Meet our fantastic safaris team!
Nkuringo Safaris Uganda
- Located In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2007)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, APTA, AUTO & UTB
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $325 to $1,250 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
Email Andrew & Melinda | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Fantastic experience with Nkuringo Safaris
Wonderful 8 day trip with Nkuringo Safaris - expertly lead by our guide Remmy Kityo. Great itinerary with some highlights that will stay with us life-long - gorilla tracking in Bwindi, chimpanzee trekking at Kibale Forest, the splendour of the Nile at Murchison Falls and the bird life at Mabamba wetlands. Fantastic accommodation throughout, including the great Nkuringo Gorilla Lodge. Would be more than happy to journey with them again, and no hesitation to recommend to others.
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Email Karen | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Very knowledgeable and dependable.
We just returned from Rwanda and Uganda. Nkuringo made all our arrangements. They had our guide, Patrick, waiting for at the airport. He stayed with us for our whole trip until he dropped us off at the airport in Uganda. He was always on time, knowledgeable and fun. He was totally fluent in English. We booked 2 other times but had to cancel due to the pandemic. The company worked with us on all the re-bookings. The excursions were good. We especially liked the boat tour in Queen Elizabeth National Park. We were able to see elephants, rhinos etc at at the lake's shore. We also really liked the Gorrilla and Chimpanzee tracking tours. The guides at the park are very good. I would say to avoid the Dian Fossy hike in Rwanda. The hike was rigorous and muddy. Most of the way we were in mud up to our knees. Thank goodness for the porters. Her camp and grave were anti climatic. It was not worth the effort. However, we signed up for this tour and were told is was rigorous. We recommend Nkuringo Safaris Uganda (esp. Patrick).
Email Ashley Anderson | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The BEST Experience Ever!
Nkuringo Safaris took such great care of us in Uganda, from transporting us to the airport for our light aircraft flight to Kisoro to our entire stay at Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge to our return in Entebbe. They communicated with us throughout the entire trip and all of the staff and crew were very friendly and hospitable. Getting to see the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat was the best experience ever, and we were provided with hand carved walking sticks with our names on them, which was such a nice touch! It's not a trip I will be able to do all the time but I hope to be back one day and I would definitely book with Nkuringo Safaris again in the future.
Email Helen Fawcett | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very helpful and knowledable
It was a well thought out tour.
The places we visited were varied all of then interesting.
We were lucky to see so much wildlife
Email Laura | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible experience thanks to Nkuringo Safaris!
Uganda
We were in Uganda early Dec 2022 and had a fabulous time. Our trip was fully organized by a travel agency in France, Luxethika, and a travel agency in Uganda, Nkuringo Safaris with limited input from us except that we wanted to see the mountain gorillas. Once we landed we were immediately taken care of by the team at Nkuringo and we could not have dreamt of better. Our trip was tailored perfectly to our wishes with the perfect balance between adventure and rest. Uganda is a beautiful country and offers so much much than the gorillas that represent already an experience of a lifetime. We had completely underestimated the variety and richness of what the country has to offer in terms of fauna, flora, landscapes, services, gorgeous hotels and cuisine. Absolutely everyone we met during our trip was of utmost kindness and attention. We felt safe and cared for at anytime whether it be in hotels or during walks or safaris with rangers. But our experience wouldn’t have been the same without our guide at Nkuringo: Jack. Jack was truly amazing and more than a guide, he has become a friend. In addition to being the kindest and most knowledgeable person (it was impressive the amount of bird species he knew!), he always went the extra mile so we could have the best experience in every activity we would be doing (and even managed to find TVs so we could watch the worldcup!). As a result, we were able to be alone with my husband (and the rangers of course) with the gorillas. Throughout our trip we traveled through Uganda and Jack was always teaching us something specific about the area we were visiting. Uganda is a beautiful country indeed but Jack made our trip absolutely unforgettable. We now have to come back to visit the northern part of the country!
SG
Email Tony Seakins | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Extremely professional
Nkuringo Safaris had organised everything to perfection. The whole trip went extremely well with no problems at all. The staff and in particular our guide were very professional.
PT
Email Rui Arco | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Extremely professional, knowledgeable and great value service
We had previously travelled in Uganda, with Nkuringo Walking Safaris, which is part of Nkuringo Safaris, and we had a great and unique experience. Nkuringo Lodge is great and is located in one of the most amazing and beautiful places in Africa. Due to our previous experience, we contacted Nkuringo Safaris to do a short trip to Rwanda (Lake Kivu and Nyungwe National Park) and DRC (Kahuzi-Biega National Park), for 10 nights and it was the right decision. Our driver/guide Julius in Rwanda was extremely professional and always taking care of us, and our driver/guide in DRC, Martin, was an asset, extremely professional and experienced, and took really good care of us. The accomodation was great value, well chosen - Paradise Malahide in Lake Kivu, to be close to a fishing village and be able to witness the movement of the fisherman, the market and the singing, also close to one of the trails which is part of the Congo-Nile trail; Orchids Safari Club in Bukavu, DRC, a charming, safe and absolutely lovely hotel; Nyungwe Top View Hotel, with great views, great staff and lovely accomodation. The food was always delicious, all personnel was very professional and friendly. For DRC, the visa was arranged prior to our arrival and finalized while crossing the border, quite stress free.
