50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent 12 day sojourn in Rwanda
I found Golden Rwanda through Safari Bookings, and had a very good experience working with Frank to tailor the itinerary, and then had an amazing trip with Rando as my guide and driver. My trip included Chimp trekking in Nyungwe National Park in the south; two relaxing stops along Lake Kivu in the west; Gorilla trekking and hiking in Volcanoes National park; traditional game drive safari in Anagera National Park in the east; and finally a day in Kigali before flying home.
Rwanda exceeded my expectations in terms of the beauty of the entire country -- it reminds me of Hawaii but at higher altitude -- and the national parks are super-well-managed, a real treasure. The gorilla and chimp trekking were the highlights, something you can do very few other places, but the safari park was very good too, seeing an enormous number of species of birds and trees and flowers, and getting close to larger animals like gibbons and rhinos and crocodiles and zebras and giraffes and hippos, etc., in a much less crowded setting than I found a dozen years ago in Kenya and Tanzania.
My tour with Golden Rwanda included all the transportation, lodging, guides, admissions & permits, and meals, for a price I thought was fair. I highly recommend working with a travel company that is based in the country you are visiting, rather than one based in the US or Canada or Europe.
65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Thrilling, Unforgettable Experience!!
My wife and I are from the St Louis area in the USA. We had never visited Africa, so I carefully researched safari providers. After looking through numerous itineraries we settled on Kubwa Five’s “THRILLING 18 Day Safari”.
The itinerary takes you through the Big Three East Africa countries, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, to see not only The Big Five and Great Migration, but also Chimpanzee and Gorilla trekking. It includes visits to five national parks in Uganda, four in Kenya, including the Masia Mara, where we saw the Great Migration, as well as three parks in Tanzania, where we saw the breath-taking Serengeti.
When Kubwa Five said this would be a THRILLING safari they did not disappoint, it was THRILLING indeed. My wife is a photographer and took over 20,000 photos during this 18-day odyssey that brought us face to face with a silver back gorilla and his family, a large family of Chimpanzees (so close they rub against you as they pass by), numerous lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, rhinos, warthogs, buffaloes, birds, crocodiles, hyenas, you name it. You are thoroughly immersed in nature, more than you can ever be in any zoo, no walls, no plexiglass, no bars, no nothing, just you and these amazing animals in THEIR natural environment, you are the outsider (this will ruin your visit to any zoo, forever…sorry).
In addition to the animals, you will be given the opportunity to participate in the cultures of East Africa, including visits to pygmy and Masia villages, as well as day to day life in a small village in Uganda. I encourage you to embrace this aspect of the tour, it will change you!
From the start, Betty Alum, in the front office, was easy to deal with and very responsive to all of our questions and concerns. At one point, we considered skipping Uganda altogether due to the Ebola “scare” (which is all it was), but Betty reassured us (correctly) that they would take good care of us AND THEY DID! Getting through customs both in Africa and back into the USA was a snap, thanks to the pre-coordination of Kubwa Five and their outstanding guides.
Speaking of the guides, they were very knowledgeable and committed to giving you a first-class experience. Samuel Kansansula in Uganda had twelve years of experience as a guide and it showed, everything was thoroughly explained and we felt well taken care of under Samuel’s guidance. In the Masia Mara, our guide brought along a Masia tribesman who showed us all the best spots in this amazing park as the Great Migration unfolded in front of your eyes. In Tanzania, Ayubu Luhala, who has 15 years of experience guiding tourists in the Serengeti, did an outstanding job of getting us to those unique, little-known places to see some mind-blowing wildlife and an unforgettable sunrise over the Serengeti right out of The Lion King.
If you are looking for a great, well organized Safari experience, look no further than Kubwa Five!
CN
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Perfect Experience
I traveled alone on this trip, and everything was perfect. The accommodation, meals and prices are well-matched. Our guide and group members were all incredibly friendly. The journey went smoothly and brought me lots of joy. This tour is super safe and female-friendly. What’s more, free hotel transfer service is provided, which saved me a lot of trouble. I highly recommend it to solo female travelers!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Friendly and highly accomodating
Glad to recommend traveling with these guys great experiences.
CH
A truly authentic and unforgettable safari experience
From start to finish, everything was well organized and we didn't have to worry about anything. The safari guides were fantastic and always did their best to help us see as many animals as possible. Their knowledge made every game drive exciting and unforgettable.
The homemade dinner was another highlight and absolutely delicious.
Overall, it was an unforgettable experience and we would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an authentic safari.