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
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!
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
BE
Email Linda | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Wonderful guide, terrible office organisation. Don’t book with them.
The good things: Our tour guide, Blair, was wonderful - knowledgeable, communicative and funny. The safari itself was great.
However, the office organisation was problematic. Firstly, we only received the link for the final payment while we were on tour, in a rural area where wifi kept dropping. When we told the office that the wifi meant the payment was proving difficult, they told us we had to pay before the next day or the activities would be cancelled, placing undue pressure on us in a difficult situation. We tried again, and finally the problematic wifi allowed the payment to go through. However, the glitchy wifi meant that payment was taken twice from my card. I communicated this to the office, and while Bella replied to me via whatsapp, Peter (the finance manager) was absolutely silent. No call, no email, no communication whatsoever. The problem was ignored completely. I then raised a process with my card issuer, and informed the office of this. I have also informed them that if my card issuer is unable to help, then I would pursue legal action. It was only at that point that Peter finally replied to my emails, saying he would have a solution by the end of the week. That deadline went by over two weeks ago, and I have heard nothing from him since then.
None of this needed to happen if they had simply said “ah that’s annoying that the WiFi did that - here’s a refund.” It could have taken a matter of minutes to resolve. Instead, they’ve chosen to keep the extra money and process no refund at all. What should I conclude from this?
My advice would be: there are many tour operators available to go on safari with. Don’t choose this one.
Reply from Big Apes Africa
Posted on Sep 30, 2025Thank you for your honest opinion that the safari was great!!
The double payment was a technical error initiated by the credit card payment system which was beyond our control.
Refunds of any nature as per our terms and conditions may take long to process but we pay a great attention of detail to them. We regret the not so prompt responses from our office because we were in a very busy season.
We are happy that as we speak, your refund has been processed the very credit company at whose technical fault, you were double charged.