CH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
a great trip in a beautiful country
We had a great trip with Grassroots Safari to Mikumi,Sanje Falls and down to Selous Game Reserve. Everything was well organized and gave us a good impression about this beautiful country, its people and the great wildlife.
Thanks to Fikiri for joining us on this great experience and sharing his knowledge with us.
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic 13 Day Honeymoon Adventure
I started planning our trip to Uganda well over a year ahead of time – it was for my husband and I’s honeymoon as well as our first time we had the chance to visit the African continent. After thoroughly looking at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) website for credible companies, I emailed several Ugandan owned/run companies to see what itineraries they could offer us. Out of all of the responses, by far the most professional and timely reply came from Chris at Encounter Africa Safaris. He made it incredibly easy to put together an itinerary which fit our budget, time frame, and encompassed all the highlights we were hoping to see. Between our correspondences and looking over reviews I knew this was the right company for us. As this was our first trip to Africa I was a little shocked/nervous about the large deposit and payment 6 weeks in advance, but I can promise anyone reading this you can trust Chris. Please feel free to message me on here with any questions.
Our flight landed late and we were absolutely exhausted upon arrival. I was still nervous we would walk outside and find no one there, but then right in the front of the group awaiting travelers was a gentleman holding a sign with my name on it and a huge smile on his face. Joseph was to be our guide for the next 13 days and the trip could not possibly have gotten off to a better start.
Joseph is truly a wonderful human being with a booming laugh and a true love for his country, it’s people, and it’s wildlife. He is quite the social butterfly and knows someone everywhere you go – which I can tell you from experience is super helpful when it comes to pulling strings to get the best out of an activity. Joseph cares so much that his guests have a good time – if you are lucky enough to have him he will put so much effort into making sure you are happy. I cannot recommend him enough.
We spent a short night in Entebbe before Joseph whisked us away North to Murchison Falls National Park (NP) – I will warn you it is a long drive with variable road conditions. Joseph is a very safe driver though and takes care to make the ride as comfortable as possible. If you are concerned about the roads, he did mention Chris can assist in setting up regional flights to certain destinations which will also save you on time as well. If you do drive, you will have the privilege of seeing how gorgeous the country of Uganda is and have a better understanding of how people live outside the parks. And you also get to enjoy the “African Massage”.
Ok back to the itinerary – Murchison Falls is a gorgeous park I believe everyone should visit if you have the time. Distance seems to deter people, but it personally was my favorite park in Uganda for the scenery and multitude of wildlife. I will not go into a ton of detail because Chris can help you with all that! We next drove to Kibale NP for our Chimpanzee Habituation which I would highly recommend. The habituation lasts 4 hours and the trek is an hour – I cannot stress how much more comfortable the chimps were once all the trek groups were gone. We got so much closer and their behavior was much more natural/relaxed. They brought their babies on the ground – I would be shocked if people have that experience on a trek unless they are really lucky. Next we were on to Queen Elizabeth NP and opted for the Experiential Lion Tracking with a researcher from the park. Our group consisted of 4 vehicles and the use a radio collar to finds the lions – had we not done this I do not think we would have found them. It is amazing how easily such a large animal can hide so well. Joseph then brought us to Bwindi NP – certainly the highlight of most people’s trips to Uganda. UWA does offer a 4 hour habituation out of Buhoma, but we opted to do 2 days of gorilla trekking (1 hour-ish) in the Ruhija sector instead because you just never know what you’ll see. Joseph made sure we arrived early at check in so he could work his magic at getting the gorilla group he felt best matched what we wanted to see. We ended up getting 2 fantastic treks which were vastly different in regards to family dynamics and how they interacted in the presence of humans. If you can afford 2 treks I would suggest it. We then spent a night at the picturesque Lake Bunyoni before heading off to Lake Mburo NP for a night – this is the only part of our trip I would change. I’ll elaborate below. We ended our trip in Jinja, the Source of the Nile, and some wonderful artwork/souvenirs. I’d personally save my shopping for here – you’ll find some gorgeous and authentic things here which also will not break the bank.
All of the accommodations booked for us were wonderful – we went with midrange eco-lodges mostly and never had any issues. The only bummer was not all of the hotels we were in provided housing for Joseph – we did not know that beforehand and may have affected our choices had we known. They were all so different and offer unique perspectives of their areas within Uganda. Our favorites were Murchison River Lodge and Broadbill Forest Camp.
What I would do differently: If we did this itinerary again in the same time frame I would skip Lake Bunyoni simply because I did not feel like we had enough time to enjoy it properly and instead add an extra day at Lake Mburo NP instead. Lake Mburo has so many animals and is known for their high population of leopards which is best seen at night. Which leads me to my next point – do contact Chris and get a general itinerary for the time frame/budget you’re looking at. Then I highly encourage you to look at the UWA website at their list of extra activities within the parks you’re visiting (ie. Experiential Lion Tracking or Night Games Drive in Lake Mburo) to really customize what is important to you. I will warn you the list is extensive which is why I suggest you have an idea of which parks you’ll be in before you look, but it is so worth it to know what is on offer. These activities will cost you a little more – some can be booked while you’re there, but most seem to work best to book ahead of time. I can promise they will be worth it – especially if you have Joseph as your guide.
