Engagi Safaris
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2010)
- Member Of:
- ASTA, TUGATA & USAGA
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $250 to $600 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Grant | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 8 days in Rwanda
Just came back from an 8-day Rwanda Gorillas and Wildlife Safari with Engagi Safaris and this amazing trip was nothing short of extraordinary.
Before my journey started, Ruthie was patient and knowledgeable in helping me tailor my itinerary. And from the moment I set foot in Kigali, Robert's warm smile and extensive knowledge of the country's history, culture, and wildlife instantly made me feel welcome and at ease. Throughout the journey, Robert went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of this safari was seamless and memorable.
The itinerary curated by Engagi Safaris was a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion. Highlights included gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, where Robert's expertise and passion for conservation added depth to the experience. Witnessing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish forever.
Additionally, my visits to Nyungwe Forest National Park, Lake Kivu, and Akagera National Park provided a diverse range of experiences, from thrilling chimpanzee tracking to serene boat cruises and adventurous game drives.
Throughout the tour, Robert's professionalism, attention to detail, and genuine care for my well-being were evident. His enthusiasm for sharing Rwanda's beauty and heritage with us was infectious, and his dedication to providing top-notch service truly exceeded my expectation.
Engagi Safaris proved to be a reputable and reliable tour operator, with seamless logistics and well-planned activities. From comfortable accommodations to delicious meals and efficient transportation, every aspect of the tour was thoughtfully arranged.
Overall, my 8-day Rwanda tour with Engagi Safaris and guide Robert surpassed all expectations. I highly recommend this unforgettable journey to anyone seeking an immersive and enriching experience in the heart of Africa.
Thank you, Engagi Safaris, and a special thank you to Robert, for creating memories that will last a lifetime.
DE
Email Dennis | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Wonderful 5 Day Gorilla and Chimpanzee Experience
Brian and Darlius from Engagi Safari took great care of my friend and me. Overall we hand a breathtaking experience and loved to get close to the chimpanzees and the gorillas. Even that close that some of them run away as they saw our cameras. The second lodge at lake Bunyonyi which Roboert family owns was just unbelievable. They have been wonderful host. We have been treated like the kings, especially when my friend got sick on our trip.
Before the trip the communication via e-mail was prefect and we had a lot of questions that several people from Engagi answered us promptly. Overall Brian and Darlius where driving us around and explained all the different places and historical sights. They were safe drivers and even interested in our culture – so try and get to know them while they are taking care of you. With Robert and his staff, it is like having family around in a foreign country. Hope to see you again sometime in the future!
Email Stephanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing experience thanks to Engagi Safaris!
Robert of Engagi Safaris looked after me so well and I couldn't recommend him enough. He and his family also own the Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort near Kabale where I had the pleasure of staying for my gorilla trek experience - it is just the most beautiful, serene place. I had a fantastic 3 days thanks to him, his family and staff. I was treated like a queen and he made sure I had the best gorilla trek experience (which I did - mind blowing). The people of Uganda are so kind and I hope to come back and visit Robert and his family again! If anyone is considering gorilla trekking in Bwindi (which I highly recommend) contact Robert at Engagi safaris! As a solo female traveller I was taken care of so well and made to feel very welcomed and comfortable. Robert gave me a lot of information about all the different areas of Uganda that we passed through as well as about the gorillas. He is very knowledgable and knows everyone so is definitely the guy to take you around. He was kind enough to stop many times for me to take photos and pointed out points of interest. It would not have been the same experience if I booked with anyone else. Also, they fed me so well - the food was fantastic! I feel very grateful and will never forget this incredible experience.
Email Bryn | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Good organisation, careful driver, excellent guide
Robert organised the perfect Ugandan trip for our small group of three, collecting us from the guest house in Entebbe, driving us to the Engagi Safaris lodge on Lake Bunyonyi, taking us for a perfect day’s gorilla tracking, then up to Queen Elizabeth National Park. He set up a three-day trek into the Mountains of the Moon for us then took us back to Entebbe after a day of chimp tracking. Engagi is a small, family-run group – and all the better for being small.
Robert has many years of experience in the tourist sector and seemed to know the best guides and contacts in all the parks we visited. He was helpful in the planning stages and tailored the trip to our budget. He's the best kind of guide himself, not just knowledgeable and helpful but flexible, letting us adjust the itinerary to suit even when the trip was underway. He’s also a careful driver.
I don’t believe we could have had a better organised and executed trip to Uganda than we had with Robert and Engagi Safaris. Highly recommended.
US
Email Kate | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Well planned, expertly executed, all-inclusive week in Uganda.
This was a very well planned trip and I would highly recommend Robert and Engagi Safaris. I originally found Engagi on a blog for low cost travel, but Robert really customizes the trip to your needs and budget. He has been operating as a tour guide in Uganda (in some capacity) for about 20 years so he is familiar with all the possibilities and full of ideas and suggestions for you. I emailed Robert before doing a lot of research on Uganda and what I wanted to do while there -- I had some ideas, but asked for his input and within a few days and a few emails we had an itinerary worked out that I was very happy with. He was always quick to reply and answered every question I had in detail.
