursions and activities went as planned. We were very positively surprised by the amount of wildlife we saw.
The communication with the Sales team was at times not as proactive as we would have liked, and some of the accommodation we received did not match what was in the itinerary.