Water experiment at the Equator -Uganda
Katona Tours & Travel
- Located In:
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- AUTO - Association Of Uganda Tour Operators, UWA - Uganda Wild life Authority & UTB - Uganda Tourism Board
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $70 to $700 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
BR
Email Vyacheslav | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent 5-day tour with 2 gorilla tracks (one in Uganda and one in DRC).
We had a 5-day tour with Katona with 2 gorilla tracks (one in Uganda and one in DRC). Both were amazing and different. Jackie was extremely helpful all the time with fast replies, accommodating all our needs. We felt safe during the trip. The guides (Ceasar and Chibe) were great. We only wish we had an extra day in Goma to climb the volcano.
FR
Email Eric | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So wonderful gorilla watching!
We had a one week trek to see gorillas in Uganda and Congo, and it was really breathtaking! It is a unique experience and everything went really fine thanks to the team.
Our guide (Ceasar) for the week was really friendly and efficient. If we had small requests, he was always trying to fulfil them. Jackie (with whom we booked the tour) was kindly phoning regularly to inquire whether everything was fine. It was like being with two more friends.
Definitively something to try!
US
Email Chelsea | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A fantastic time
We had an amazing, comfortable and memorable five-day tour in Uganda, thanks to Ceasar and Jackie from Katona. Jackie responded promptly and professionally to my questions, working with me to find options that would fit our budget. They gave great lodging choices - especially at Bush Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, everything exceeded my expectations for a budget option. They even had a gentle hippo visiting the dining area every evening.
Ceasar drove smoothly and safely, and we had fun, informative conversations. He carefully planned details like breakfast time, departure time, and whether we would take packed lunch so that our tour or game drive would be optimally timed, while allowing us flexibility. On the day of the gorilla trek in Bwindi, he helped us secure a nearby gorilla family and even borrowed two trekking sticks from a nearby hotel for us. On our last day, driving from Queen Elizabeth to Kigali airport, he managed to stop at Lake Bunyonyi for lunch, arrive at the Genocide Memorial before closing, and help us run an errand downtown - and we hadn't even woken up early!
Since we visited Queen Elizabeth during the dry season, when the animals congregate around water boies, Ceasar worked extra hard. During the morning game drive, he read the body language of the kob, the presence of birds, and tracks on the ground to infer whether larger predators were nearby. We saw lions with cubs, elephants, buffalo, water buck, warthogs and smaller animals. Having worked in the park for years, Ceasar had interesting tidbits about every animal.
Though we never met Jackie as she's based in Kampala, she called to check in most days of our tour. The folks at Katona are conscientious, responsible and warm. I will book with them again if I return to Uganda.
DE
Email Luis | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
What a glorious trip with Katona Tours
My wife and I had a glorious trip with Katona Tours.
Our encounter with the Mountain gorillas will linger in our minds. Elias was so caring and politely attended to our endless requests that were not part of the Trip.
Jackie the owner amazingly replied to all our mails queries.
Hope to use Katona Tours again in future.
CA
Email Trevor | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely above and beyond what we had expected
Overall, it was a fantastic trip! Jackie was extremely prompt with all communication at all hours of her night, including as soon as she received our wire transfer to pay for the safari. Elias, our guide, was exceptional and showed up early to pick us up in Kigali. When we near the park in Uganda, Elias was told that the main road into the park was closed due to an overturned truck. He then spent he next 2.5 hours trying to navigate an extremely difficult side road in order to make sure that we made it on time for safari. I don't know how he navigated such difficult terrain!
Overall, I would absolutely recommend Katona. I was nervous about booking any overseas tour without being able to meet people in person, but Jackie and Elias made the whole experience fantastic. Jackie even called us on our way back to ask how everything went. Highly recommended!
GR
Email Yianna | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great gorilla safari
I've contacted Jackie months before our trip to Uganda. From the first moment she was very responsive and gave me all the info I needed for our first trip to Africa. She recommended lodges, hotels and gorilla permits. She took really good care of us during our stay at Uganda.
Denis - our driver - was really helpful and gave us many information for Uganda. The car was excellent and he helped us in any he could during the 3 days of our trip.
CA
Email Connie E. | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An amazing experience that was all, and more of what we expected - Excellent!
Dealing with Katona Tours was one of the best travel decisions we have made. We toured Uganda and Rwanda using an itinerary that was planned by Jackie and Katona Tour. We had tons of questions as we planned and they were always answered completely and promptly by Jackie. The tours and all of our accommodations were excellent. Caesar, our guide, was with us for the entire 17 days allowing us to tap into his expertise regarding the culture, parks and animal life of the countries. We would have never had half of the great experience we had without them!! I begin to express our gratitude for their contributions to making this trip the "one-of-a-life-time" experiences we had hoped it would be. We began our journey in East Africa unsure of what to really expect. We left thrilled with our experiences and with a feeling that we had found a friend in Caesar that none of us will ever forget!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DID FOR US!!!
DE
Email Ulrich Beckers | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
16 Days Uganda Wildlife Super Safari for one person only
The preparation for the safari took Jackie and me nearly a year. During this time and also later on the manager answered on emails and
questions always unusual fast. In about fifty years I haven'' t found such a safe and loyal travel agency wether in Africa nor in Europe.
The safari was so well prepared that we haven' t had any problems within 16 days. For transportation I had a 4x4 wheel driven Toyota
landcruiser with a driver and at the same time a safari guide, who knew his job best. Sometimes without any signs he mastered the most
difficult tracks and roads. Crossing the NP'´ s in Uganda he mostly knew where the animals were. Very often his colleges were following our
car and had the luck to watch lions in a tree, a smaller leopard in a bush or a fish eagle loosing twice the fish in front of our car. Martin was
an excellent and safe driver, who took care of me, that it was not necessary for me to eat meat. Jackie, the manager, got in touch with her driver
every day and made her inquiries about our safari. The hotels and lodges we have chosen together were all moderate and in a clean
condition. At no time I felt unwell or unsafe. Uganda has a lot of friendly and helpful people. My expectations of this country, especially
landscapes and people, were better than expected. Once more my thanks to a very safe and loyal company.
DE
Email Lasse | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla trekking
We did a Gorilla trekking in Uganda - it was amazing!!!! Mgahinga national park is very recommendable!!! Our driver Elias picked us up in Kigali, Ruanda, and drove us to our Lodge in Uganda and the next day to the starting point for the trekking. After it, he drove us back to Kigali. Elias was the best!!! Ask for Elias when you need a very friendly, openminded and funny driver :-) on top of that, his English was perfect!
US
Email US mom | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
100% delivery as promised!
Jackie was a great contact. She was responsive and she delivered EXACTLY as she promised. No glitches and the description of everything was exactly what we received. Jackie is also a good source for everything Rwanda and Ugabda, if you want to make it a destination. We visited Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Ugabda and although the Safari in Uganda is not the Serengeti it was much cheaper, prettier and not far off. Uganda was our favorite country and we felt safe the entire time. We are a family of 6 and everyone loved the gorilla experience the most! The hike to the gorillas was easy and not an uphill. The area is beautiful and the village below is a worthwhile destination. We had 2 guides with guns and 2 porters and the gorillas were located by a team of 6 and they too had guns (to protect from wild animal encounters, which we didn't have).
