CZ
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Uganda is an interesting safari destination but its wildlife is obviously under a great pressure
I think Uganda is not for someone who suppose to have just one East Africa safari tour in his/her life.
For such people Kenya/Tanzania are better options.
Uganda is about some special animal (shoebill, chimps, gorillas, other primates, birds) and special landscape (lakes, Virunga, Ruwenzori, a margin of Congo rainforest basin) targets.
We knew that, we are strongly oriented to wildlife but anyway - Uganda was a partial (with the focus on PARTIAL) disappointment.
When I was a child the classical Ugandan national parks like Murchison Falls and Queen Elisabeth were symbols of the African wildlife beauty. They are still here but obviously under a great poaching pressure and some parts of QE (esp. Ishasha sector) are simply dying ecosystems. Without any change in NP management Uganda can expect even further decrease of safari visitors.
There were also 2 and 1/2 disappointments with the activities which were expected to be the Uganda safari highlights:
* Disappointment 1 : chimpanzee trekking in Kibale - IMO this is a cheat from definition - this is no trekking but cca an hour of standing in a dark forest and staring at a chimpanzee back high and far in the trees. I can understand it is made as it is possible but with all the marketing and for the price (a half of the gorilla permit) ... ? But I do believe that for chimps is Kibale a good place to live. Which is a good message.
* Disappointment 2 : tree-climbing lions in Ishasha/QENP - we saw just one older cub which was seriously and repeatedly injured (the older injury from poacher snares, the fresh new injury - as we were told - made by an aggressive male lion ). Add the evening/night shooting at elephants (to keep them out of the crop fields) and the fact that one half (really) of Ishasha sector is completely burnt down. A depressive place.
* 1/2 of Disappointment : gorilla trekking in Bwindi - this is no cheat (compared with chimps trekking in Kibale), it is a real rainforest trekking crowned with gorillas observation from a close distance - we spent a half an hour with a female and cca 10-month-old baby (nice) and we could hear other group members (incl. silverback) in the undergrowth nearby. But when the female with her baby was leaving we were told by our leader guide we could not to continue in observation because of a wasp nest (it was really there but it was there all the time and could be easily bypassed when trying to follow gorillas which were apparently nearby). So we finished our session after a half an hour and returned to the base where we were waiting another half an hour until the "easy group" returned (we were the "medium group"). I suppose the gorilla trekking is no cheat from definition (as I suppose the chimps trekking in Kibale is) but we simply had a hard luck with our leader guide. You didn't travel so long distance and didn't spend so much money to skip a half of the activity for such a vague reason.
But there were also very good points in our Uganda safari tour :
* shoebill in Mabamba swamps
* rhinos trekking in Ziwa RS
* Nile delta boat cruise (private small boat)
* giant forest hogs close to Buffalo lodge/QE
* Kazinga channel boat cruise (private small boat)
* Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga NP (by far best of the primate trekking)
* Lake Mulehe birding (private small boat)
* Lake Bunyonyi birding (private small boat)
* birding !!!
And the trip organization by Africa Adventure Vacations was excellent. The tour was discussed and planned with Robert and we were guided with Ceasar and Daphne. I can highly recommend all of them, the tour organization was simply great and we would like to thank them once more at this place.
To sum up - I'm far from being sure to visit Uganda again but if we do that we'll ask Africa Adventure Vacations (Robert, Ceasar, Daphne) to organize our trip again.
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kenya is an amazing, must visit country with great people, wildlife safaris and sunny beaches.
Our Kenyan holiday included 7 days in a Mombasa Beach Resort and a 4-day of safari to Tsavo East and West. We stayed in Sarova Beach Resort which was excellent with comfortable rooms, superb restaurants and exceptional staff who provided a great service. Our safari trip was arranged through Indigo Safaris using Explorer Kenya as the local provider. Explorer Kenya and our excellent driver / guide, Douglas Mwaiko, provided us with a truly memorable safari experience. We saw the Big 5 and much, much more.
Kenya is an amazing country to visit. The tourist experience is fantastic with excellent Mombasa Beach Resorts and memorable safari experiences. The quality of facilities is excellent but, above all, the experience is made really special by the friendly local people who always strive to provide an excellent service. Even a Covid Mask cannot hide a Kenyan smile. Asante Sana, Kenya
FR
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wonderful
We had spent à very trip at Nyerere camp. It was wonderful. The guide and the driver were very kind.
