Encounter Africa Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2009)
- Member Of:
- Association of Uganda Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $50 to $300 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
EG
Email Phillip B. | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience!!
I would recommend to anyone who can to do it, to experience gorilla trekking and observing these incredible animals from up close. The whole trip was great. The accommodations were very nice. Our driver was very good and helpful and shared his knowledge of Uganda with us. The trekking guides were very grateful and knowledgeable. We got to spend a little over an hour with a family of about 8 gorillas, a silverback, a couple females and some younger ones. Overall, truly a once in a lifetime experience.
IT
Email Marco | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
3 days in Bwindi Nationa park
I went for the safari trekking with Encounter Safaris, as they were the first to reply my mails and the most accurate (on internet, I've found that price are not differing a lot between operators).
Me and the other guest, Ana, had the beautiful travel across the south part of the country. Our cicerone was Joseph, which is a very good driver and extremely funny! He also knows a lot about safaris and we spent our time together happily talking about everything.
We spent out two nights in the budget Broadbill Camp, which is very ok considering to be in the middle of the jungle: I was able to receive calls and call my office :( . The food vas very good as my fresh Club Beer, always available (you have to pay it apart).
We were lucky to quickly find the gorilla, after only 1 hr walking.
I won't tell you if the experience worth the price and effort related to do this safari but it was, for me, something that I wanted to do from long time and finally did. You will have what you ask: Gorillas in their natural environment.
Take care that the area can be very cold!
At the beginning I was supposed to go alone, and previously paid a full amount for a single person travel.
Fortunately Chris has been able to match me with another guest (Ciao Ana!),so that I had the full refund of the difference single traveler - group traveler. Thumbs Up for Counter Safaris!!!
PL
Email Daniel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unique experience!
We choose 5 day safari (Gorillas Tracking + Chimpanzee). And really couldn't be better. Places we stayed were beyond our expectations. Wildlife experience was just spectacular. Actually it's hard to put it in words, what you feel when you're just a few meteres from those majestic creatures. We were also very lucky to have a Joseph as a guide. Very funny and cool guy who answered thousands of our questions, was looking after us and made really unforgettable memory. Encounter Africa Safaris is really trustworthy crew.
US
Email Sarah | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Close Encounters
We had the best experience with Encounters on our safari in Uganda! From beginning to end it was perfect! They made the booking process so easy and were readily available to answer all (one million) of my anxious questions. The accommodations at each location were wonderful and so beautiful each in their own way. The food and service at each place we stayed was excellent. We really enjoyed getting to share meals with other travelers at some of the guest houses and getting to hear about their experiences as well. Our guide, Tolbert, was amazing! Traveling in an unfamiliar place can be a little intimidating but from the moment he picked us up at the airport we were put at ease. Throughout the trip he explained every stop we made to ensure our comfort and safety. He was incredibly knowledgeable on the wildlife, culture, and history of the country. The wildlife was amazing! We did game drives and boat cruises in a few places but our highlights were the chimp and gorilla trekking. We were able to get so close to the animals and had a truly once in a lifetime experience. The guides and trackers were wonderful. They were welcoming, knowledgeable, and excited to share the experiences with us. If you want an all inclusive view of what Africa has to offer, Uganda is the place to go! The Pearl of Africa is just that and has a little of everything to satisfy everyone desires. I would recommend Enounters to anyone of all ages who is interested in having a once in a lifetime experience in such a beautifully diverse country.
Very satisfied customer
Encounter Africa were my first point of contact entering Uganda from the UK.
From my first initial contact with Encounter Africa I was provided with clear, useful information answering numerous questions any Production Manager might have entering a foreign country with crew, kit and contributors. Encounter Africa were there as a great support to the production when we needed them and I knew they were there as a fall back to production. I was given a very positive attitude to my queries by their staff who were efficient with communication. I would happily recommend Encounter Africa for film crew fixing services in Uganda.
US
Email GorillaLover! | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unforgettable experience!!!