Overall, a great experience, great value for money and for sure, the right decision to have chosen Nkuringo Safaris Uganda! We definetely recommend it!
Email Sue S | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge and Nkuringo Safaris in Uganda were a great combination
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge is located high on a ridge in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda, with Nkuringo village a short distance away. We flew from Entebbe to Kisoro, the nearest airport to our lodge which was then a 1.5 hour drive up into the mountains on a bumpy track! Water is not available on the ridge for either the villagers or the lodge. Tankers bring it for the lodge from Kisoro; there was no lack of it at the lodge. The villagers use rain water or have to carry it up from the valley during the dry season. The lodge’s location provides fantastic views of the mountains and valleys. Our garden cottage, Garinga 7, may have had the best view of all, looking down over the stepped gardens and the valley and mountains beyond, and up to the main part of the lodge. The latter was a huge, high-ceilinged room with a bar and seating in one corner, a large restaurant area and a comfortable seating part for relaxation. There was also a terrace running round 2 sides with tables and chairs, all with great views. Wi-fi was available here.
Our room and bathroom were large and decorated with a superb, large, brightly coloured multimedia picture above the bed and other African artifacts around. There was a fireplace where a charcoal fire was lit by our house-keeper every night while we were at dinner; she also put hot water bottles in the bed! At the time we were there, early August, it was mostly cloudy and became quite chilly in the evenings, so these were very welcome.
Given the remote location and lack of water, availability of food items was inevitably limited but everything was beautifully presented and the service throughout could not be faulted. One of the tiers in the gardens was used for the cultivation of vegetables in tiny plots, separated by empty wine bottles stuck upside down in the soil to prevent erosion. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. South African wines were available and local beer, of course!
Each evening, we were entertained by groups of local boys, women and children dancing and singing. This felt really authentic, not least because all those performing so clearly enjoyed themselves. The local people were poor and the ladies made attractive local woven items such as baskets, mats, trays and plant pots to sell. The local economy was very dependent on tourism.
I would highly recommend staying at the Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge for gorilla tracking in this area of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.
We had booked two 1 hour viewings of the gorillas. Tourists were taken to one of the entrances to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park where they were divided into groups of 8 each with a guide. Porters gathered to offer their services. They would carry items not immediately needed, such as spare water, rainwear etc. They also provided assistance where the track was steep, slippery or just difficult. Some people felt they were not required but they supported their families and communities in their villages and we hired one each, each day, for this reason. My husband didn’t really need his, but I did! The cost was US$15 pp per day. This went to a central association, so we gave the porters extra for themselves and their families. If anyone starts their trek and find that they are unable to complete it, it is possible for the guides to radio for an “African Helicopter”. This was a stretcher carried by a group of 8 men who would carry the individual to see the gorillas and then back to the lodge. It cost US£380. One couple that we met had budgeted for this!
Trackers stay with each gorilla family, one male silverback and his females and babies, from about 6.00 to 18.00 when they had settled down for the night. In this way, they could tell the guides the following morning approximately where they would be. On our first tracking experience, we drove for about 1.5 hours to the Rushaga Sector. It seemed that tourists were allocated to groups by the HQ in Kampala with no consideration of age, gender or fitness! Our own guide had managed to arrange for us to meet the Mishaya family in this sector where the going was relatively flat, easy and short. He knew that I was concerned that, although I was quite fit, I was 76!
Our second tracking experience was from our own Nkuringo sector and the entrance was only a short drive from the lodge. However, the trek was very different! We started down the long, steep side of the valley on one side of the ridge. After a while, the front of my thighs turned to jelly! On the lower slopes there were tea plantations and there were paths that zig-zagged across rather than straight down the side of the valley. After this, we crossed the border into the National Park and the forest. Happily, our family, Christmas, was not far from the edge of the Park. Christmas was the name of the silverback and had been born on Christmas Day. The previous day, Christmas had led them down to the bottom of the valley and up the other side!
The guides, trackers and porters were all excellent, friendly and efficient. I would certainly recommend Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Safaris as well as the lodge.
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Email Matt | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The Best
We highly recommend Nkuringo Safaris. Catherine, our Safari Consultant, planned an excellent itinerary for our family’s two week tour of Uganda, smartly balancing adventure and relaxation. Also, the lodges she selected were truly first-rate. In addition, she was a tremendous help during are arrival and departure from Entebbe. We also can’t say enough about our guide, Jack. He’s a fantastic conversationalist, and his expertise regarding the various communities, parks, and animals of this beautiful country is exceptional. Furthermore, he did a fantastic job of handling our three teenagers and adjusting the day’s schedule based on conditions and energy levels.
Email Gordon | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Excellent tour operator
We travelled around Uganda for 2 weeks in June with a guide (Julius), booking Nkuringo Safaris through a UK agent. We have travelled to other African destinations and found Nkuringo to be up there with the best local operators.
We had a fantastic holiday and our guide was very knowledgeable and informative on the wildlife/culture and an excellent driver. The vehicle was comfortable and well maintained. The lodges, food and activities were all excellent. Everything went smoothly and our guide was very flexible, suggesting changes to itinerary when appropriate. We met the Nkuringo staff at the end of our holiday and they gave us a very positive impression of the company.
We would have no hesitation in recommending Nkuringo to anyone travelling to Uganda