In all – book with Encounter and ask for Joseph. You will be so glad you did!
US
very entertaining
They are awasome in diverse ways ,the communication,treatment and also in educating.
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing
Everything was perfect! I couldn't have asked for a better trip. Peter was great from the start. Very quick to answer questions and put my mind at ease. The guides he went with were very knowledgeable and super friendly. Peter planned all the little details. I had no surprises or missed connections while there. This was a solo trip for me and I never felt unsafe. I can't say enough good things about my experience.
AT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing 3day Safari to Masai Mara
I actually didn’t plan on doing a safari to Masai Mara cause I thought it would be way beyond my budget. I met some travelers who had done the trip with Karibu at a budget friendly price and they highly recommended it. Communication was excellent, Victor replies within minutes when he is online. We had one of those Matatu minibuses that lift the roof and we were 6 people and everybody could see well. As soon as we entered the park we saw elephants and also lions that first evening. The drivers of the minibuses all communicate with each other via radio- so es soon as sth interesting is spoted, our driver rushed there and we got really close to the animals. He didn’t talk much but was committed to showing us as much as possible! I never expected to see so much wildlife, it was amazing! The bandas were comfortable and clean, good beds and hot showers, the food was plenty and very tasty, everybody was very friendly and helpful!
The only downside was that due to the rains some parts where really muddy and we got stuck several times and the drivers had to pull each other out. Those minivans unfortunately don’t have 4WD. It sure added to be adventure though!
IL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience with Altezza team
I was planning my trip for a long time parsing different reviews and searching for a reliable and professional travel agency. It was the dream of my life to enjoy the whole wildlife variety and spectacular vistas of East Africa’s national parks. And thanks to Altezza team my dreams came true! Professional guide, comfortable safari vehicles and perfect program of Hartebeest tour allowed me to catch such scenic moments as the lion family hunting scene, resting cheetahs, and the Great Migration in Serengeti. My journey was impeccably managed from the first steps at airport Kilimanjaro until my departure. I’ve enjoyed this a great experience with Altezza Travel. Definitely recommended to other travelers.
PL
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Richard it is best guy. It was amaizing.
Five star. Treking to Kili' was greath. Richard "Rich" organize ever perfect
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely marvelous time & great experiences thanks to Pamela & Magical Retreats & Adventures Tours
Our family holiday to Kenya was a 5-star experience to say the least. The professionalism of Pamela and Magical Retreats & Adventures Tours organized an absolutely marvelous experience for us! Our driver picked us from the airport and drove us to all destinations safely and professionally. By providing insights known only to locals we were able to understand more about the destinations as well as the culture of Kenya. Accommodation booked by Magical Retreats & Adventures Tours was without question the best, with great food, amenities and services. Safaris couldn’t have been organized better as we have had the most amazing experiences with lions practically resting next to our van!! And our driver knew where exactly to find all of the big-5 and beyond!! From Amboseli to Nakuru and Masai Mara our trip was full of highlights and great memories! Thank you Pamela and Magical Retreats & Adventures Tours :)
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
2 beautiful trips in western Uganda
They organized 2 trips for me. One in Rwenzori mountains with an overnight in a mountain village, and another one in Queen Elizabeth park and around.
Both times they took the time to customize entirely the trip according to my wishes, in a very friendly and understanding manner.
I never felt like just another tourist as everything was done in a personal and helpful way.
Was never packed with a bunch of tourists and got to discover isolated places.
Drivers and guides were very friendly and educated and spoke great english.
I just wish I had more time to discover Uganda with them, and I mean it.
Plus, they remained VERY helpful during the rest of my trip without them, with advices and organization help, and did everything for me to recover the mastercard I lost hundreds of miles away after that I had my trips with them. Amazing.
Enjoy your visits.
DE
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The Best of Botswana
At the end of a 5 week trip to Namibia and Botswana we booked an 8 day mobile safari with Kalahari Skies of Maun, Botswana.
We visited Nxai, Moremi and Khwai and travelled at a very leisurely pace.
Guide Gideon and chefs/camp assistants Mateo and Baeti made this a memorable trip.
We were amazed at what could be cooked on a camp fire – moussakas, pizza, the best vegetarian curry ever tasted, bread – to name just a few. The service was efficient, friendly and attentive.
Gideon appears to have “binocular eyes”, he spotted birds and animals that we had to use our binoculars for. His tracking is excellent and he is calm and unhurried on game drives and very knowledgeable about fauna and flora. He accommodated our interest in birds and landscapes and would do his best to find the most suitable position for photography.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the bush with this wonderful team.