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
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Email Brian & Becky Smith | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
7 Day Gorilla Trek/Chimpanzee Trek/Safari
We took a 7 day Gorilla Trek/Chimpanzee Trek/Safari provided by Katona Tours in May 2014. We were extremely satisfied with the great job done by Katona in planning and conducting our trip. Our trip included Bwindi, Queen Elisabeth NP, Kibale NP, and Murchison Falls NP.
Katona (Jackie in particular) was extremely helpful and responsive to all of our questions. We were nervous about trying to coordinate a trip from the other side of the world, so we had many questions in the months leading up to it. One of the reasons we selected Katona was their quick and thorough answers to our emails and calls. In our planning, we made inquiries with several tour agencies, but Katona was clearly the best in this regard.
We had the same guide (Richard) for the entire week. He was cheerfully waiting at the airport for our late arrival (near midnight), drove us to all of the parks, conducted our game drives, and got us back to the airport in time for our flight. Richard was enthusiastic, friendly, and very focused on making sure we had the best experience/adventure possible. In addition, he provided good advice and interesting information about Uganda. And finally, he did a great job of driving on a lot of rough roads.
The lodges selected for us by Katona had some of the best food and definitely the best service we have had anywhere. By the time our day activities were completed, we were able to relax comfortably and safely. There are detailed lodge reviews for the places we stayed on TripAdvisor.com, which I believe are accurate. Our lodges were Trekkers Tavern (Bwindi), Twin Lakes (Queen Elisabeth), Kibale Forest Camp (Kibale), and Fort Murchison Lodge (Murchison Falls).
Katona was also a great help in compensating for several failures by our airline (Delta/KLM). Delta delivered us to Entebbe 24 hours late and lost one of our bags. Despite our late arrival, Katona was able to make sure we were able to see all of the things we had planned. They were also able to get our bag to us as soon as the airline finally shipped it. This was a very difficult task because we were about a 6 hour drive away from Kampala/Entebbe when the bag arrived. We can’t thank Katona enough for the help.
In summary, we would highly recommend Katona. The primary reasons were the quick and thorough responses when planning the trip, our satisfaction with getting to see everything we wanted, their ability to assist when we had severe airline problems, and our great guide/driver. Uganda is a much different world than where we live, and Katona made sure we had a great adventure.
US
Email Brian & Becky Smith | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding 7 Night Gorilla Trek/Chimpanzee Trek/Safari
We took a 7 day Gorilla Trek/Chimpanzee Trek/Safari provided by Katona Tours in May 2014. We were extremely satisfied with the great job done by Katona in planning and conducting our trip. Our trip included Bwindi, Queen Elisabeth NP, Kibale NP, and Murchison Falls NP.
Katona (Jackie in particular) was extremely helpful and responsive to all of our questions. We were nervous about trying to coordinate a trip from the other side of the world, so we had many questions in the months leading up to it. One of the reasons we selected Katona was their quick and thorough answers to our emails and calls. In our planning, we made inquiries with several tour agencies, but Katona was clearly the best in this regard.
We had the same guide (Richard) for the entire week. He was cheerfully waiting at the airport for our late arrival (near midnight), drove us to all of the parks, conducted our game drives, and got us back to the airport in time for our flight. Richard was enthusiastic, friendly, and very focused on making sure we had the best experience/adventure possible. In addition, he provided good advice and interesting information about Uganda. And finally, he did a great job of driving on a lot of rough roads.
The lodges selected for us by Katona had some of the best food and definitely the best service we have had anywhere. By the time our day activities were completed, we were able to relax comfortably and safely. There are detailed lodge reviews for the places we stayed on TripAdvisor.com, which I believe are accurate. Our lodges were Trekkers Tavern (Bwindi), Twin Lakes (Queen Elisabeth), Kibale Forest Camp (Kibale), and Fort Murchison Lodge (Fort Murchison).
Katona was also a great help in compensating for several failures by our airline (Delta/KLM). Delta delivered us to Entebbe 24 hours late and lost one of our bags. Despite our late arrival, Katona was able to make sure we were able to see all of the things we had planned. They were also able to get our bag to us as soon as the airline finally shipped it. This was a very difficult task because we were about a 6 hour drive away from Kampala/Entebbe when the bag arrived. We can’t thank Katona enough for the help.
In summary, we would highly recommend Katona. The primary reasons were the quick and thorough responses when planning the trip, our satisfaction with getting to see everything we wanted, their ability to assist when we had severe airline problems, and our great guide/driver. Uganda is a much different world than where we live, and Katona made sure we had a great adventure.
US
Email William Morris | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a lifetime....
From booking to seeing my first gorilla it was an amazing experience. Richard was an excellent driver and guide. Over time he became a friend. I am sure that I was less than fun to drive some days, but he never showed it. The troubles we faced were never his fault and he always dealt with them professionally. He made me feel comfortable and welcomed at all times. Jaclie was great in dealing with my booking and answered all of my question, and thete were a lot! She even called to check how things were along the way. Five star service even on my three star budget.
