Field photo setting off for rhino tracking
Karumuna Safaris
- Located In:
-
Australia
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- Uganda Tourism Board
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $70 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Priya | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
DO NOT TRUST. SCAMMER. TRAVEL AGENT FROM HELL
•Cancelled tour 1 day before flight from London and we PAID OVER $1000 USD to reschedule flights and accommodation, because he did not disclose that he failed to get the permit
•Booked SUBPAR accommodation and transport, from what was agreed.
•Still OWES US MONEY (waiting 6 months) for the disorganisation and troubles.
•Lack of communication and updates
•CHANGED OUR INTERNAL FLIGHTS without telling us resulting in stopovers and delays.
I have email proof of all of this for anyone who still wants to book with them.
OVERALL A REALLY NEGATIVE AND HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF OUR FIRST IN UGANDA.
Reply from Karumuna Safaris
Posted on Jan 3, 2023Thanks Priya for the review but be informed that changes came in due to permits sold out we informed the company paid extra costs on your domestic flights, paid extra money on the accommodation and rescheduled your gorilla permits to make sure your trip is done accordingly we sorry for what happened but we give services even paid more money to make sure your trip is done in proper way and you do not owes us money. you did your successful trip in September but you talking of six months
DE
Email Asia | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Christmas was exceptional with Karumuna Safaris
We spent our Christmas in the untouched Kidepo National Park.
Me and my family members enjoyed the ostriches, cheetahs, and more wildlife species.
It was an exceptional experience.
ES
Email Javier | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Stress, lies and nature
I booked (and paid) a Safari in 2019, which would happen in 2020, for 5 days including: chimps in Kibale, gorillas, climbing lions safari, and birding in Mabamba Swamp.
Obviously, COVID came and we couldn't make the trip in 2020. Richard (the owner), said that it was OK and that we could postpone everything to 2021, but he wasn't able to return the money. 2021 arrived, and we were not yet vaccinated, so at first, we decided to go but then we postponed again. Richard said that it was okay, with no penalties for postponing to 2022.
2022 arrives and around April I start moving everything for July of that year. We fix the dates, I buy the planes and everything seems to be okey. A couple of weeks later, the first unpleasant surprise, Richard tells me that the gorilla permits have expired, and we need to pay again. Even though he was explicit on the opposite a year before. We were angry, but what could we do, we paid again. Starting from that date, I asked like 6 times during the coming months for an official itinerary of the Safari, with the specific dates and what was included. Richard didn't send anything. A week before going to Uganda, he sends me the itinerary, and it was wrong!! The gorillas were booked for the day I was supposed to leave the country. Imagine my stress, ONE WEEK EARLIER with no gorillas, because Richard told me even in April that we should book the gorillas right away because it gets sold out very very quickly.
He said a couple of days later that everything was ok with the gorillas, but the chimps were not going to be in Kibale, but in Kalinzu. I paid 150$ for Kibale and the fee for Kalinzu was 45$. I didn't receive back any money.
We arrive in the country. The planning (roughly) was:
1-. Arriving + Transfer to Chimps zone
2-. Chimps + boat trip
3-. Safari + transfer to gorillas
4-. Gorillas
5-. Birding + departure flight
First day, everything OK.
Second day, chimps. We were alone in Kalinzu, I suppose because it's way worse than Kibale. Terrible surprise, Richard ask me on Whatsapp to borrow him 500$!!! Something about his mother. WTF I thought. Very angry, I answer him that no, I would not give him any money and he ask again for 100$! At that point, I was equally upset and surprised.
Third day. We arrive at Ishasha, and the guide tells us that the national park is closed because of an injured animal. I tell him that then what about the money that I paid for the entrance and how is it possible that an entire park closes without prior notification causing inconveniences to all the visitors. After insisting a couple of times, he said that we could try on the other entrance. We go to the other entrance, and after a couple of minutes of speaking with the people in the park, the guide comes out of the reception tent of the park with a soldier, and the soldier tells us that it was some elephant in the middle of the road that the veterinaries were healing. Big lie, and the soldier was for increasing credibility, I suppose. We arrive at the end of the day at Bwindi. The accommodation was super amazing, and because of that I was a little bit disappointed because we were supposed to start our day at 8 AM, but the guide eventually changed it to 9, and that hour in the balcony of the accommodation would have been amazing.
When we were having dinner, another terrible moment. Richard WhatsApp me, telling me that we were not going to make it to the Birding because watching the gorillas + transfer to Entebbe is too much for one day. Obviously, I was mad again. I asked about the money, and he refused to give anything back. The only option we had is to drive a long long time during the night for arriving on time. This was a bad option because the driving in Uganda is crazy, and even worse at 2 AM with a guide that has driven for 10 hours already.
