Reviews

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Howard   –  
United States US
Visited: July 2018 Reviewed: Sep 11, 2018

Email Howard  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Green bananas are the way to go!
5/5

“Matoke” means green bananas, and as you are guided through East Africa, especially Rwanda and Uganda, you see everyone eating them, buying them, cooking them....it’s an apt name for a great local African tour company.

About a year ago, as I was plotting my East African adventure, I kept seeing tour companies based in the UK or US, and I wanted to share a locals perspective, and hopefully save some money. I had convinced 5 friends to join me, and I had to make sure they were happy with EVERY moment of the trip.

I found Matoke on a google search of Ugandan tour companies, and while many companies replied, they immediately went into depth. I first befriended Ilse, and she spent many hours creating an outline to meet our wants and needs. I have been to Africa a few times, and I knew my group of 50, 60 and 70 year olds needed a bit of coddling and expertise.

Matoke did not fail to deliver. Ilse even convinced me that it was relatively safe to head into the DRCongo with their week long itinerary to see the giant Grauers gorillas, and the mountain gorilla sanctuary. They tailored our trip to the hotels and lodges that would keep us comfortable and not break our budget. Their first estimate was roughly one half of other offers. I double checked reviews of each lodge and coupled that with online reviews of Matoke and I was sold.

Months of planning. A gazillion emails (answered immediately), and Ilse left on leave to have a baby, and we were then passed on to Anna Vos. WOW! Anna was simply remarkable. I felt like we became good friends, and she understood all our nervousness and replied immediately to reassure all would be to our liking.

The best part was she made sure “Anatoly”, the Ugandan man with a HUGE smile and open heart was to be our guide in the DRCongo, Rwanda and Uganda.
I cannot say enough good things about this man, as all 6 of us enjoyed his expertise, his demeanor and his warm funny nature. We wanted to take him home with us, and we wish him well!

Dramatic last minute changes occurred that closed the DRCongo border and we had to come up with a “plan B” 1 month before our departure. Anna scrambled and was able to recreate an amazing week in Rwanda. Every place we stayed at was simply incredible. We never felt cheated or uncomfortable. So many incredible memories in the heart of Africa. If we were hungry or needed a bathroom or just a pat on the shoulder, Anatoly was in charge and made every day....even the really early days, or the 3 hour “African massage” rough road days..a pleasure! We still miss Anatoly and keep in touch. He made our Rwandan-Ugandan tour one we will never ever forget.

We also booked a second part of the tour to Tanzania, to go out on safari with Matoke. They, in turn, hired a respected safari company in Tanzania, called “Easy Travel”. The change from Anatoly to our Tanzanian guide was 180 degrees. While most of our needs were met, and the places we stayed in Tanzania were top notch.....STAY at Tortollis Camp in Serengeti!!....we all missed Anatoly and wished he were still our guide. We had many long drives with our Tanzanian guide, and he just lacked the connectedness, the comeraderie, and the level of care that we had grown used to with Anatoly. I cannot blame Matoke for the guide there, but we really did not enjoy his company, and all 6 of us wished we had someone different. He was always prompt, always diligent, but on too many occasions, we felt he was not right for our group. Perhaps a small group, but not a wild group of novice travelers on their first trip to Africa.

I made a huge mistake with Ilse in the early planning, and misdirected her on my wish to see the Great Migration. At the time we went, it was now far to the north in Kenya, and we were all a bit let down.

All in all, you have many choices to make when searching for a responsible tour company. Africa can be a challenge to have events always work out as you planned, but after many trips to Africa, I have learned to accept that fact. Matoke will “hold your hand” regardless of sudden changes and make you feel safe and secure.

I can not recommend them enough. I plan on going back to Africa many more times in my life, and I will always try to utilize Matoke’s expertise in the future.

Janet Sorensen   –  
Australia AU
Visited: September 2018 Reviewed: Oct 12, 2018

Email Janet Sorensen  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Fantastic, can’t wait to organise my next tour through them. Everything was perfect
5/5

I had an absolute adventure in Uganda and Kenya! I love the outdoors and doing fun activities -So travelling to Uganda and Kenya was a perfect choice. Every time I arrived at my next accomodation or activity I was so grateful to the Matoke team. They were efficient, professional and really friendly.

Anna, from Matoke tours, did such an excellent job at organising everything, and when I arrived I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. She really did an exceptional job at organising a tour I’ll never forget.

Everything was way beyond my expectations. I stayed at Nile Porch in Jinja and went down the white water on a single tube - I’d definitely recommend it if you love white water rafting, but looking for something a bit different but just as much fun (if not more) than a blow up raft.

