The Matoke Tours Team
Matoke Tours
- Located In:
-
Netherlands
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, AUTO, SGR, UTB & UCF
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $750 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
AE
Email Renee | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent two-week visit to Uganda and Rwanda
My positive impression with Matoke started with email correspondence with Ilse, who was so responsive to my emails and questions. It can be disconcerting to wire money to an unfamiliar company and country but I trusted Ilse completely. She was the reason I booked with Matoke and I was not disappointed. My two weeks in Uganda and Rwanda were exactly what I wanted and hoped for. The accommodations that were chosen were spot-on. Our driver, Mugabi, was polite and professional and took good care of us. The entire trip went very smoothly, from the time I arrived at the airport in Entebbe to when I departed Kigali. I have no hesitations about recommending Matoke to fellow travelers.
CL
Email Jorge Parada | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Overall we had a great experience. Everything went according to plan.
Our experience was wonderful. We were a party of three and went from Kampala to Bwindi Forest, to Queen Elizabeth National Park and finally to Fort Portal with Matoke Tours. Everything worked smooth and as planned. Our guide and driver, Katende Geoffrey, was fantastic in keeping us safe, interested (had a 13+ hours drive), well fed (webale muno Geoffrey for the pineapples and corn) and took care of each need we had. He went all the way from showing us and explaining about the birds we found in the road to leading a number of villagers on clearing a road of a fallen tree that was cutting the only road back to lake Mutanda.
We highly recommend Matoke Tours and thank them for a superb service.
Email Bill G | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A great itinerary with an excellent guide and comfortable accommodation
Our dealings with Matoke Tours was excellent from the first contact, through to the end of our holiday. My wife and I opted for a tailor made holiday and received excellent advice, and quick e-mail response to all our questions. Our tour was very much inclined towards bird watching and our driver/guide, Confidence, was very knowlegeable and informative. He was also a good companion explaining to us all aspects of Ugandan life. Importantly, his driving was very safe, and his negotiation of washed out roads impressive. As we were travelling alone we were able to stop when and where we wanted, and change timing etc. all of which was an added bonus. We opted for mid-range accommodation, and although we encountered the usual quirky electrical and water supplies, the rooms were spotless and the staff helpful and friendly. We were also pleasantly surprised at the high standard of meals everywhere we went. Although some of the journeys were long, we found the beautiful countryside, and the smiling children, waving as we drove past made them more acceptable.
We would love to return to Uganda, and would certainly use Matoke Tours again. Thank you.
US
Email Pat | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic Safari in Tanzania
We did a lot of emailing months before the trip, with questions, requests.... Lionel was very responsive and helpful in customizing our safari for 7 people.
What an experience! Even better than expected. This was due in large part to our guide Richard, who was with us throughout the trip, spotting and identifying birds and animals, answering our many questions about Tanzanian culture, and generally making things safe, comfortable (as comfortable as possible on those bumpy roads) and fun.
We stayed at a variety of lodgings, from tent camps to nice lodges. All were charming, and the people friendly and welcoming.
Easy Travel is the actual company that Matoke works with in Tanzania, so that part was a little confusing, but everything was fine in the end.
DE
Email Martin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A absolute amazing 3-day-trip to Murchison Nat. Park incl. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and Budongo Forest
First of all I have to say, that the communication with Matoke Tours via Email was really excellent from the beginning of my enquiry. The company was very open and helpful to make all our wishes possible concerning the 3 day programm as mentioned above.
Pick up at our hotel in Uganda was right in time, we had no problems with the car and all our activities were 100% the way, the company Matoke Tours promised us in our itinerary before.
The choice of the 2 lodges (Pakuba Safari Lodge, Budongo Eco Lodge) was absolutely positive: we had a nice room, great food, friendly staff people and the locations were perfect. Especially Pakuba Lodge is a great place to stay!
Our Driver/Guide Richard, a former UWA ranger, made a real good job; a very friendly person with a sense of humor, a good driver, and with a brilliant knowledge concerning animals and plants!!! We can really recommend him very much! Our expectations were fulfilled a 100%! :-)
Email Richard | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
100% in everything
"Ilse" was my communicator by email and was always fast to reply and gave me the extra information I asked for very precisely (where to buy trekking boots in Entebbe). I was looked after from pick-up at Entebbe Airport to drop off at my hostel in Kampala perfectly. There were actually 6 in the group, and our driver David, a complete gentleman, who drove for all those hours with total professionalism. The overnights in the lodge, at Mutanda Lake Resort, were perfect. I have never been in any hotel anywhere with such a magnificent 360 degree panorama. The accommodation was right at the top of the "moderate" range - the food superb. The showers were hot. Now about the actual gorillas...
We were with them for 1 hour 35 minutes, mainly because they were blocking our way out after an hour!!! Thank you gorillas. Seeing them and being so close is a mixture of humbling and overpowering.
We stopped en route both ways for lunch at a really good restaurant too.
A faultless 3-day expedition - keep up your superb work, Matoke Tours!!!
CH
Email Dr. Gottfried Hirnschall, Othmar Traninger | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
so much more than we expected! professional, friendly and competent!
We had a wonderful vacation. Our luggage didn't arrive, and while Brussels Airlines and the Airport in Uganda were completely unhelpful, Matoke's Sven organized a driver who followed us with our suitecases through the country. This really saved our vacation. The drivers and guides were all superfriendly, flexible and helpful. From the beginning at home to the return everything was perfectly organized to really reasonable prizes. Would do it immediatly again with Matoke and can only recommend them. Bravo!
NL
Email Nanda and Piet | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Matoke tours offers you the best possibility to see and experience Uganda!
Matoke tours has perfect transport, drivers, guides and accomodaton. In three weeks we saw 5 of the 10 national parks with all the wildlife and lots of possiblities to interact with the locals. A plus for us was that Matoke stimulates local projects for tourists. This is good for the locals but also for tourists to see and experience communitylife.
US
Email Travis | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
An experience to remember
The experience of dealing with Matoke from the U.S. was flawless. Lionel Meguma answered our many questions immediately by email and we always felt he was on top of things. The tour was just as we had planned, with some suggestions from Lionel, and our driver/guide was exceptional. Richard Gurisha was a wonderful host from the minute he picked us up at the airport at 2:00AM until he returned us to the airport two weeks later. He was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, always positive and patient with our many questions. He made this a trip to remember.
US
Email Maura & Jim | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Matoke and Easy Travel together made our safari fabulous!
We booked this 12-day tour with Matoke from the USA and all our questions were answered on line. We had a very popular tour company near us in Boston, but they were not flexible with the itinerary, the groups were larger, and more expensive overall. We had a group of 7 in one safari truck. Matoke was very accomodating with our requested itinerary. We had a good mix of accommodations, mid range B&Bs/small hotels and wonderful tented camps. We had a guide that was so fabulous we wanted to take him home! He was attentive to our every need, was extremely knowledgeable, and always made us feel safe. Thank you Richard from "Easy Tours"! Next time we would organize a minimum of 2 night stays in an accommodation, the tour is wonderful but exhausting so packing less often is better. A better daily schedule may have been going out for an early morning drive, return to a hotel for lunch/ rest, then head out again mid- late afternoon/ evening. We were not able to do this because the hotels were too far from the park and if you leave admission may need to be paid again. Something to think about. Overall, the safari was a dream come true!