The Matoke Tours Team
Matoke Tours
- Located In:
-
Netherlands
- Size:
- 20-50 employees (Founded in 2002)
- Member Of:
- ATTA, AUTO, SGR, UTB & UCF
- Tour Types:
- Custom mid-range & luxury tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $300 to $750 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
Reviews
DK
Email Henrik & Laura | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
8 day Uganda tour - To perfection
We did the 8 day safari (Budget lodging) in Uganda covering Kibale forest national park, Queen Elizabeth NP, lake Bunyoni and Bwindi impenetrable NP - And all the magic in between!
It was an amazing experience right from the start to the very end.
We were supposed to start on Entebbe, but since we were already in Kampala visiting some friends we asked Matoke tours if we could get picked up there instead, and it was no problem at all, the company is flexible and overall service in regards to planning and organizing was superb and fast.
We thought we would be stowed in a vehicle with 6+ otger people, but instead we were the only ones in the vehicle for the whole trip, which made it that much more intimate - But if you are traveling alone and want a safari in order to meet fellow travelers you should make sure that you ask matoke for that preference, I am sure they will be able to help out there too!
Our trip went from amazing to perfect because of our guide 'Mike' who was also our driver, mechanic, zoologist, food connoisseur and culture specialist on our trip, this guy really made our trip an unforgettable experience - If you book your tour you should ask to get Mike as your driver if possible, you won't regret it :-D
On the way back from Bwindi we asked if we could make a stop at Lake Mburu NP (For the zebras there), Mike just said sure thing and got us to where the zebras were even without entering the actual park (Thus saving us the money for the permits!), again very chill and flexible like the whole journey.
As to what we saw in the parks, the nature in between, and to seeing the gorillas... I don't want to write how it was because I want you to see it for yourself - Just go already, it's worth all the money times two, plus a good chunk of the permit price really goes to the small communities just outside the parks, by buying a permit and by visiting Uganda you actually help not only to feedthe families but also prevent poaching and help secure the animals.
Book a trip, you won't regret it, and you will want to go back!
10/10 stars for Matoke Tours!
US
Email Gail and Karen | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
12 Day Tour of Uganda Left Us Wanting More!
Matoke Tours was recommended to me years ago and my sister and we are so glad we took the recommendation. Our expectations were exceeded! This was our first visit to Uganda (my sister's first trip overseas) and we loved it. Anna and Pleunie are very responsive and accommodating. We appreciated their advice and suggestions offered as this was our first visit to Uganda and were unsure how to structure our time. We were able to plan for as much or as little activity we desired, and were pleased by the accommodations (except for Marafiki Safari Lodge). Overall, the itinerary that was put together for us (customized to our requirements) gave us a wonderful overview of the country and left us wanting more.
Our driver, Musa is wonderful! He's an excellent driver, very professional, and we felt very safe. We learned a lot about birds (he's an avid birder) and the native species in general through our conversations during our drives.
We were treated most hospitably by our lodging hosts Magdalene at Papaya Lodge, Nick and Merlin at Mihingo Lodge, Darius at Enjojo, and Ann from Bwindi Lodge. We enjoyed ourselves and found Uganda to be a beautiful country with beautiful, welcoming people.
US
Email Beth | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fabulous 14 days!!! Wildlife! Birds! Culture! Great accomodations!! Amazing staff and guide/driver!!
My adult son and I spent 14 days driving through Uganda, from Kampala, Jinji, Sipi Falls, Kedepo, Murchinson Falls, Queen Elizabeth and finally the gorillas in Biwindi, with our amazing guide/driver: Geoffrey Katende. Every part of the trip was planned by Pascqa Lorna in the Matoke office and every part was amazing. I cannot say enough about Geoffrey who both is extremely knowlegable about wildlife, birds, geography, land marks, and culture, but is a very patient and sweet person. Geoffrey really cared about us and tried his hardest to make sure we had a great experience. It was often Geoffrey who wanted to continue to drive around the parks or see more sights, and we would have to say that we wanted to go back to the lodge to rest. He is very enthusiastic and is excited about every aspect of Uganda even though he has probably seen everything many times. Geoffrey is also a very safe driver which is important in Uganda and he never tired even after hours of bumpy roads, he never got rattled and he always got us where we were going safely and without drama. I had total faith in him to be safe and professional.
Pascqa Lorna was also amazing. She planned everything and worked very hard to make sure we did everything we wanted to do. During the planning phrase she emailed me faithfully and quickly and she was available while we were in Uganda and helped me with problems even when she did not have to. She also really cared that we had a great experience, it was much more than just doing her job. The lodges we stayed in were uniformly very nice and were picked by Pascqa and the activities we did were very fun and rewarding. Also because it was just the two of us, we were able to do things we had not planned sometimes and Geoffrey was always willing to change plans and do whatever we wanted to do.
I would definitely recommend Matoke to anyone traveling to this part of the world, and if I am lucky enough to return to East Africa, I will use them again.