FR
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Masai Mara National Reserve by Anthony Doppler
Surely one of the most beautifull place on earth. The wildlife is incredible
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Kilimanjaro & Safari
Thoroughly enjoyed my time in Tanzania with Meijo Safaris. Daudi had everything arranged and organised from when we arrived at the airport right up until we finished our trip. Communication was fast & easy and we were given plenty of options regarding what we wanted from our trip. Had the most amazing experience doing the Lemosho route with a very knowledgable and fun guide Babaluu and Meijo went above and beyond ensuring I had the best birthday on the mountain with a cake and candles. Also really enjoyed our 3 day safari, we saw many animals and even a black rhino in Ngorongoro crater. Can’t recommend Meijo highly enough. Thank you
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
George Mbaula is an exceptionally kind, informative, and skilled safari guide.
My partner and I (ages 26 & 28) traveled with George on a private 3-day, 2-night safari to Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. He is professional, kind, and an unparalleled expert in his field. George provided us with fascinating information about the animals and parks, as well as the tribes of Tanzania and history of the region. He also helped us to practice our Swahili, patiently answering all of our many, many questions. George is as reliable as they come and had all of stops and visits planned perfectly. In the final hour of our safari, he somehow managed to spot the black rhino that had eluded every tour group throughout the day - from a distance at least 100 meters, while driving! Just incredible work. I hold George and his company in the highest esteem and recommend him to anyone looking for a phenomenal safari experience. His warm personality and expertise made our trip unforgettable. Thank you George!
65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Highly recommended. Great value.
We spent 28 days with Liberty travelling around Botswana and Zimbabwe. We had 11 days in Botswana which started in the Okavango Delta with a 3 day Mokoro ride with Wild Camping and then 4 days in Moremi and Khwai. We travelled via Planet Baobab to see the Meerkats, Elephant Sands to see all the elephants at the waterhole and then to Chobe for a sunset cruise and a game drive. We then crossed the border into Zimbabwe for the next 17 days. We walked Victoria Falls before travelling to Hwange National Park for game drives, Matobo Hills National Park to walk with the Rhinos, saw the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, Vumba Mountains for Tony's Coffee Shop and Botanical Gardens, Nyanga Mountains for waterfalls, Bushman Rock Estate for wine tasting, Lake Kariba for game drive and sunset cruise and ended the safari with 3 nights along the Lower Zambezi at Mana Pools where we saw the Wild Dogs and caught a Tiger Fish. There were so many highlights along the way it is hard to say what was the best place or activity.
From the time we met at the airport until we departed the service was amazing. The itinerary was created between Liberty and ourselves and Liberty was very accommodating and open to any suggestions that we made and also helpful with any ideas he thought would improve the itinerary. It was very important to us to do everything that was on the itinerary and we managed to do it all. There were a couple of things that had to be changed during the safari and Liberty was very quick to make the changes.
We loved all the places we stayed at along with all the meals that were provided. The staff were always very pleasant and helpful and the Safari Guides were very accommodating and knowledgeable about the wildlife. We felt the safari was very good value for money and all the accommodation, activities and meals were included in the final cost of the tour.
We had some days where there was a lot of driving and it was never an issue with Liberty as he is a very careful driver and we always felt safe especially when the roads that we travelled on were either potholed or unmade. He always picked us up on time and the car was always clean. He provided a car fridge along with ice to keep the beers and soft drink cold in case it was a long drive and we were able to have a drink along the way.
Liberty's communication was first class and always replied to our messages very quickly and was very polite in his responses. Liberty has a lovely personality and a wonderful sense of humour so lots of laughs were had along the way.
We would highly recommended Cocoon Safaris and Tours to plan and organize a safari for you.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Traveling in africa, Adriaan made us feel safe and secure. We focused on the beauty not the admin
An adventure of a lifetime that did not break the bank. I will definitely recommend using mote travel. The experience and In-depth knowledge of the area we traveled is something I’ve never seen before
AT
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very friendly and reliable company and a great guide (Dickson)
Wr booked a private 3 day Masai Mara tour, so we had the whole Toyota land cruiser for ourselves.
Our guide was Dickson, an amazing guy. Not only was he very attentive and helpful, but he also knows the Masai Mara National Park like the palm of his hand. Moreover, he is very well connected and always knew where there are interesting sightings. We had the chance to see all animals we wanted. He was super friendly, made some very good suggestions to enhance our experience and at the same time was not pushy and fulfilled all our wishes.
What we liked a lot is that he and the company are very flexible and were ready to make changes so that the itinerary and the whole experience matches our expectations.
Thank you!
ES
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Efficient and trustworthy
I found this company through booksafaris and after reading all the reviews I decided to contact them.
They efficient, easy to communicate and trustworthy. Once I arrived in Kenya,they great me at the airport and the tour started, i visited few national parks in Kenya plus Tanzània. Best experience ever on any of my trips. The company was clear and easy accomodating of any requests we had. 100% recommended