John while on a game drive/ safari
Safaris By Jon
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2018)
- Member Of:
- USAGA & UTB
- Tour Types:
- Customizable private tours and fixed group tours
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $320 to $895 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
Email Debbie | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Professional and attentive.
A wonderful experience with great personal attention from Jon who had clearly considered all our needs and those small touches that make a trip special. Jon is personable, informative and professional. His time keeping is excellent which was greatly appreciated. From the initial contact to the final drop off we were in great hands. I highly recommend Jon to organise a trip. He is accommodating and lets you know the pros and alternatives of what you want to do. February was the perfect month to see the gorillas and we were not disappointed. I would happily do another trip with Jon.
NL
Email Judith | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing experience and jon gives you an experience that is beyond your expectations.
It was a great experience to go by safari's by jon. He knows what he is talking about and he makes sure he gives you the best experience you like. He will ask you what you like and dislike. And when you dont expect something he surprises you and makes your trip even more better.
Big thanks to Jon to take care of us!
Email Si Xing and Stephanie | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Mountain Gorilla Trekking was exceeded our expectation!
We booked a 5D4N package with Safari by John starting on the 13th June.
Lucky (the name of our driver) came to pick us up from our hotel. We were initially a little bit disappointed that our car was not a land rover but instead a 4by4 van, but it is also something we should have double-checked beforehand. Honestly though in some ways this car was better than a land rover (we had one in Kenya), as it was faster and on tarmac roads the ride was smoother.
Lucky was a very chilled-out, calm and experienced driver and we were similar age (28) so felt like we had things to talk about.
Our first meal was a local Ugandan buffet popular with the locals which was very good in particular the sugar cane juice with lemon.
Our first accommodation was a bit of a disappointment as it was not the lodge we were expecting as per our itinerary. John explained the one originally listed was booked up for that night but it would have been nice to have been warned in advance. John did manage to get us to the originally intended lodge for the second night we were at Queen Elizabeth National park though, where the food was noticeably better. The downside was we got two single beds instead of a double and the shower was an outdoor one, so more of a sidegrade than an upgrade.
We did the Kalinzu Chimpanzee Trekking, which in hindsight I think we should have done the Kibale one instead. As our fellow gorilla trekkers later told us, the monkey and chimpanzee number is far greater in Kibale than Kalinzu. We saw five chimpanzees but they mostly stayed high up in the trees, I guess safari is all about luck on the day.
Having done safariing in Kenya a week prior to this, the animal density and variety in Queen Elizabeth National Park were noticeably sparser. We were also admittedly a bit burnt out. However, the Kazinga channel boat safari was definitely worth doing, with a huge number of animals including elephants, buffalo, hippos, baboons and water birds. We even saw a monitor lizard and a Nile crocodile sunbathing.
The following day we travelled to the Ishasha region of the national park where we were fortunate enough to see one of the famous tree-climbing lions. This is rare though as our guide said he has only seen them several times in his 8 years of being a safari tour guide. Definitely a highlight of the trip.
Without a doubt though the main highlight of the trip was the mountain gorilla trekking. The lodge we stayed at had an amazing view of the forest and is also run by a NGO which gives a lot back to the local community. The trek can vary greatly depending on where your group of gorillas are (tourists are split into groups of 7 with a guide, two bodyguards, and porters). I strongly recommend a porter to carry your stuff, i.e. packed punch, camera etc as the trek can be quite challenging, very steep and slippery in some places. Our porter held my girlfriend's hand for a good portion of the hike which she very much appreciated otherwise she would have definitely slipped several times! It was all worth it though as we got very very close to several gorillas including a large silverback male and a baby gorilla. Certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The guide and the tracker make extra efforts to ensure we could get good photos and videos of the experience.
Bunyonyi Lake was a nice place to chill at the end. We had another hiccup with the accommodation though where we were put in a small cabin with no ensuite. Fortunately, after we brought this issue up with Lucky we were moved to a better room with an ensuite. The lake is worth visiting in my opinion and if you dont feel like rowing yourself there are tourguide services which do the rowing for you or motorboat hire is also an option.
Lucky then drove us safely back to Entebbe, stopping by for local pineapple, bananas and berries, which were delicious. The Ugandan countryside is something special and different to Kenya's for sure.
Overall a worthwhile trip and despite the hiccups is still something I'd recommend!
Reply from Safaris By Jon
Posted on Sep 10, 2023We are so grateful for your feedback about your experience with us. However, we would like to clarify that it was clearly indicated in the inclusions on here that getting around would be in a pop-up roof 4x4 safari vehicle which was exactly what you used driven by your driver-guide not specifically a land rover.
Secondly, availability of the accommodations listed in our tours here is based on how soon a client confirms the tour package more especially during the peak/ high season and it is clearly indicated that we would suggest comparable accommodations if the ones originally listed are found to be sold off by the time our client confirms the tour with us. So, this is what happened, and we had to book comparable accommodations respectively.
We thank you so much for booking with us.
US
Email Victoria Phillips | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Trip of a Lifetime!
We had the most amazing week with Jon exploring Uganda! From the initial conversations of trip planning to our actual time Uganda, the process could not have been better. As a local, Jon has many connections and first-hand experience that creates a once in a lifetime safari experience. He's incredibly knowledgeable about local wildlife as well, which helped us view the most animals possible. We fell in love with each accommodation we got to experience, and were very impressed with the quality of the "mid-range" selections. They were all beautiful, safe, and welcoming. If touring in East Africa, I highly recommend the chimpanzee and gorilla treks- they were highlights of our trip! Ultimately, we're so happy with our decision to plan our trip with Jon instead of with a large company - thanks again for the life-long memories!
Email Josephine Deer | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Absolutely incredible
My partner and I did the budget 4 day 3 night gorilla and chimp trekking tour. Absolutely brilliant! We were exceptionally fortunate to have been on a safari with Safaris by Jon and even luckier that we got John as our guide. Everything was seamless from the moment John picked us up from the airport. He organised somebody from the airport chaperone us through immigration, which made it less daunting. The car was extremely comfortable, we were even able to fully recline to nap on long drives. John was extremely kind and attentive, and his guidance ensured we had an amazing trip. He always made sure to give us loads of information and was very informative. All of our accommodation and meals were also excellent.
We did chimp trekking in Kyambura Gorge and gorilla trekking in the Ruhija sector of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Both were excellent and we were lucky enough to see both animals up close. We even got time for a bonus game drive in Queen Elizabeth Natural Park and managed to see lions, elephants, buffalo and a leopard as well as warthogs, a hyena, kobs and more in only 3 hours! Obviously we were lucky, but John's knowledge and excellent driving had a big role to play!
Can't thank and recommend John enough for an incredible experience!
Email Ben Chappell | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Aussies on Safari with Jon
If Uganda isn't on your African itinerary I highly recommend it should be and also on that itinerary should be a trip run by "Safaris by Jon"
My partner and I booked a private safari with Jon and it was absolutely amazing, he picked us up from Entebbe Airport then we began our adventure out to the west side of Uganda as our first stop was Queen Elizabeth National Park. After a morning game drive we went out to see the Chimpanzees at Kyambura Gorge which was one of the best safari days you could ask for! The accommodation Jon booked for us was great and the food was beautiful!
After Queen Elizabeth we headed to Bwindi to see the Mountain Gorillas. Again Jon nailed it with our accommodation setting us up in a comfortable room in a lodge that does great food, the lodge also packs you lunch for when you are out Gorilla Trekking.
From Bwindi we spent our last night at Lake Bunyonyi, which is a peaceful place to kick back and relax and look at all the amazing photos from Safari.
If you are thinking about coming to Uganda and want a great Safari experience I would highly recommend reaching out to Jon! We really enjoyed our time with him!
On another note, the vehicle he took us on tour in was a 4x4 van with a pop top roof for safari drives so it was the perfect vehicle for roadtrip comfort and game drives.
Overall 10/10
US
Email Bob and Carol Miller | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
I would recommend Safaris by Jon over and over again.
I will start by saying Uganda is amazing. Safaris by Jon was an excellent tour company. His email response time with any questions were answered very quickly and thoroughly. Jon picked us up at our hotel on time and we then toured the local Kampala attractions. We continued with our arranged tour with his tour guides Jerrod and Hillary. Both were exemplary. Their knowledge of Uganda was so good! We were thoroughly impressed with the entire tour. When considering Uganda we were concerned about the Level 2 travel advisory. Jon assured that Uganda was safe. We found this to be true every place we went. It is unfortunate that the government has not been able to reduce this advisory. We would recommend Uganda and Safaris by Jon over and over again. Bob and Carol Miller North Dakota USA.
US
Email Patricia | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Extremely professional and knowledgeable with a great personality and friendly.
Trekking Chimpanzees is a one of a kind adventure. Coolest and most awe inspiring experience. Safaris by Jon excelled in planning and orchestrating the event. He clearly has contacts everywhere and was able to make our experience the best possible. I can't imagine trekking chimpanzees with anyone else. Jon went out of his way to make sure we had the best accommodations and the best trekking. He made sure to fulfill our every wish and every need. Thanks, Jon!!!!
US
Email Zina | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Johnny is professional, prompt with visible years of experience in tourism
This was an excellent experience overall. Johnny as a tour guide is trustworthy, punctual and very helpful. Johnny communication was excellent throughout our process. We were initially looking at a tour in Tanzania, however the cost comparison, level of professionalism and knowledge was unmatched. So, we chose the tour with Johnny. We received a full list of items that helped us navigate our way around visas, clothing options and vaccines. Uganda is stunningly beautiful, from our lodges to our activities, the experience overall was very unique. Going to see the chimpanzee and the gorillas is an experience one has to do atleast ones in a life time. Overall, I would recommend this tour to anyone looking for that unique blend of safari experiences. What you get from this tour is total peace of mind with accommodation, food, activities, and a dedicated driver/tour guide who will be with you at every step of your trip.
Book your tour now, Johnny will not disappoint!
ES
Email Sabine | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Perfect organisation, very profesional, great trip!
We booked our 6 day Safary Tour through Uganda with John. He has veen incredible professional, kind , absolutly reliable, and I can only highly recommend his services. He made our stay unforgettable and just perfect.
He is super punctual, aleays replies your whatsapp and mails inmediatly, he has a great knowlegde of his country which he is very happy to share with you! If you think of visiting Uganda, no doubt book with John!!!!!! He will make sure it will be an great experiance!