CA
Email D and B | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing 14-Day Trip in Uganda
Thank you to the amazing Matoke team for a wonderful holiday! Ilse and Pleunie helped us plan an incredible two-week trip in Uganda. The Matoke staff is absolutely wonderful - they are incredibly knowledgable and were quick to answer any questions we had. We had a wonderful guide, Confidence, who we really enjoyed traveling with. We can't wait to book our next trip with Matoke Tours!
US
Email Tyler | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Fantastic experience with Matoke!
Top notch experience both working with Matoke and throughout the trip. The organizer (Pascqa) did a great job answering questions about the various options and was very timely in her responses. The accommodations were great in all three countries, the guides (Kule- Uganda and Doto-Tanzania) were both super friendly and knowledgeable, and the trip flowed smoothly. Cost was very competitive and days were packed with many fantastic memories. Would definitely use this provider again for travel throughout eastern Africa.
Email Robyn | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our 6 day Matoke Tour of Uganda was fantasic, truly unforgettable.
Booking the trip was made easy by our helpful, honest and caring consultant. She tailored our tour according to our timeframe and preferences. Nothing was a problem. Our guide was 100% professional and accommodating. At all times he made us feel safe and comfortable. His knowledge and insight into his country, the wildlife and social factors made our experience far richer than we expected.
Overall it was a truly unforgettable trip. Thank you Matoke, Confidence (our guide) and Lorna (our consultant).
LU
Email Irmi | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Most wonderful trip I've ever had
Booked a safari tour in Kenya for 16 days as single person, with driver. Perfect organisation for my first trip to Kenya. Most of the highlights were covered, though still lots to discover. But realistically .... not all is feasible in 16 days unless one takes the plane. Apart from one hotel, all the lodges were well selected and the handling in Kenya went very smoothly. I never felt abandoned or lost as the driver took care of everything in a very professional way.
Thanks very much for the well organised tour by Harriett. This was already my third tour with Matoke Tours and I really feel comfortable with this organisation.
NL
Email Jasper | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
We had an awesome Kilimanjaro trip!
We did the 7-day Machame Kilimanjaro route with Matoke. We had Iddy as headguide and Steve as assistent guide. They were the best guides and the team was very good. Iddy and Steve were professional guides and did everything to make sure that we reached the summit. They both are really good in setting the best pace, monitoring your health and are very friendly. Besides, we learned a lot about the Kilimanjaro and Tanzania from them, and they were very interested in us as well. Although we couldn't speak English with all other members of the team, they are always friendly and it felt like a family. The equipment was all decent. The chef Daniel cooked very good and there was always a lot of food.
We would recommend everyone to climb the Kilimanjaro with Matoke and Iddy and Steve as guides.
Email Nico | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Well organised experience that delivered what Matoke commited to
My initial enquiery was responded to by Pasqal Lorna who subsequently put together a gorilla tour for us. Paperwork for the tour and plane tickets were delivered to us by email and Pasqal maintained communications with me for the duration of the tour. We traveled from Entebbe to Kisori by air. The driver and vehilce provided for our tour was in good order. Patrick was always punctual and skilled at driving on bad roads and wet conditions. We stayed at Mutanda lodge wich has the most beutifull views over the lake and volcanoes and can highly recommend this lodge. The gorrila tour was an amazing experience on its own. We had a very good experience with Matoke and will make use of their services again.
Email Brady Walsh | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania; Mountain Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi and Safaris in the Serengeti
Our trip from pre-booking until our return was meticulously managed by Pasqua Lorna. She made sure we got to experience everything we wanted, and checked in on how we were doing before, during and after the trip. 11/10 would recommend!
We stayed in Mutanda Lake resort in Uganda which is an incredible property, with caring staff. The lake is unbelievably peaceful, and something that will never be forgotten. The gorilla hike was a short drive into the mountains, and an amazing experience. The guides went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable and felt safe at all times.
Our driver from Rwanda, to Uganda and back again was Ronald. He was incredibly knowledgeable and a very nice person to spend the 3-day trip with. He’s a very hard worker, punctual and made the long journeys enjoyable.
We did 3 safaris in Tanzania. The first was in Tarangire National park, the Serengeti and the Ngorogoro Crater. For all we stayed in Tortillas Camps. I can’t speak highly enough of the concept, company and staff here at Tortillas. It was truly incredible being able to stay in these luxury tents in the middle of the parks, surrounded by animals. We felt safe at all times, and the staff were incredibly helpful.
Our guide for the entire time in Tanzania was Earnest. He is very well connected among the guides, and always got the tips on where the animals were at from the other guides. A true veteran, he consistently would find spots, favorited by specific animals, which allowed us to see every single animal the Tarangire, Ngorogoro and Serengeti parks had to offer.
If there was one thing I could suggest, it would be exploring the Tarangire National park during a night drive. If I’m not mistaken, this is the only park you can do a night safari, and is when the animals are most active. Then carry out day safaris in Ngorogoro and the Serengeti. Other then that, I cant speak highly enough of Matoke Tours and all of their partners. It was a truly unforgettable experience, and wouldn’t have been possible without them.
Brady Walsh.