CA
Email Jeff C | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful scenery, abundance of wildlife, good tourism infrastructure
Toured Murchison, Queen Elisabeth, Bwindi, Lake Bunyonyi, Mburu, Kazi GA Channel Ziwa sanctuary. 8 days 7 nights. Ecovic and our tour guide Frank was flexible and very accommodating. From Canada where it is colder so be prepared as mosquitos and heat/humidity can be more than you may be used to but some repellant fine. Be prepared to do some hiking up and down to see chimps and gorillas. Maybe bring a fan. Don't forget sunscreen. Bush tents are very luxurious for a tent but rooms are better. But you are there for the wildlife and adventure which you will certainly get! Food was fantastic at all accomodation. Leopards are probably the hardest to find but if lucky you will. We did. Guides talk to each other to help know where the animals are which is good. Roads in west were all great. Kampala city roads not good off the main highway but you aren't there for that. Felt safe everywhere we went, (even checked out the DRC border south of QE which was very quiet!). 8 days for all that would be minimum time required. Prices are cheap for food and souvenirs, especially just off the main tourist trap of Bwindi. Sometimes menus don't have all the items on the menu but they still have good food options. I had steak a few times that was very good and was only $10. Fruit is plentiful and cheap. Drink bottles water which is readily available. Good cell service everywhere although wifi can be limited to only certain areas of a hotel.
It was my second trip to Uganda in 3 months and thought my visa was still good but had just expired. Was able to be issued a tourist visa upon arriving thankfully at immigration in airport for usd$100 so that was a big relief.
Our guide Frank was fantastic and highly recommend him.
Lifetime highlight: baby gorilla at Bwindi held my hand!
In towns we didn't go out after dark and in Kampala watch out for pick pockets. That said, there is a nice mall in Kampala called Acacia that is like anything in Canada, even a KFC! Uber works in Kampala and is fairly cheap. Bring some toilet paper as if you have to stop in a small town bathroom you might just have a hole in the floor. If you forget something you can always buy whatever you need in Uganda. There are hundreds of small pharmacies everywhere in towns if you need malaria pills or get a bought of watery diarrhea.
Stop at some roadside markets for souvenirs, food, etc. Bring lots of usd $1's and $5's for tips. USD is pretty widely accepted. Just ensure they are clean notes as the banks will discount what Ugandans receive in exchange rate if they are marked or dirty and Ugandans will give you a lower rate as a result if paying in USD, (10% discount). Remember that prices are usually negotiable and tourist prices for regular goods are 1.5-2x that of Ugandan prices but still very cheap by western standards. Overall a fantastic trip! And much cheaper to see Gorillas in Uganda than in Rwanda. Plus English is spoken everywhere so communication is no problem.
DK
Email Alexander Bolotakis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
This is what biodiversity means.
If wildlife is a passion of yours, then this is the place to go. Everywhere you look, a new colourful bird will show it self. Rolling, green hills everywhere. The gorillas are an experience that can only be understood when you see them for yourself.
US
Email Donita R Clarin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing people, gorgeous landscapes, and wonderful wildlife viewing.
I did a budget tour with Home to Africa and Benon was our guide. Just an amazing experience. I went for the gorilla trekking and came back with so much more. Once in a lifetime experience. Saw so much other wildlife! The Batywa community was so interesting. All staff at our accommodations were so welcoming. Benon our guide was amazing always looking out for our best experiences. Go to Uganda it’s an amazing experience!!
CH
Email Dieter Fenner | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
very beautiful country, pleasant climate, with friendly people and delicious food
we booked a safary by Karumuna Safari. we got the chance to see lots of the beauty of the country, especially the western part.
we came across many different landscapes, from very fertile parts to the savannahs'.
also the many different species of animals and birds were very impressive, the majestic species Gorillas were our highlight.
the parks are well conservated and reserved.
another higlight was the culturecenter Ndere in Kampala with many traditionell tribal dances, its a must see.
PL
Email Mateusz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent country, with beautiful nature, kind and polite people, safe place to visit.
Uganda is marketed as the pearl of Africa and this is true! This country is green, with beautiful nature and animals (GORILLAZ!).
The country is safe. People are kind and polite. The food is delicious. If you go to Uganda, you should book Safari (e.g., 5 days) which is the best way to visit Uganda. Nice difference to other African countries that are not so prepared for tourists from Europe.
US
Email Dilsher Nawaz | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
We went gorilla trekking , Uganda provides an idea opportunity
Beautiful visit we visited Kampala, Lake Victoria, Jinja to see the origin of the Nile and last but not the least Gorilla trek in the Biwindi Impenetrable Forrest. Beautiful country very safe with hospitable people. Very easy and safe to travel. Variety of accommodation available.
Loved our stay
CA
Email John Wall | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
5 Day Safari with Gorilla Viewing
My daughter and I spent 5 Days in Uganda on safari and viewing the mountain gorillas. Both the culture and scenery were amazing. We always felt safe and Home to Africa was an efficient tour company. Highly recommended!!
GR
Email Danae Moraiti | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unique, pure not touristic
Highlight: silverback gorillas.
Very kind people, really nice lodges, non touristic, wild and unique country.
We came as guests and left as friends after a fantastic 6-day-primate "Safari with Jon"
We had unforgettable days in Uganda, thanks to the great company of Jon! From the first contact to planning the itinerary to saying goodbye, we were looked after warmly and reliably! We planned our tour individually and Jon fulfilled all our wishes. On request, various options were checked and we got valuable recommendations - so in the end the trip was perfectly personalized and even unexpected requests on the way have been fulfilled with a smile - at the end we felt like friends!
Thanks to his knowledge, we were given valuable tips on when and where to go, and we have learnt a lot about Uganda, its wildlife and its history. Jon was really ambitious to get us enthusiastic about his country and its people - and he succeeded 100%.
We opted for the fly-in option and in hindsight were very glad that we didn't have to do all the transfers by 4x4, but of course the overland route has the advantage that you get to see a lot more of the villages along the roads, so it's no wasted time if you opt for this way of travelling.... and Jon is a great driver who skillfully tries avoid the potholes.
We are very grateful for this incredible experience and highly recommend "Safaris by Jon" to anyone looking for an exceptional safari experience at a very fair price in Uganda - the value for money is excellent!
ES
Email Vanessa Fraile | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Marvelous
The trip was fantastic. Uganda is marvelous, People are very friendly and the landscape is really spectacular. The experience with gorilas was amazing, something to do at least once in life. But the trekking with chimpanzees disappointed us, we did it in Queen Elizabeth and not in Kibale and the truth is that it was not worth. We didáctica everything with Home to África, and everything except trekking with chimpanzees were fantastic.
