US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Not a better tour operator in Uganda! Dedin is loving, responsible, and tons of fun!
My wife and I spent our honeymoon on an 8-day safari with Mambo Gorilla Safaris. The experience did not disappoint in any way.
I have been to 50-something countries and all 7 continents, and never has my choice in tour operator had such a profound impact on my trip. Dedin and Mambo Safaris are the reason that our trip was so perfect.
My wife and I both fell in love with all of Uganda – the wildlife, the landscapes, the natural beauty, and especially the people. Of all these things, our experience with Dedin, his family, and his Mambo team is the thing we remember most.
Let me say this – Uganda is a beautiful and safe country. That said, who you choose to travel with is important. There are things that can come up and the best decision you can make is to travel with someone who is well-connected, responsible, and accountable. The first lodge that we stayed in had made some changes and we did not enjoy the experience. We mentioned this to Dedin and he immediately made some calls and had us in a new – much improved – lodge. He knows everyone in the national parks, in the lodges, and seemingly everywhere in the country. This allows for a more relaxed and interesting experience knowing that you’re in the hands of who I believe must be the best-connected man in Uganda.
Dedin also has a giving heart. Proceeds from Mambo Safaris go toward supporting his orphanage and school, Loving Hearts Uganda. We got to meet the kids in Dedin’s hometown which, by the way, is an absolutely gorgeous village overlooking the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen.
While in Queen Elizabeth, we got word that two local children had drowned while swimming. Their families were very poor and without search resources, and it was a very sad situation. Dedin went out of his way to go to the village and ask the family and villagers what he could do to help. He ended up giving the family some money and bringing them large bags of food to feed the search parties while they were looking for the children. Needless to say, Dedin is a good man.
Let’s talk about our trip. We started in Entebbe and Dedin picked us up at our hotel near the airport. We had a delicious lunch on our drive, and stopped to see Rhinos on our way to Murchison falls on the Nile. Murchison falls is beautiful, and I definitely recommend the river cruise to see the falls. We did a number of game drives in this area, and saw plenty of awesome African animals. We stayed at a lodge on the Nile, which was a wonderful experience. At sunset you could see crocodiles swimming across the river and hear and see hippos grazing at night.
From there, we went to Queen Elizabeth National Park. We stayed at a lodge called Kazinga, which was an absolute blast. The lodge is in the park, and we saw all sorts of wildlife right from our room. We had a great experience watching some Lions in the park, and saw plenty of elephants as well. We took a river cruise in this area as well, which was fantastic.
We had a great time on our Chimpanzee trek. The chimps were high in a fig tree for the first 30 minutes or so, and then they descended from the trees right in front of us. It was an incredible experience watching these animals move from to the trees and come down right in front of us.
From Queen Elizabeth, we drove to Lake Bunyonyi, where Dedin’s hotel is. It’s worth noting that there is a lot of driving from place to place in Uganda. Don’t worry though, as the whole country boasts such awesome and varied scenery that you never get bored looking out the window whole driving.
We stayed one night in a lodge called Chameleon Hill on Lake Mutanda. If you are able, this is a must-do. Lake Mutanda is gorgeous, and the drive there along the Virunga range is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever taken.
From there, we stayed at Dedin’s resort on Bunyonyi. We got to meet and spend time with Dedin’s family, who are absolutely lovely. While staying at Bunyonyi, we did the grand finale – a Gorrilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It was everything you think it would be. The trek in was beautiful. We stopped and picked some fruit from a tree for a snack along the way. The guides also provided some snacks along the way. We spent an hour with the gorillas. They’re beautiful, mysterious, and intelligent. Spending time in nature quietly watching these animals in their mountain habitat was an absolutely unforgettable experience.
We had a lot of highlights, but I will not have time to mention all of the small moments that we enjoyed so much. Stopping along the road for fresh jackfruit or pineapple. Trying Ugandan coffee. Learning about the country and its people from Dedin along the way. Trying Uganda’s many delicious foods (we actually never had a bad meal. Everything was absolutely delicious. Don’t forget to make a stop at a Pork Joint!). Visiting the equator. Stopping to walk with some Zebras along the road. The list goes on and on.
Uganda really us the pearl of Africa. It is an incredibly bountiful country, lush green and covered with beautiful plants and crops. The people are beautiful, and we never had anything but a positive interaction. The animals, obviously, are worth the trip by themselves.
I struggle to find anything negative to say about Uganda. The best thing, however, was meeting Dedin and his family. We stay in touch to this day, and my wife and I are already planning a trip back. We met a lot of other tour operators along the way, and never once did I wish that we were with someone else. Dedin made our honeymoon unforgettable in every way. He is now my friend and my brother, and I am eternally grateful that he shared his beautiful country and home with us for our honeymoon.
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
One of the best travel experiences of my life, thank you to Big cat safaris!
I highly recommend Big Cat Safaris for your tour in Africa.
They took care of us right from the start, and we were well looked after throughout our whole trip.
Our guide was also brilliant and very knowledgeable
AT
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very friendly people and beautiful/different landscape with fantastic variety of wild animals
We stayed 2 days in Nairobi (National Museum, ...) and did a 8 days game drive to 5 National Parks, excellent organized by Leopard Orchid Safaris with Patrick, a very good driver and with excellent knowledge of Parks and animals. We experienced very friendly people all over the country, a beautiful but also very different landscape and a fantastic variety of wild animals. Including some extraordinary adventures like stuck in a waterhole or "fighting" with an adult male baboon for bread ;-) - we got definitely more than expected. Our stay in different lodges was also to our absolutely satisfaction, including delicious meals. We would recommend to stay overnight at Amboseli and Lake Nakuru also inside the Park to have more time for the game drive. In total, an outstanding experience and fantastic holidays.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing destination
We loved Tanzania - the safari was incredible , parks were clean and looked after . The camp sites we stayed at and accommodation were to a good level
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very beautiful destination
The Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangine Park have been amazing, instead we have taken a bad decision going to Manyara lake, because we expected to find flamingos but it wasn't the correct season.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Enjoying Nature in Uganda
My guide Herman was excellent. He took good care of me throughout the one-week safari that I signed up for. He amazed me with his knowledge of birds even though I wasn't on a birding trip. He was an excellent and safe driver as well.
I was able to see many types of large and small animals throughout the week, including elephants, various types of monkeys, lions, and all types of antelopes. For me personally, the highlight was seeing the chimpanzees and the gorillas up close. It truly is an awe-inspiring experience that is difficult to put into words.
One last thing - the lodges were amazing and much better than I expected. They were truly top-notch, with picturesque views.
Overall, Tubale Safari company gave me an unforgettable experience that will last a lifetime.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Ngorongoro Crater by Aadhila Kayaam
It’s small and animals are quite far out
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Review about Serengeti National Park by Aadhila Kayaam
Amazing - amazing !
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Review about Lake Manyara National Park by Chiara
No flamingos, a lot of monkeys but less variety in comparison to the other parks
IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari