Some of the staff at Yala Safaris Uganda Office
Yala Safaris Uganda
- Located In:
- Size:
- 5-10 employees (Founded in 2016)
- Member Of:
- UTB & UWA
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $100 to $750 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
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Email Christina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very pleasant and easy-going Trip
I went on a tour around the Fort Portal and Queen Elizabeth area, including chimp trekking in Kibale and a short gamedrive. The whole experience was very pleasant and our guides were happy to adjust the itinery according to our needs (stop at the Equator anyone?). Overall, I can definitely recommend Yala for first-timers and seasoned Safari goers alike!
US
Email Alina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Accommodating, flexible and fun! Fantastic experience with Yala Safaris
I had the pleasure of working with Stanley and Godwin! They were very prompt and accommodating. I went with them to Fort Portal and Queen Elizabeth and on the drive to Queen Elizabeth they made sure to point out all of the animals we saw on our drive. Any request we had they made sure to accommodate. Such a pleasant experience with Yala Safaris. They were really flexible and made for a fantastic first safari experience! Highly recommend.
Email Ann Higham | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Exceptional tour to discover Ugandas landscapes , people ,history , animals and adventures .
Very good at all time , happy to adjust itinery according to our needs .
Micheal is an exceptionally knowledgable guide with a fabulous sense of humour . Ever knowledgable about all the animals , history and landscapes of Uganda .
Fun friendly knowedgeable service
I went with Godwin and Stanley of Yala Safaris on a tour around the Fort Portal and Queen Elizabeth area, including highlights such as hiking in the Rwenzori mountains and chimp trekking in Kibale, and staying in great accomodation in beautiful surroundings. Godwin ensured that the whole thing went smoothly and enjoyably, and that we got it all for a an extremely fair price. I will be using them again and I would definitely recommend them to anyone else thinking of visiting Uganda!
HK
Email Ariana Day | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
3 day trip to Murchison Falls + Chimp Trekking + Rhino Sanctuary
Godwin at Yala Safaris has been an absolute pleasure to work with. As someone who has travelled across several countries, from rural to city locales, my experience with Godwin has been one of the best! My trip was a little unconventional. I had requested a quote for this trip only 2 days in advance of when I wanted to go. Godwin notified me that he fortunately was already taking 2 people so I was able to get a lower price as I was joining a group vs. paying a much higher price going as a solo traveller from Kampala up to the Falls. I notified him that I would have a friend who would join me for the Murchison Falls activities only (she was living in Northern Ugana) and that she would "piece meal" her trip together, but regardless, asked him to book her rooms where I was staying in the Falls Park. Most other tour operators I talked to wanted to charge my friend the same price they were charging me, even though she would not be using their transportation from Kampala to and from the Falls, would not be doing the Rhino Sanctuary, etc, so I was surprised by how helpful Godwin was to her for no cost. On the morning of our trip, Godwin notified me that the two others in my group had cancelled late the night before, but as not to disappoint or frustrate me day of, he let me know the group discount he quoted me initially would remain. He felt it wasn't fair to change the plan on pricing the morning of which I thought was so nice. My trip ultimately ended up being a solo trip (with my friend joining for the Falls activities), but I really enjoyed all my time with Godwin. He has many things to talk about. As we were both interested in agriculture, we spent much time talking about that! His most notable quality when it comes to touring is his flexibility and his honesty. Given the last minute plans of many travellers, Godwin and Yala Tours have gracefully managed to be flexible with bookings and cancellations (given that you as a traveller did not ask him to book a super detailed and expensive/luxury trip that he seriously cannot cancel without losing a lot of money). To be able to be flexible with his customers, this demonstrates that he has a great relationship with many vendors - the park sites, restaurants, and hotels. Additionally, he is very honest. At no point did I ever feel like Godwin was ripping me off. He will provide a quote based on the trip you are looking to have. Personally, I had requested a budget-mid level tour since I knew travelling solo or in a smaller group is more expensive anyway, but I know that he has also planned luxury tours. Other tour operators I talked to were quite passive aggressive or would almost guilt trip me about negotiating, but Godwin never did this. Additionally, when I got back to Kampala, he helped me organize an afternoon tour of Kampala City via boda boda and helped me arrange my taxi for a fair price to Entebbe airport. I will definitely be coming back to Uganda and will be using Godwin and Yala Safari's Services upon my return! Highly, highly recommend!
Email Aoife | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Excellent every time
I’ve been in Uganda for about a year and have been on several trips with Yala Safaris during that time, to Murchiasan Falls, Jinja, Fort Portal, Sipi Falls, Virungha etc. They’ve made every trip such a great experience. The drivers are friendly and entertaining. The prices are always fair and they really make an effort to make everything as affordable as possible for us, since we’re on a tight budget. On several occasions Yala Safaris has managed to secure discounted accommodation or meals for us. Their transport is consistently punctual, in sturdy, comfortable safari vehicles. Even though we’re sometimes a large, noisy group, they’re also very easy-going and flexible. I will definitely keep travelling with Yala Safaris for future trips in Uganda! Thank you very much for the great service!
Email Justine | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Murchison Falls Tour: Trustworthy, Knowledgeable, Flexible, and Affordable
I joined Yala Safaris Uganda as a +1 to a friend who purchased a package tour to Murchison Falls. No other tour operators would allow me to pay for activities on an a-la-carte basis; Godwin not only allowed me to pay for activities one at a time, he also rearranged our trip out of the park specifically to connect me to my separate private hire. Yala Safaris was extremely affordable with no sacrifice to quality, and Godwin was a terrific guide. Would highly recommend to any friends wishing for a great safari experience in Uganda, especially those seeking customized or private itineraries at a great value.
Email Emma | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Godwin was an excellent safari tour guide, I couldn't have wished for a better experience.
This was my first time in Africa and first time on safari but Yala Safaris helped to make this experience incredibly memorable. You could tell that Godwin cared a lot about customer service and making us all happy, from small details like providing water for the car journey to finding us the best accommodation for the best price. If I ever come back to Africa (which I really hope I will) I will definitely use Yala Safaris again for any trips I plan, truly a fantastic experience!
Email Mark Dyson | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Uganda 100 points!
Godwin organised everything for us brilliantly even including airport pick-ups and drops and was great at introducing us to a new country. Godwin was with us all the time with his assistant Stanley, and seemed to know exactly what we wanted by choosing the right hotels (at the right price) and then making every effort to ensure we saw all the wildlife, much of which we would have missed without such experienced guides. Much fun and jokes all the time on our travels which in the end took us from lake Bunyonyi in the southwest to Sipi Falls/Mt Elgon in the east of Uganda. Very flexible, no problem with our changes in plans and nothing was too much trouble. All in all, thoroughly recommended
Email Henry | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Action packed - Yala Safaris really went the extra mile!
The really fantastic time we had during our two weeks in Uganda were only made possible by Yala Safaris and especially Godwin!
Godwin's knowledge not just of the wildlife we were there to see but of Uganda in general meant that almost any question we could think of had an enthusiastic answer!
Yala was especially good at being adapting to our particular needs. We were particularly keen to pack in as much as possible and to see as much wildlife as we could in the time we had, and Yala was more than happy to accommodate this. Our perseverance resulted in the eventual sighting of a rare leopard and its cub in Queen Elizabeth National Park, the pinnacle of two days of classic East African wildlife sightings.
Yala really did go beyond the call of duty to ensure we saw some of the best of what Uganda has to offer. While we spent our first week in Godwin's care he gave us some great advice for our second week which we found really invaluable.
It was clear that a lot of research and networking goes into providing this experience (it appeared to me that Godwin knows nearly everyone in Uganda!!) which meant that both our accommodation at Park View Lodge overlooking QE National park and at Lake Bunyoni were absolutely stunning.
All in all a huge thank you to Godwin and his team at Yala Safaris. It comes highly recommended!