Wilbur Begumisa the founder and managing director
Gorilla Trek Africa
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2004)
- Member Of:
- NU & AUTO
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $80 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Absolutely Amazing and Reliable Company
I could not speak more highly of this company and its service. First of all, we dealt with Nicolas when organizing our trip. He was spectacular. He would reply almost always within 24 hours and was always willing to answer our questions or make changes to our itinerary. We were able to tell Nicolas what we wanted and he was able to secure it all--great hotels, gorilla trekking permits, and excursions all for the right price. It could not have been any better.
When we arrived we were also blessed to have, what we thought, as the best guide on earth. Bernard was awesome. I would even recommend asking for him if he is available. He was super informative, always positive, amazingly helpful, and very caring (even stopping on our drives to pick us up drinks and local fruits). If you get the opportunity to have Bernard as your guide, you will not regret it!
Our trip started in Kampala, Uganda and Bernard drove us down to Kigali, Rwanda--making multiple stops on the way. We gorilla trekked in Rwanda and went on a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park--both of which I would recommend.
All in all, our trip could not have been better. I would absolutely recommend this company.
Email Ness and Jon | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
9 days in Uganda, Rwanda & Congo; Gorilla, Chimp & Monkey trekking, overnight on volcano, Excellent
We had a great experience, right from the start of emailing to customising our itinerary, to being picked up by Ben (our excellent guide) in a very good quality vehicle to being settled into our last Motel before flying to the next leg of our trip.
Gorilla Trek Africa organised our Gorilla trekking permits in Uganda and Rwanda, our Chimp trekking Permits in Uganda, our Golden Monkey trekking permits in Rwanda and a 2 day hike to Mount Nyiragongo in DCR and it all went without a single hiccup.
Ben was a great representative of Gorilla Trek Africa, going above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly, even organising overnight repairs to one of our pairs of hiking boots and tracking down a replacement to a lost power adaptor.
He was able to answer all our inquiries about Uganda and Rwanda; flora and fauna, agriculture, infrastructure, education, health politics etc.
On the first day we met a very competent guide, on the last day we said goodbye to a good friend.
Highly recommend a competent and good value for money company.
TR
Email azat gul | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
reliable company
We have returned from a 5 day Uganda and Rwanda tour with Gorilla Trek Africa.
It was a nice experience. Everything was well organised.
There was nothing bad ay all. Our driver/guide Bernard is a really nice person. I must say that he is wise. Nicholas, my contact in the travel agency, was very helpful since the beginning. He allowed me to custom our journey. I highly recommend Gorilla Trek Africa.
US
Email Dan S. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Terrific trip; Sam was amazing guide that went above and beyond to give us a special trip.
Gorilla Trek helped put together a trip of a lifetime. Nicholas was extremely efficient in responding to our emails and our driver-guide Sam was more than just a great tour guide; he is a wonderful human being you taught us about his country and took amazing care of us throughout our 8 days with him. We not only tracked the Mountain Gorillas, the Golden Monkeys and the Chimpanzees, we learned about the people and culture of Rwanda. I highly recommend Gorilla Trek.
Email Peter Hoffmann | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Trekking in Rwanda - an experience of a life time!
My wife and I have just returned from a week in Rwanda. The holiday (excl. flights) had been arranged by Gorilla Trek Africa, which is a travel company located in Uganda but organises tours through East Africa. We didn't find many other reviews of this travel company on Tripadvisor (or elsewhere) and that is a real shame as this company is fantastic in providing tailor made holidays without a price tag that breaks the bank!
Our primary contact was Nicolas (working in their Uganda office) who was highly professional, friendly and very helpful in developing a tailored programme that suited our interests. Our primary goal was to go trekking with mountain gorillas in the Volcanos National Park in Rwanda and Nicolas was extremely helpful in organising this. We had MANY questions and he was very patient and answered each and every one in great detail.
When the itinerary was finalised we had to transfer a deposit (a sizeable amount) to secure the gorilla permits as these get booked out up to six months in advance - it is standard practice and all travel companies will ask for a deposit to enable them to secure the gorilla permits. To be honest we were a little hesitant parting with a large sum via an international transfer but this worry hadn't been necessary whatsoever and Nicholas informed us as soon as the money had arrived. We could not have asked for a better service.....in fact we have not received such effective and rapid responses from any UK company that we have used in our past 20+ years of intense travelling.
