Ecotourism in action
Bamboo Ecotours
- Office In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2012)
- Member Of:
- Association of Uganda Tour Operators
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $110 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
DE
Email Johannes | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Reliable, professional, accessible, flexible.
We can only recommend Bamboo Ecotours as travel agency. Initial contact was very fast and easy. During the booking process we felt well guided by Edison who assured our trust in the payment procedure. The basic rate is still comfortable with own toilet/bathroom in every accommodation. They provided good and mostly organic food. We enjoyed, that we could adjust the travel route to our preferences (e.g. Pick-up in Kigali, drop-off in Kampala). We will never forget the Gorilla trekking and Chimp trekking! You should not miss an overnight stay at lake Bunyonyi.
A special recommendation goes to our driver, Jackson, on whom we could not only rely 100 % but who was also the source of cultural and historical insights on Uganda and who - through his clever and intelligent personality - made longer car trips a very pleasant experience. If you can, pick him!
US
Email Spencer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent Gorilla Trek Experience
We flew into Kigali and Bamboo picked us up from the hotel and handled transport and paperwork to the Ugandan highlands and Bwindi. We loved our experience. The hike itself is gorgeous and the terrain is very different from anything in the US. The experience with the gorillas was totally unique and something I'll remember for the rest of my life. Our driver Herbert was very knowledgeable about the area and a lot of fun to talk to. He took great care of us and even returned to the hotel after dripping us off because we forgot something important in the car. I highly recommend him.
ES
Email joaquim | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
amazing experience
has been amazing service. all set up in advance and excellent guide
US
Email Weicheng | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Excellent and very smooth experience
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip with Bamboo ecotours. Edison was super helpful and patient to answer all my questions from the start. This was my first time in Africa so I probably had more questions than most people who had been here before.
The actual trip was very smooth and amazing. Fred was my driver and guide. He did a great job making sure everything went as planned and my needs were met. Apart from the gorilla trekking, I also really enjoyed the time with the local community. Interacting with the local people just adds a whole other dimension to my experience. Highly recommend Bamboo ecotours and Fred!
DE
Email Andreas | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
5 day tour all well managed
Hello, all was well managed, good hotels, good driving and an attentive and knowledgeable guide (Herbert). We recommend Bamboo tours
CA
Email Dr A | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best company you could possibly choose!
Absolutely phenomenal from start to finish. Edison was so fast to respond to all of our (many many) questions and send in depth information well in advance, including what to expect, what to pack, what we would need to cross the boarder from Rwanda to Uganda and back (vaccines, visas etc), and contact information for our guide, Jackson. Jackson made our trip the absolute best experience possible. He was extremely friendly and knowledgable, answering all of our questions along the way.
We booked the 3 day gorilla trek and golden monkey hike with coffee tour:
Notes: bring small American cash if you can as it is accepted/expected everywhere.
We landed in Kigali at 7am with a very quick walk through customs.
We had a quick stop for breakfast at Bourbon Coffee at the airport and grabbed a sandwich for the road.
Jackson picked us up right after our breakfast (he knows the area well and can make great recommendations for breakfast and lunch stops).
We made a stop at the Genocide Memorial which should not be missed. It was extremely emotional walking through the museum and learning more about the cold history of the Rwandan genocide and we really appreciated having time to take it all in.
We continued our drive through to our coffee tour in Uganda where we saw first hand the process of coffee making from field to cup. The family even let us try our hand at processing and making our own coffee from freshly picked beans through to roasting. The coffee was fantastic and we bought a few bags ourselves.
We then headed to Rushaga Gorilla Lodge which was hands down one of the most beautiful accommodations we have had the privilege of staying at.
We had an early morning start (7am) to head to the Gorilla trekking. The Batwa people started us off with a cultural dance to get everyone in the mood and then we were off following our guides with directions from our trackers. We hiked for just under 6 hours. These hikes are not "hard" but there is some marsh, some steep inclines and it is very wise to bring proper high ankle hiking boots and gaters to protect against mud, water, ants and other jungle funs. The gorillas were unbelievable, a true once in a lifetime experience. The guides answered all of our questions and helped us make the most of our hour with the family of 12 including several babies.
We took a quick lunch break hillside after exiting the jungle, taking in the stunning views. After getting back we thanked our guides and headed back to the lodge, taking time to pickup some souvenirs from the locals.
We had a relaxing afternoon poolside and enjoyed some afternoon relaxing on the deck of our jungle cabin.
The dinners are the lodge were fantastic and lunch and breakfast were also provided. (They over feed you for sure so no worries about food on this trip!)
Our next morning we started at 5am to drive through to Mgahinga Gorilla National park (a part of the Virunga mountain range) to hike to see the golden monkeys. The hike again took us through jaw dropping scenery. You can also view gorillas here or climb to the top of the mountain even. The hike took roughly 5 hours and again we had one hour with the monkeys as they jumped through the trees and came down to check out what we were doing.
We took a lunch break in the town with Jackson on the way back enjoying some rolex and vegetable curry which were fantastic. We picked up some more local coffee here too before starting our 4 hour drive back to Kigali.
All in all this was hands down the BEST tour company we could have chosen for sure and we will most definitely be back again!
SE
Email Carl Walter | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing gorilla and chimpanzee trekking!
If you're looking for the cheapest tour that you can do, but still with one of the best and most trusted tour operators in Uganda, this is the tour operator for you! I looked through countless different tour operators and this is hands down the best and most affordable one. We did gorilla trekking in Bwindi and chimpanzee trekking in Kibale with Bamboo Ecotours, and everything from the communication and planning to the execution and the driver was flawless! My one and only complain is that one of the seat belts in the car did not work.
US
Email Kat Dayton | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Most Outstanding Gorilla Trekking Experience!
Bamboo Ecotours delivered the most incredible (and affordable) mountain gorilla experience for my family of 5! From booking the arrangements with Edison to the actual transport and gorilla trek with Herbert, our entire experience was top-notch. Edison helped secure special permission for our not- quite-15 -year-old son to join the trek (which was huge!) and was in regular communication with us while logistics were being arranged. Herbert picked us up from our Kigali hotel and expertly ferried us through northern Rwanda, through to the Ugandan border crossing, and finally to our lodge and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forrest. He was thoughtful and considerate to all the needs of our family and a joy to be with over our two days together. The lodgings arranged for us by Bamboo at Rushaga Gorilla Lodge were fantastic. I rally cannot say enough good things about our entire experience. If you want to trek mountain gorillas while in Rwanda OR Uganda, Bamboo Ecotours is the most fabulous choice!
US
Email Jeff G | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Super friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable
Booking the tour was extremely easy as they were very responsive to email and answered questions quickly and efficiently, even when I had to change my dates two times.
The pre-trip information is thorough and straightforward. It totally prepared me for the trip and put me at ease about anything I was unsure of, including clothes, equipment, permits, and tipping.
My guide, Amanya, was the absolute best. He was super friendly, very knowledgeable about the animals and the trek, and was an excellent resource in choosing the local food. He took great care to make sure I was comfortable and having a good time. I truly enjoyed our time together and can’t recommend him enough.
Bamboo Eco Tours is definitely a go-to in Rwanda or Uganda for a great trekking experience.
US
Email Nira | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
So sweet and super helpful!
Jackson was an amazing driver. We felt safe the whole time. Everything was well organized and we didn’t have to worry about anything