We did the 3-day gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable Park, and it was an amazing experience!!! Joseph, our driver and guide, was phenomenal. He was an extremely professional driver and navigated the chaos of Kampala quickly and safely. Joseph was very knowledgable, and we learned a lot about the mountain gorillas, gorilla conservation, and Ugandan history and culture during our trip. He had a great sense of humor and was a joy to spend three days with. The lodging at Broadbill Forest Camp was equally amazing. The views were breathtaking, the food was delicious, and the tents were extremely comfortable. It was chilly at night during our visit and we had hot water bottles in our beds every night- it made such a difference and was so cozy!!! Lastly, the gorilla safari itself was a once in a lifetime experience. The guide and rangers were kind, professional and funny, and they wanted us to have the best experience possible- and they succeeded! We saw so many gorillas and were so close, it was amazing to see them interact with each other and with humans. It was a beautiful, if strenuous, hike and it was an experience I'll never forget. Thank you Encounter Africa Safaris!! You're the best!!!
US
Email Vagabond & Gentleman | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Supurb Gorilla Trek with Encounter Africa
I worked with Chris in the office to set up the Trek and Patrick was my Guide. Working with both were highlights of the package and I would not hesitate to work with them in the future.
I was pleased with Uganda and would return. It was a short trip down from Ethiopia where I had been on a photo safari for Ethiopian Wolves.
I stayed at Papyrus Guest House in Entebbe, Broadbill Forest Lodge in Bwindi Park, and Bird Nest Cottages in Lake Bunyonyi. I traveled solo but shared the Gorilla Trek with another traveler to downward adjust the costs. The star of the lodging experience was the Broadbill. Basic, but very clean with hot water available on demand. The personality of the owner and staff pushed the Broadbill to the top. I am not a luxury traveler, although I could be, but I prefer a more simple approach - they nailed it. Papyrus and Bird Nest were more than adequate and I was comfortable at those accommodations as well. I had been tent camping at 4,000m in Ethiopia, therefore, the comforts at the Broadbill, and menu, were sincerely appreciated.
The Gorilla Trek was fantastic and well worth the effort. A very professionally run experience!
Do it!
Email Rachel | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Phenomenal time at Bwindi!
I went with two friends on the 3-day gorilla trek and it was lovely. Joseph picked us up from where we were staying and was very entertaining the whole way to Bwindi, making the 10-hour drive fly by. The lodging was the perfect mix between budget and luxury - the accommodation was impeccable, the food was wonderful, and the staff and proprietor were just lovely. Joseph was prompt, always happy and smiling, and always ready to respond to our inane questions and chatter. The tour itself was incredible. We trekked into the forest for a couple of hours and ended up spending an hour with a family of around 11 gorillas. They were so close to us! This definitely exceeded our expectations.
US
Email Amanda Nace | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing Experience Gorilla Tracking with Encounter Africa Safaris
This experience was so much better than I could have ever imagined. Joseph, our driver was the best. Super fun and took great care of us. The camp we stayed at was lovely with the best showers and delicious food. We saw a family of 15 mountain gorillas after a 2 hour walk and the guides made sure we got close and all the pictures we wanted. I highly recommend this trip to anyone. I've done several other safaris and adventure trips in Africa and this one is definitely one of the best.
IE
Email Andrew | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Awesome gorilla experience!
Encounter africa were so good to deal with, arranging transfers to the mountains from Kampala was easy and Joseph, our driver/guide was awesome- he even came to our hostel the night before we were leaving just to check on us and make sure everything was ok. Joseph was lots of fun but also looked after us, getting us an upgrade at Lake bunyoni to the birds nest hotel (which is amazing) and also speaking to the gorilla trekkers to get them to take us to his favorite gorilla group. Actually seeing the gorillas is difficult to describe- there are less than 900 left and seeing them in their forest is truly incredible. My wife cried for 20 minutes when we first saw them because theyre such gentle, beautiful creatures. So highly recommended. Only thing to work on is that the system for international payments is a bit cumbersome - being able to pay by PayPal would be a big improvement. Thanks encounter africa and thank you so much Joseph!
Andrew and his boss.