Roll on Rwanda.....a.k.a The Land of a Thousand Hills. It is a beautiful country with a dark history that has left a permanent scar but it is humbling to see how everyone continues to push forward and look ahead to the future. It is a poor country but so incredibly beautiful and it is lovely to see how curious most children are of tourists and their desire to engage.
Our guide for the week was William and he was an absolute pleasure to travel with. He was very knowledgeable about Rwanda, its culture and introduced us to local food and traditions, which made the trip even more memorable. He was highly organised, very friendly and easy going, always on time and flexible in his approach. William was incredibly well regarded by the locals everywhere we went and we cannot praise him highly enough. A great ambassador for Gorilla Trek Africa and we would highly recommend him as a guide!
We spent a couple of days in Akagera National Park where we saw hippos, zebras, baboons, wild hogs, impalas, crocodiles and much more. It is a great visit but don’t expect to see the Big 5 Game. The park has recently (June 2015) released eight lions into the park and there are also elephants and giraffes. Whilst it cannot be compared to the Maasai Mara or Serengeti it is well worth a visit!
The highlight of our trip was the gorilla trekking in the Volcanos National Park – an experience for a life time! We did two treks and whilst the permits are pricey it is well worth it as you get two completely different experiences. The treks offered amazing views of the mountains and the lush nature. The hour we spent with the gorillas were mind blowing and we cannot recommend it enough.
We also did the Dian Fossey trek and it was great experience that we would definitely recommend if you got an extra day in Musanze! The trek was steep but the views were worth the efforts.
If you consider travelling to Africa then go with Gorilla Trek Africa. We highly recommend them and when we go again we will definitely be in touch with Nicolas to arrange our next trip!
Email Alison | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorillas in the mist
I took a solo two day trip to the see the gorillas in Volcanos National Park, Rwanda, and it was incredible. I'd highly recommend the company - and in particular my wonderful driver and guide, Enos. He was extremely knowledgeable and a real gentleman. I was travelling solo and he made sure I was looked after every step of the way. And of course - the gorillas were amazing! We got to see an entire family after just 30 minutes of trekking - and were privileged enough to see a baby that had been born the night before. It was a truly unforgettable experience and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Gorilla Trek Africa to anyone.
Email Robyn Maloney | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Lifetime Experience
A friend recommended Gorilla Trek Africa so I decided to contact them. When I first emailed them to inquire about tours to Rwanda they were very professional and got back to me quickly and after deciding what tour to do I booked for my husband and I and we weren't disappointed. On arrival in Rwanda we were met by David our guide who was friendly, had lots of knowledge, good English and nothing was a problem for him. The car was clean and reliable and our hotel was excellent - everything about the tour was exceptional. I have recommended Gorilla Trek Africa to friends as they make your trip to Rwanda a memorable one.
AE
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience and fantastic Guide
I had a long weekend and wanted to do something memorable in it. I got in touch with a number of travel companies however Gorilla Trek provided the most active and comprehensive itinerary which is why I chose them.
From the moment I arrived to the time I left, everything was taken care of. My guide Eric was just awesome. Cannot recommend him highly enough. He looked after me the whole time, was so insightful and really put 100% in each day. He really made the whole thing (well that and the Gorillas!).
Overall an amazing trip. Recommend the company.
Email Kirsty | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful trip - I'd definitely recommend
I've always wanted to go gorilla trekking and can honestly say it was an incredible experience. I would definitely recommend it and the tour operator. When I was booking I was worried about the cost and also the fact that the Trekkers cannot 'guarantee' you'll see the gorillas. I didn't need to worry, whilst they say they can't guarantee, I think it pretty much is guaranteed, they monitor the gorillas movements during the day and then send rangers out in the morning to follow their movements. We saw a large group and even babies. It really was breathtaking, once in a lifetime and well worth the money. You get so close to them too. Our guide was brilliant, knowledgable, friendly and very willing to adapt the trip to be exactly what we wanted to do over the 3 days. The staff on the trip and also the pre-trip discussions were all very helpful - thank you!
AE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
5 Days with Gorilla Trek Africa
We had a wonderful time in Uganda and were perfectly happy with the organization of the trip! Booking was easy through emails. Nicholas replies to my numerous emails were nearly instantaneous. The payment through wire transfer was simple and not as expensive as payment through credit card.
The car was in a good condition (I was a bit scared before going on the trip because I had some bad feedbacks from travellers on this), the lodges were nice with friendly staff and the food was simple but surprisingly good and nicely presented.
And last but not the least, we would like to thank again our guide and driver Rogers who really went out of his way to make our trip as interesting and hassle-free as possible. Bravo!