Robert was very professional throughout the entire trip. Always on time with a clean (air conditioned) car stocked with snacks, and water. We were with Robert for a week, and he was eager to learn the types of things we liked so he could make sure to show us certain things he thought we would be interested in, or stop for different foods we wanted to try along the way.
Robert also seems to be friends with the guides at the different parks. The night before we went gorilla trekking, he asked us how long we would like to trek to see the gorillas. We told him about 1 hour (they can be as close as 20 minutes, or as far as 6 hours), later that night he spoke to the guy in charge and we ended up on a private trek and assigned to a gorilla family exactly one hour away. We couldn't have been happier!
Again, I would strongly recommend Engagi Safaris. Robert creates a very personal experience that feels really unique and special.
NL
Email Brian Krijger | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Loved it
Great service from start to finish, and their own lodge at Lake Bunyoni was just stunning. Would highly recommend them!
US
Email Laura | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Customized, Fair and Personable
We coordinated our Safari with Robert by email - he was responsive, made good suggestions and was easy to work with.
We told Robert what we were hoping to do, the kind of budget we had available and our time line - and he made it happen. He handled the various unexpected glitches of the trip with grace and good communication and was flexible and able to adjust as we went, making great suggestions of change to our schedule to ensure we saw some of the highlights. Because of Robert's knowledge and insight we were able to see the tree climbing lions and in fact had viewing them all to ourselves.
It was clear to us that Robert knew Uganda well, knew the parks and resorts, supported the parks (and greatly enhanced our experience!) by hiring knowledgeable Park Rangers to join us for our game drives, and was all around a wonderful guide. He was thoughtful with small details to make us more comfortable as well - bottled water in the safari van, and even an inverter so we could charge our phones or cameras. Additionally, Robert is just a personable guy - we enjoyed having him join us for meals and appreciated the various cultural knowledge he willingly shared as we drove between destinations.
He was also 100% true to our arrangement - the price was exactly as quoted with no surprises and no unexpected expenses over the course of the trip. It's remarkable how much more relaxing travel is when someone else is taking care of paying all the day to day bills.
We had a wonderful tour in Uganda, and amazing trip and I highly recommend Robert with Engagi Safaris.
CA
Email Anne | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Amazing 8 day Ugandan safari, highly recommend!
My husband and I booked our trip (aka our honeymoon) with Engagi Safaris after seeing really good TripAdvisor reviews about the company and after reading recommendations for a budget/mid-range safari from online forums. At first we were a little unsure about booking directly with a local safari company (opposed to a well known international company) but after meeting our guide and the owner of the company, Basiima (Robert), we quickly realized that any doubts we had were completely unfounded.
We had an amazing 8 days with Basiima and we couldn't have asked for a better tour guide for Uganda. We had corresponded with Basiima by email prior to arriving about what we were hoping to see (primarily the gorillas, but we also wanted to go white water rafting and go on a small safari before we headed off to Tanzania) and Basiima suggested the perfect flexible itinerary that was within our budget. When we arrived everything had been pre-arranged by Basiima and went off without a hitch. The accommodations (a combination of budget and mid-range) were great - our favourite actually being Basiima's lodge (Lake Bunyoni Rock Resort) which is a beautiful, modern and small lodge (with large rooms) set in a tranquil spot away from the chaos of other resorts on the lake. The staff at his resort were so friendly and accommodating. However, all the places we stayed at were really good including the Haven (set on the banks of the Nile River), the Bush Lodge and the Chimpanzee Guest House (where Basiima had told the staff it was our honeymoon and they had decorated our room with flowers everywhere).
We got along really well with Basiima, who was always on time and went out of his way to make sure we saw and experienced everything we had wanted to see and do (including finding us leopards and tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park which took some effort). When it came time for arranging our groups for tracking gorillas (your guide is the one who'll negotiate your group for you) Basiima told us he had set us up with one of the best guides and I can say with confidence that our guide for the gorilla tracking was so knowledgeable and made our experience with the gorillas that much more amazing. Basiima is also well known in his community (around Kabale) and although it may sound odd, one of our funniest experiences on our trip involved going to the car wash with the locals who knew Basiima. I couldn't stop laughing as they were blasting music, dancing and cleaning the car at lightening speed. Basiima is also extremely knowledgeable about the history, people and wildlife of Uganda so if you're the kind of person who asks about every question that pops into your head, you're in luck!
After experiencing various other guides in Tanzania (on safari, while climbing and while exploring cities), I can honestly say that Basiima was definitely our favourite in terms of personality, punctuality, professionalism AND value. If you're looking for an amazing (and affordable) guide for Uganda (and/or Rwanda) then look no further!
NO
Email PeterB | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Engagi is a highly qualified outfit
Robert is an experienced and reliable guide. Since moving his accomodation to Lake Bunyoni in 2016 he can offer a complete set up with the highest requirements. Rock Resort is a 4 cottage outfit with European standard and excellent food. VERY clean.
Email Josh | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Treck
I stayed at Lake Bunyonyi Rock Resort for 3 nights and went gorilla trecking in Bwindi. Engagi safaris were excellent, ensuring I had a tue one-in-a-lifetime experience!