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Email Loni greenspan | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable experience that everyone should experience
What an experience. From the first time I started my research into visiting the mountain gorillas to the end of my adventure,, katona tours was outstanding. Jaquka was there answering every question I had before I left the U.S. upon arrival, Richard our guide and now friend, was there to take care of our every need. Answer our many questions . He could find the leopard in the trees, the sleeping lions, and he knew so many of the people in each town that we felt like family everywhere. I loved all the unique lodges that Jaquka suggested,too. Listening to hippos at night at ihamba lodge. Watching the kingfisher birds fish. Elephant moms and their kids along the channel and especially the gentle gorillas I highly recommend this company.
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Book through Katona!
I really appreciated the open lines of communication with Katona tours both during and after the booking process. Jackie's replies were always quick and it was nice that she called to check in on us during our travels. Richard our driver was very knowledgeable, friendly, and was a highlight of the journey. I think we got very good value for our money. Thank you!
CA
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
8 days of Heaven !!!
We were in Uganda for 8 days and had booked Katona Tours to organize our trip. Jackie was fantastic !! She was very quick to respond to our our emails and answer any questions we may have had. She was excellent at suggesting time lines and was very flexible when we wanted to make changes. The price was very competitive. We booked all budget accommodations and they were perfect. We wanted something very rustic and close to nature and we got exactly what we wanted. The food was fantastic !!
Richard our driver was amazing. He was always on time and organized. He kept us on track and ensured we had an amazing experience. He had many suggestions for us and customized our trip to make sure we were well taken care of. He was a fantastic driver and we always felt very safe.
Overall I would highly recommend this tour company and we would definitely use them again
Jackie was responsive and helpful with logistics and arrangements - Richard was a fantastic guide!
We did a 5 day trip with Katona from Kampala to Bwindi for a gorilla trek, followed by a visit to Queen Elizabelth Park. Arranging everything with Jackie was easy and very smooth and our experience certainly lived up to and exceeded expectations. This was in large part due to our excellent guide Richard. He was extremely professional and attended to our needs and did the best he could to make our trip the best that he possibly could. He was also a very good driver and knowledgeable guide which facilitated our understanding and enjoyment of the trip. Highly recommended!
CA
Email Neva | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic!
Jackie was great, she answered all my questions quickly and efficiently. She is kind and she will do her best to make your adventure one to remember. I went on a 8 day tour, trekking for Gorilla's, game safari, trekked for Chimpanzee's. The treks were hard for me but the end result makes it all worth it! The accommodations we chose were budget but honestly they were amazing. The service was great, everyone made sure we had everthing we needed and more. Our guide Richard was the best! He went above and beyond for us. We told him we loved avacado, he stops along the road and gets a bag of them for us. He made sure I had the best adventure trekking for gorilla's. He made sure I had a porter and that the guide kept and eye out for me, and Sara did, I will never forget this adventure. Thanks Katona for making my first trip to Uganda an memorable one. I will defiantly be back.
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Email Anna | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our Rwanda experience with Katona Tours & Travel was the BEST!
After researching and finding out that Rwanda was the “easier” destination to see the Mountain Gorillas, we sent out requests for quotes from five different tour companies. Jackie at Katona Tours and Travel was the quickest to respond with a full recommended itinerary and reasonable prices. We massaged the itinerary until it completely fitted our needs. The four of us did a 5 Day, 4 night trip which included two Gorilla treks and a Golden Monkey trek. Baker, our driver and guide, picked us up from Step Town Motel in Kigali (great place recommended by Jackie). We stayed at the Mountain Gorilla View Lodge (excellent!) for three nights during our treks. Baker was nice, very professional, and knew the routes like the back of his hands. He seemed to know everyone, including the people at the Kinigi Ranger Station, where the many groups were assigned to specific gorilla families. He took us on a Rwanda city tour, walked us through the Musanze Marketplace, and shopping at the local arts and craft market. This was an unforgettable trip and we would recommend it to anyone. Katona Tours and Travel made it all possible with its great service and price. At the end of our tour, Jackie spoke with us over the phone to make sure everything went well. Oh, one more thing – it seems that she never sleeps. Jackie answered all our emails almost instantly no matter what time it was.
PT
Email Nuno Alves and Margarida Campinas | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
An experience of a lifetime
Uganda is a fantastic country with exceptional and genuine landscapes and wildlife and Katona Tours made our days in Uganda an experience that we will never forget. Jackie was always very efficient in back office, very quick with replies, trying hard to clarify and please us. During the safari she phoned every day to check if everything was going ok. Jack, our guide, was local, very friendly and truly learned in animals and local habits and he did his best to give us the best of time.
Although we opted for the budget accommodations, we loved all the places we have stayed since they all had a very special atmosphere. They prepared us excellent cooks and we dine under the stars (fantastic sky) and close to the fire. Yes, it was cold in equator…and also hot…could you imagine it?
The gorilla safari day was a hard walk, and we had the greatest heavy rain of our life, but it was very well rewarding to be so close to those humbling and awe-inspiring animals. But Uganda has much, much to offer and to pick a favorite moment it is very difficult… we also loved the chimpanzee safari, all Queen Elizabeth safaris and the close-up with the tree climbing lions. Thanks Katona Tours!!! We will treasure our Uganda trip, always!