Nile porch was a beautiful place and had spacious safari tents with showers that overlooked the Nile, surrounded by monkeys jumping through the trees.

I also stayed at Mihingo Lodge and it was by far the most incredible place in terms of accomodation; it was something out of a dream, up on a huge rock, with an infinity-like pool overlooking the safari park, directly in front of a watering hole.. we saw a leopard one morning while we were eating breakfast. I went specifically to Mihingo lodge for the horse back safari - if you love riding, this safari is great. It was the best horse ride I’ve done on a holiday - I had the time of my life galloping through the safari park, riding next to the zebras and giraffes.

However the gorillas near Mutanda were by far my favourite part of my holiday.
We stayed at the mutanda lake resort and trekked through Mgahinga National Park.
We got so close to them! I actually couldn’t believe how close we were, I could almost touch them, it took my breath away. I saw gorillas nine in total, a big family - and they were really playful. My friend went to a different area in Uganda to see the gorillas, near Biwindi, but apparently they were hidden among the bamboo and they didn’t see any silverbacks. The area where I was booked is apparently the best place because there are more silverbacks in the family and the gorillas are out in the open a little bit more -  I got to just sit right next to one :) this is a bucket list activity and worth every penny. The trek can be hard, and one older lady had to turn back because she couldn’t physically complete the hike. The trek can take between 4-9 hours and it’s thrlugh dense jungle. But it’s worht it and the trek itself was so much fun. Don’t wait to you’re too old to do the things you love!

We managed to squeeze in the Sabinyo mountain hike as well. It was really was an adventure climbing up those little stick ladders! I absolutely loved this hike - it was a real adrenaline rush because the ladders and bridges were made out of little sticks - so not for the faint hearted, but the view from the top was worth it and I can’t wait to come back and do it all over again.

Kenya was also great, we saw heaps of animals (the big 5 and so much more) in the Masai Mara, I even got a kiss from a giraffe.
We did the hot air ballooning over the Masai Mara - and while expensive, again it was a memory I won’t forget.
We also went to meet the Masai tribe and had some fun dancing and jumping with them.

Jimmy our driver also a special place in my heart forever, we got along really well, I loved him. We ended up meeting his family and had lunch with them on the last day :) he was such a genuine and lovely guy.

I can’t thank Anna and the Matoke team enough for all the work they put into organising my trip. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. I can’t wait to come back again to Uganda - and I look forward to organising my next African adventure with Matoke.

Johan and Mia Mathijssen   –  
Netherlands NL
Visited: November 2018 Reviewed: Nov 11, 2018

Email Johan and Mia Mathijssen  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Excellent safari tour in relaxed Uganda
5/5

My wife and I had a marvellous 12 day safari tour visiting more than 5 National Parks in Uganda. The whole trip was well beyond our expectations. During preparation of the tour Matoke Tours gave several tips which proved to be very valuable and the driver/guide was excellent during the whole trip. Thanks to Matoke Tours our safari was a great success and without hesitation I can recommend Matoke Tours as one of the best (if not the best) safari tour operators in Uganda.
We enjoyed the scenery, wildlife, hospitality, lodges and above all the professional and pleasant guide Geoffrey. Parks in Uganda are beautiful and wildlife is abundant. Atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant; we felt we were welcome at any place, at any time.

Matoke tours did a wonderful job!

John Cooper   –  
United Kingdom UK
Visited: October 2018 Reviewed: Nov 12, 2018

Email John Cooper  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

A well organised adventure
5/5

Initially living in tents albeit up market ones was a bit daunting but we came to love the experiences - lying in bed listening to the sounds of the African night. Lusekelo was a wonderful guide and extremely knowledgeable (I am a zoologist myself). The food was far better than we could have hoped for although the drinks in the Sopa lodge were very expensive.

Murray   –  
South Africa ZA
Visited: October 2018 Reviewed: Nov 19, 2018

Email Murray  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Full wildlife Uganda experience with an excursion to Zanzibar
5/5

The adventure was certainly one of my best to date and will be remembered for a while to come!
We had an amazing time and the team from Matoke did an excellent job all round with the whole itinerary unfolding to perfection and to top it off Kasule (the driver) was a real champion who really took great care in ensuring we had the best trip possible. He was very attentive to our needs and we really could rely on him to coordinate and manage the entire logistics portion of the trip.

Accommodation in general was fantastic! starting at Murchison River Lodge and Bush Lodge but it was a close tie between Lake Mutanda and Mahingo which we really loved! I must confess that I was quite disappointed by Enjojo. Even though I consciously decided to do the Bamboo hut as a lower cost alternative it was definitely not worth $75 as the hut leaked onto the bed and when the camp management moved us, they put us in a very musty and partially rotting tent which I would have been hesitant to spend $10 to stay in. A word of advice is not to put any guests in this side of the camp as it is really not fit for paying guests. They tried to assure us they are building new lower cost alternative condos, so if I were you I would wait for those to be completed before sending guests back to the low cost alternative at Enjojo. But overall that is a very small blip on the otherwise near perfect trip.

I managed to see the Shoebill, the Gorillas and the Chimps so pretty much perfect from a wildlife perspective with some great pictures to boot, we just need to sort through them all now ;)

Matoke was a fantastic choice for this holiday and their team really looked after us so well!
I will certainly recommend anyone who asks, firstly that Uganda is a wonderful destination and secondly that if they go Matoke is the only option!

Hopefully I can save up and afford another trip to do the rest of the country we didnt get to this time such as Kidepo, Ruwenzori and another visit to Bwindi to find the African Green Broadbill

Sonia   –  
United States US
Visited: November 2018 Reviewed: Nov 29, 2018

Email Sonia  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Professional and always accessible
5/5

It can be overwhelming when looking for a company to book a safari, but luckily I read many great reviews on Matoke tours and am very happy I used them for my trip to Tanzania. They are always very quick to respond to any inquiries, check in on you during your safari and everyone on the team was very professional and made you feel like more than just a customer. The tour itself was AMAZING, our tour guide Gabriel was very knowledgeable, taught us not only about wildlife but also culture and the way of life in Tanzania. Accommodations were great, but we especially loved Tortilis camp in the Serengeti, the staff there were fantastic. Thank you Matoke for an unforgettable adventure!

David   –  
Germany DE
Visited: September 2018 Reviewed: Dec 30, 2018

Email David  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Matoke Tours - Great parnet for visiting Africa!
5/5

First off some facts:
-We were 6 people between 27 and ~50years old from Germany
-Uganda 8 days from mid September 2018
-Tanzania/Zanzibar 5 day at the end of September 2018

It took me a while to find the time to write a review and I'm usually not the guy who likes writing reviews, but me and my co-travelers belief that Matoke Tours and everybody who was involved with our journey deserve some feedback. So here it is:

We started our trip at Entebbe airport and our plane landed quite late (around 10 p.m.). We got out of the airport and at first the heat and humidity hit us quite hard. It was dark, somehow smelly and we didn't really know what to expect. We spent our first night in some small guesthouse near the airport. The housing was somehow strange, there were a lot of mosquitos (which we tried to avoid because we heard all kind of stories about the diseases they might transfer...more of that later), and there were dogs barking all night. But we felt save because the guesthouse was well guarded. At first we thought, that it was not a good idea to travel to Uganda but that first night was literally the only not so good thing about our Journey.

The next days basically went like this: Kibale National Forest (Crater Safari Lodge - excellent!) - Community- and Swamp-Tour -Chimpanzee-Tracking + tropical rain in the forest and being attacked by African bees - Queen Elizabeth NP (Ihamba Lake Resort - Excellent!) - evening + morning Game Drive (same as Safari but Safari seems to be the Kenia-word for Game drive...) - Boat-Safari on the Kazinga channel - Gorilla tracking in the Bwindi National Forest (Mutanda Lake Resort - Excellent!) - Travel to Lake Mburo + Safari-walk in the queen Elizabeth NP (housing at Eagles Nest - great view, cute dog, nice bar, tent - Okay for one night) - flight from Entebbe to Zanzibar with a stay at the Blue Oyster for three days (super nice people, great lodging, nice bar + great cocktails, nice and clean beach, good food and they even send us a Christmas card - would definitely go there again and recommend to everybody!) - Stone Town (Swahili House - great!).

We saw a lot. Crazy African cities, beautiful nature, great rain forests, beautiful lakes, the Indian ocean, lions, elephants, hippos, Crocodiles, Eagles, snakes, giraffes, buffalos and many many more... Every place was full of really nice people, who always wore a smile on their face. And what was very strange: almost no insects and no mosquitos. Sure I got bitten twice but in the end I had more bee-stings that mosquito bites (and that only because we had to pay for the honey that the chimpanzees stole...). Recommendations for travelers: don't buy expensive mosquito-proof clothing- just buy one or two bottles more of DEET 50%.

And one thing or rather one person I did not mention at all: Our guide Big Sam. We were extremely lucky that he was guiding our tour. He is very experienced, he knows the nature, he knows the animals, he knows the authorities and he knew an answer to all our questions. And we had a lot of questions... And most importantly: He is a nice guy. He was joking around a lot and was able to laugh about himself. We had a great time and we think and talk about our journey a lot. We miss Uganda, we miss the people from the Blue Oyster and we miss Sam. We will be back and we will travel with Matoke again!

Jenny   –  
Sweden SE
Visited: December 2018 Reviewed: Jan 21, 2019

Email Jenny  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Flexible, professional and friendly contact, from start to finish!
5/5

Me & my friend finished our amazing tour in Uganda on the 31st of December 2018. The reason we picked Matoke Tours is that we felt very comfortable as soon as the correspondence started. Ann at Matoke were very keen to listen to our wished and to make the best possible experience for us. Together we came up with a program that would suit our needs and interests. And everything worked out really perfect :) On top of this we were also so grateful with our guide Alfred. The three of us got along very well. He is such a sweetheart and we enjoyed having interesting conversations with him, as well as silent moments. He was always polite, humble and patient. We could not have wished for a better guide/driver.
As for the tour itself. Wow, we were not prepared for the beauty that Uganda has to offer! We enjoyed every second. The only thing we might have done different if we would do it all over is to go to Murchison Falls NP instead of QE NP. Our driver kept telling us that it is so amazing there and that there is more animals in that park as well. And I think we would also have skipped Lake Bunyonyi and instead stayed a day extra at Lake Mutanda. Lake Mutanda and the sceneries around it is among the most spectacular we have ever witnessed. It left us speechless! And of course the Gorilla experience was a highlight, which was done close to Lake Mutanda. Not only seeing the Gorillas was extraordinary but the whole trek itself and the mountains and greenery.
Thank you Ann and Matoke for really good arrangements. We are so happy for this trip which will for sure be a memory for life.
Finally, if someone asks for an experience with an orphanage, I suggest to contact Masaka Kids. They are based in Masaka and can be followed on Instagram. When we came they performed for us and we danced with them on stage. So sweet and talented kids :).

Chad   –  
United States US
Visited: February 2019 Reviewed: Feb 12, 2019

Email Chad  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Custom trip that included so many beautiful experiences in Uganda in 5 days
5/5

My wife and I wanted to plan a custom 5 day safari focusing on gorilla tracking and the Virunga volcanoes, starting and ending in Kigali. We reached out to Matoke and Madeleine was responsive, patient and knowledgeable in helping to create the perfect itinerary from several options. She and the Matoke team generally excelled with pre- and post-trip communications.

Our guide for the safari, Big Sam, was super nice. We relied on him mostly as a driver since we were staying at lodges and doing locally-guided activities arranged by our lodge or through the park system. We were so happy that he was such a safe and responsible driver! Our vehicle (a Land Cruiser) was great too, with no issues on the dirt roads off from Kisoro.

Oh... and the trip/safari were AMAZING!! Uganda is such a beautiful country and our experience was so special. It was even more special than we thought it could be. Some highlights: (1) getting so close to the gorillas (we tracked the Nkuringo group, one of 1 groups from the Nkuringo gate), (2) all the kids waving at us from the sides of the road, (3) the football pitch on a hilltop in Nkuringo, which we discovered through our lodge in Nkuringo (Clouds), (4) the Mt. Gahinga Lodge area, which is in the shadow of 3 Virunga volcanoes and was absolutely stunning, maybe the most beautiful place on earth (4) climbing/hiking Sabinyo (thankfully the weather was perfect for us), (5) the Kisozi caldera walk, and (6) all the nice and smiling people we met, including the Batwa in the forest in Nkuringo. We loved our trip and we loved Uganda!!!!

Candace   –  
Canada CA
Visited: February 2019 Reviewed: Feb 24, 2019

Email Candace  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Amazing experience gorilla tracking
5/5

My friend and I had such a great experience with matoke tours! We organized gorilla tracking from Canada, and corresponding with matoke tour representatives made planning a breeze. They worked with our schedule to make sure we were able to fit everything in.

Even though the drive from Kampala to Mutanda lake resort was long, our guide Mugabe was an excellent driver and we made good time (we arrived in the daylight hours) and he was a super safe driver as well which can be a bit rare in Uganda!

Mutanda lake resort is beautiful and the food was amazing! I only wish we could have stayed longer.

I’ve been wanting to do the gorilla tracking for the past 4 years but never had the time/money so it was great to finally be able to cross this experience off my bucket list! It was just as amazing as I imagined!

Thanks for making this such an unforgettable experience for us!

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