IT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Such delightful experience I will never forget.
Everything perfect! Just in one day, few hours, and you can totally appreciate the impressive and amazing african nature, with an excellent guide, that makes you feel comfortable from the collecting time to the drop off at your hotel. Thank you all, for this everlasting experience!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredibile experience on safari with Izzy!
My family of 6 adults traveled on safari in the Okavango Delta with Izzy as our guide in June 2018. We feel extremely lucky to have had Izzy as our guide. He is very intelligent and thoughtful, and his knowledge about the animals and plants in the region is astounding. He is passionate and engaging when he speaks. He is completely professional in every encounter. We always felt very safe during our game drives and walks with Izzy. During our time with Izzy, we learned about him as a person- my husband told me after we left that he thinks Izzy is one of the nicest and best people he has ever met, and I completely agree. We cannot thank Izzy enough for our experience in Botswana with him. We truly hope that we have the opportunity to see him again in the future.
50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Safari and Gorilla trecking
The itinerary was exactly what we wanted with the suggestions of Ugandan Travel being absolutely spot on. They listened to what we were looking for and designed a safari for us rather than the standard itinerary used by most companies.
All staff involved were very friendly and knowledgeable and extremely well organised.
We have travelled in Africa and internationally extensively but this was easily one of the best experiences I have had by some distance.
DE
under20 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Best Introduction to Africa on Earth
Me, as a 19 year old first time visitor and solo traveler in Africa, I was very excited but nervous nonetheless to visit the pearl of the continent. With Mambo Gorilla Safaris Uganda I had the privilege to explore the western part of the country and from my heart I want to thank Didan and the whole team for giving me the most precious memories, a lot of inspiration and the safari of a lifetime.
The program included a two nights - three days safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park and a couple of days for contemplation and relaxation at beautiful Lake Bunyonyi.
The savanna landscape of the national park in and of itself is a dream come true for every nature lover. To that, add the abundance of wildlife and the local communities I came across; it seriously takes my breath away just thinking back.
Seeing Hippos, Gazelles, Elephants and animals I didn't even know existed up close makes for some great photographs and left me in awe.
My personal highlight was probably the boat ride onto Lake George where we were able to see a big group of Elephants crossing the water onto a nearby island.
Back in the fishing village from where we departed we took a community walk, seeing the everyday lives of the locals and diving deep into their culture and traditions.
Also very educational for me was a small trip to one of the salt lakes where a lot of the locals earn their living. During dry season you will be able to see them harvest the salt and get some very interesting insights into the local salt industry. Also there are pink flamingos on the water!
I can only praise the knowledge, storytelling skills and open heartedness of the guides, it's definetly them who make this experience stand out from other tours. The hot savanna air was always charged up with laughter and happiness with these guys around! They tried their best teaching me their local language, which probably was good fun for both sides. At the end of the trip I feel we have become close friends and just to hang out with them would be reason enough to return here. Maybe I go for some gorilla trekking with them next summer...
Viewing the stars at night from the terrace of our (very nice and beautiful) lodge can easily compete with my memories of the Nepalese Himalayas and falling asleep to the sounds of the bush is a breeze. In this well preserved natural environment, I really appreciated Mambo Gorillas Safaris' emphasis on eco friendly and responsible tourism. Having respect for the animals and environment is definetly a must for me but from what I've heard unfortunately is not always a priority.
Didan explaining to me the vision of his enterprise and how important sustainability in tourism is when we got to Lake Bunyonyi, was truly eye opening. It was the perfect place to let all these new impressions sink in. Bunyonyi View Resort probably has one of the best views onto the lake and the whole team working there is just incredible (shoutout to everybody working in the kitchen: good job!). Lots of talking, lots of silence and a lot of rejuvenation. I could get some secret tips from the staff on great activities and viewpoints around the lake, and Didan took me to his Loving Hearts foundation, a school that supports children in need and provides them with good education and support in everyday life.
Alltogether I want to leave a rating of ten out of ten and highly encourage you to also enjoy a safari with Mambo Gorilla Safaris, they customize your adventure to your own personal interests and budget. And the value of a good guide seriously can't be overestimated. Again, webale (thank you) to everyone who made this possible!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous from beginning to end.
They were very responsive to all of our questions and tailored the trip to the places we wanted to visit. Our guide, David, was great. He was knowledgeable and worked hard to ensure we had a good experience.
The one thing i would have liked was having the option to pay by credit card.
Would highly recommend Wildebeest.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Incredible customised tour with so much to see in Uganda and Rwanda
I had a great experience touring around Uganda and Rwanda on a customised 5-day trip from Entebbe to Kigali. The office was very responsive and flexible with my itinerary. My tour guide/driver David was friendly, informative and fun! I really enjoyed the chimpanzee trekking, Bigodi swamp walk, Kazinge channel cruise and of course especially the magical time with the gorillas in Bwindi impenetrable forest! The lodges on the tour were all of good standards and I especially liked the Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge for the comfort of the room, view and the service. The food was all very good and plentiful. The roads are very bumpy but David did a great job to drive as comfortably as possible.
It could be even better if they provided more information on what to bring and wear for the activities, estimated the driving times a bit more generously (due to the roads), and informed me of the tipping culture, better description of some activities, and cost of optional activities such as the community walk near Bwindi (so I could ensure to bring enough cash; note: bringing dollars in small denominations or local money is better than euros or pounds)
PT
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Truly an amazing and unforgetable experience.
We loved our safari. It was a memorable and wonderful experience.
Alex, our guide, was excellent! Could not expect more. Thank you so much!
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing Safari
Excellent Itinerary , accommodation, great value for money, Andrew the guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. We spent our time in Lake Nakuru, Lake Naivisha and Masai Mara and thoroughly enjoyed our 5 night stay. Would recommend to anyone who is thinking of a great safari in Kenya.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A trip of a lifetime!
Words can’t describe the experiences we had on our South African vacation. Heidi, our tour consultant, was responsive and extremely helpful from the first point of contact. We emailed back and forth for months to ensure our itinerary was exactly the way we wanted it. Heidi also provided many itinerary options, made suggestions and took the time to get to know the kind of vacation we were expecting. She selected premium hotels, safari camps, tour guides and drivers. Careful attention was given to inter country flights, timing of activities and drivers between airports, hotels and longer drives within Kruger. The safari portion of the trip (six nights at two camps) was perfect! We saw the big five along with too many other amazing animals and birds to name. The camps were small and very comfortable with absolutely delicious food in an environment surrounded by watering holes and animal viewing via binoculars right in the middle of the bush. In summary, everything was absolutely perfect! We were amazed at Heidi’s attention to detail and selection of tours, hotels, drivers, guides and flights! You can’t go wrong with Pembury!
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic trip organised by Encompass Africa
Encompass Africa planned and booked a fantastic trip for us to Africa including Mozambique, Victoria Falls, Kruger National Park and Okavango Delta. Gen had great knowledge and personal experience of Africa and we immediately felt relieved to be booking our holiday with someone who could advise us on the best places to stay and the easiest and safest ways to travel within Africa. Our research and ideas were combined with advice from Encompass resulting in an amazing trip. Our itinerary was very informative and detailed and we were given all contact numbers that we may need in Africa. Gen and Katie answered any questions that we had before we left. On our trip everything that was planned went very smoothly and we were impressed with all our accommodation and transfers. Encompass Africa are a great travel agent with specialised knowledge of Africa which made for an unforgettable trip. I would definitely recommend Encompass Africa.