Forth day. The guides make sure that we were with the group that would arrive quicker to the gorillas. Luckily, we saw the gorillas early and we started heading to Entebbe. We arrived at our very late in the night and we woke up at 04:30 to make it to the birding.
Fifth day. Woken up at 04:30, went to the birding and then to the airport. End of the trip.
The guides made everything that was on their hands to make our trip comfortable, they drove uncountless hours and were very nice to us, but the owner is a very unprofessional person that made our trip very unpleasant for moments, so I can't recommend him.
IN
Email Vishal Bhardwaj | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Unforgettable experience
It was my first time in Uganda. We had fantastic 3-Day Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safari with Richard, including transfers, lunch, accommodation. Must say great people, an incredible place, much more incredible than I ever imagined and thanks to Karumuna Safaris who greatly helped make this experience unforgettable with his great service, highly recommended.
DE
Email James Grey | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Top-notch safari experience.
I was very nervous because i have never been on safari. many people recommended Karumuna safaris to me for amazing experience, i contacted them and they replied me shortly. the management team was very flexible and helpful, they planned a 5 days safari for us. the food was very delicious, we got to see the wildlife we wanted to see. both the driver and guide were very experienced and knowledgeable. i highly recommend Karumuna safaris for amazing safari.
IT
Email Caterina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Higly recommened!!
It was more then a journey but a life expirience! Uganda is one of the most beautiful places we ever seen and its people are amazing! Karumuna Safaris will make every wish come true. Game drive in queen elizabeth national park, gorilla trekking, sunrise walking in lake mburu national park and some other more.
Richard best guide ever!
CH
Email Nicolas Gordillo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
They delivered the schedule but with many unapproved changes
I booked an 8 day safari. They kept the schedule but made changes without informing me or the driver.
I paid more money to secure a Landcruiser, but instead got a van in a bad state which kept breaking down throughout the trip.
Lodges were changed without informing me. After driving almost 20hours, we got to the lodge and they didn't have any reservation for me. We had to wait 1 hour until they told us where to go.
Also water was supposed to be included, i never got any. On the last day, there was no activity or food (even though on the schedule there was activities and food included)
When I complained about this, Richard responded with "I know, I'm sorry" and that was it. No compensation, no solution found. Just meant that's how it is, deal with it.
I wouldn't book with them again, but they did drive me from place to place.
ES
Email Eduardo | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Friendly and willing to please you and assist you with any matter
I booked a seven days safari trip with Karumuna Safaris visiting Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi Impenetrable forest and Lake Mburo. Since the first moment I got in touch with Richard, he was flexible to made some changes in the itinerary and made the trip really easy. Due to some personal issues I had to cancel my trip and reschedule it for a month later without any problem.Even having experienced some issues in one of the game drives, spending an hour without any other tourists around with the gorillas definitely made my trip an unforgettable experience.
Fair price paid for an interesting week discovering what Uganda has to offer!
Email Chris | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great destinations, a lot of waiting with little communication
The tour got us where we wanted to go, there were several times where we were asked to wait, tour guide disappeared for long periods of time without providing us information as to what we could do in this time (for example explore) accommodation had been changed and we only discovered this upon arrival at the accommodation. Despite booking a triple share tour this had not been prepared at each location. The vehicle itself left a fair bit to be desired and let us down. There were frustrations which we discussed with the tour guide as they arose. We seen what we set out to see so for that we are grateful. However I don’t believe we really got value for money given the time wasted and missed opportunities as a result. I wouldn’t be opposed to booking with Karumuna again however I would require clearer confirmation on what we should expect.
IT
Email Simone | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
A good travel companion who is able to make you feel comfortable and add value to your trip.
As solo traveller and passionate wild life photographer, I travelled through Uganda for 11 days with Richard, a 15 years experienced guide with whom I had preliminarily made contact and defined the details of the trip during the booking stage.
The tour was well organized with sufficient time for relaxing and enjoying the places after tiring days spent on game drives, various wild life activities such as Mountain Gorillas trekking and long driving sessions to reach the next destination. It was also possible to adapt the program based on short notice requests/developments to suit weather conditions and/or travelling schedule; this added value to the experience and made it feel like not pre-packaged but authentic and more intriguing.
I would personally reccommend Karumuna Safaris for the fair value for money and the extensive knowledge and experience of his guide Richard who always showed a high level of preparedeness and availability to respond to the traveller's requests.