A fraction of our Team.
Big Apes Africa
- Office 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)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
Email Danielle | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
UPDATE : Don't trust Big Apes, neither Peter.
I wrote a previous review months ago reporting that Peter didn't refund my money and Peter replied saying that my refund was scheduled to be processed on that week (refund that was already late) and also left an "explanation" here. The refund wasn't done on that week and I had to contact him again.
I will try to summarize what has happened since my first review on 11/10, almost 3 months ago : He said that he was looking for a better way to handle my refund. He sent me a manually filled in form from his bank as proof of payment and then I was not allowed to send him emails anymore (yes, my emails were rejected and I had to use SafariBookings as an intermediary to communicate with him to ask for updates). Peter filled in the form incorrectly. I received the information from SafariBookings that the funds returned back to his account (SafariBookings had to contact his bank). I was allowed to send him emails again. I sent him another account as another option. He wanted me to fill in the form from his bank and refused to do it again correctly and said my information was distorted in different threads (??????? I confirmed with my bank and the information I sent was correct; the second option I sent was a screenshot from my bank's app, so no risk of being distorted; so ?????). I sent him a third option, a link requesting the payment. He hasn't sent the money using the link. Few weeks later, not a sign of him. Then, Peter wanted to transfer the money using Western Union. One week later, no contact from Peter at all. Then he said the money was at Western Union, that he sent the document previously, but he didn't and that I would have to withdraw my money. After all, I still had to find a Western Union to withdraw my money. This was the better way he handled my refund.
So, after my trip being ruined ... and after waiting longer than the offered cancellation policy time (I asked for the cancellation on 10/04, the offered cancellation policy time was waiting 4 months and receive the full amount; I received the document with the information needed to withdraw my money on 20/12, more than 8 months after the cancellation date) .... and a lot of headaches asking, asking, asking .... and asking SafariBookings for help (I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't have SafariBookings intermediating. I strongly believe that I wouldn't have received my money back) ... my money was refunded. LATE.
Facts and figures :
1) The full amount to be refunded was USD 1,079.24
2) The amount in the manually filled in form from the first attempt sent to me by Peter as proof of payment was USD 1,003.00
3) When questioned, Peter said that the difference (USD 76.24) was bank charges. No proof of payment for this bank charge.
4) The amount I've received from the second attempt was equivalent to USD 920.00.
I didn't understand his intention with that, but Peter forwarded me the exchange of messages between him and the SafariBookings representative, including the name of another client who was also waiting for a solution to her "case study". I wasn't the only one. He also says on the email that some guests are hard to please. After being rude, he failed to keep his word and refund my money within the promised timeframe. Are the guests hard to please ???
This is the customer service provided by Peter, think about if you have an issue during your trip.
As Peter himself said in one of his emails, let's move on to a better future without more hurt feelings. I think he meant my feelings and my bank account feelings. I lost money and time. DON'T TRUST PETER !!!!!! The End !
Reply from Big Apes Africa
Posted on Jan 12, 2026Thank you Danielle for your feedback. Here is our response
1) DANIELLE: The full amount to be refunded was USD 1,079.24
BIG APES AFRICA: That's correct
2) DANIELLE: The amount in the manually filled in form from the first attempt sent to me by Peter as proof of payment was USD 1,003.00
BIG APES AFRICA: Banks in Uganda charge money for an international bank transfer. This non-refundable amount is charged on the bank account directly and sorry we cannot give you our bank statement as proof of payment.
3) DANIELLE: When questioned, Peter said that the difference (USD 76.24) was bank charges. No proof of payment for this bank charge.
BIG APES AFRICA: Banks in Uganda charge money for an international bank transfer. This non-refundable amount is charged on the bank account directly and sorry we cannot give you our bank statement as proof of payment.
4) DANIELLE: The amount I've received from the second attempt was equivalent to USD 920.00.
BIG APES AFRICA: After the money we sent was bounced bank, we opted for the quickest way to get you the money; WESTERN UNION.
After money is withdrawn in dollars, Western Union wanted it in our country currency that is Uganda shillings, this first exchange caused you loss of money. They again required the money to be changed to pounds to get to you. You again lost money during this second exchange.
CONCLUSION:
When you cancel a trip, you are bound to lose some money directly or indirectly. It could be through the cancellation policy or administration fees simply.
We DID NOT subject your money to any cancellation policy. Every penny lost was in the process of getting money back to you.
Thank you for the detailed feedback, it helps management to do things better!
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 Jan 12, 2026WE 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 last 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.
We appreciate your feedback because it helps us to do better.
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.