BE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Don't hesitate to choose Pearl Afric for your tour through Uganda!
We really enjoyed the perfect service and organization that was offered by Pearl Afric on our trip through Uganda. The roundtrip the agencies follow is usually the same, differences between the operators are therefore often found in smaller details. We had the impression that Pearl Afric provides a more personal approach than the larger companies. For example, in Fort Portal we stayed overnight in a B&B rather than in yet another lodge which gave us a very good view on the life in a smaller African town.
Innocent is a lovely person, who will give you the best service with the best intentions. Don’t let yourself be put off by the slightly messier format of the offer compared to the slick European standards, neither by the typical African English (we find it very charming!). Besides, we found it important to directly invest in a local based company rather than to organise things through (European) middlemen. No need to say that you also save a considerable amount of money this way.
Pearl Afric is 100% trustable, but maybe it gives some people an awkward feeling having to organise everything from 1000 km’s away via e-mail. We can confirm this works out fine and are happy to alleviate any confusion or worries when it comes to that.
Finally a last tip regarding the payment: this can also be done by a bank transfer to a Dutch account of Innocent’s wife, Ms. Janssen. We have arranged the down payment this way. Also possible is to bring cash money to Uganda, but from experience we know that (North?) Europeans rather prefer paying in an electronic way….up to you. Enjoy your stay in this marvellous country!
NL
20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Flexible, caring and proffesional company
If you want a custom tour that fits all your needs, look no further! I did an extended version of the 7-day trip and it was awesome! I saw Chimps in Kalinzu, Gorilla's in Bwindi, Shoebills in Mabamba and a LOT of other animals. The communication before my depature to Uganda with Richard was very good. I was able to ask all my questions. The service during the trip was excellent. Richard and his staff really do everything to make their client feel comfortable and happy. Nothing is too much for them. Thanks Richard, Ashadu and Tony!
BH
35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Best African tour ever!
We travelled to Uganda on the 16th till the 23th December and spent the time with Stephen from CUL Tours. From our first contact with CUL tours through this website (safaribookings) we were very pleased with their prompt response and flexibility with the itinerary and accomodation etc. We did a lot of research about different safari tour companies and were obviously concerned about sending money before arriving but this apprehension was relieved once we arrived in Entebbe and saw Stephen waiting for us at arrivals.
We had the most amazing trip, starting with the first night at Rwaboko Lodge on the edge of the Mburo national park. There we saw many animals, and did a couple of game drives. The Lodge was very nice and Stephen knew the managers and they looked after us very well. It was a nice way to break up the trip from Kampala to Bwindi as Mburo is about half way. Stephen is a very safe driver and has a nice Toyota Landcruiser that is ideally suited for game drives and rough terrain. The next day we drove to Bwindi to prepare for the gorilla trekking the following day. Stephen once again made all the bookings for the lodges and we stayed is a wonderful new lodge called Buhoma Community Lodge. This place was not what you would expect from a "community lodge", it had amazing private luxury accomodation, with fantastic views across Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and the service was second to none. We saw the gorillas with Stephen the next day which was a once in a life and must do experience. After two nights in Bwindi we drove to Queen Elizabeth National Park, and throughout our driving Stephen would provide insights and knowledge about the different villages, wildlife and history of the regions we passed through, and he has a great eye for spotting birds and different animals.
We had two nights in Queen Elizabeth with the two main highlights seeing 8 lions up one tree and a leopard sleeping in the grass, and also seeing chimps in the gorge. One chimp has stolen and leopard cub, we watched it play with it for about an hour.
Overall our trip with CUL Tours and Stephen could not have been better, we had the most amazing trip and felt safe the whole time and would thoroughly recommend CUL Tours to anyone wanting to travel around Uganda. I would be happy for anyone to call me if they wanted more info, or verification about CUL tours. My email is [email protected], and I will reply with my contact mobile.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wild Destinations provided personal, trustworthy service, catering to our specific needs.
I really liked the personal service and felt confident I was given all potential options based on what I requested. I also appreciated the flexibility as circumstances/interests changed leading up to and during our trip. Another thing I liked was that I could put together my own trip…ala carte…and not be bound by pre-packaged itineraries—all at a reasonable price.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Breathtaking scenery with abundant wildlife and many stunning photographic opportunities
Ngorongoro crater is truly one of the wonders of the world. We stayed the night in the Serena lodge on the rim of the crater which was jaw-dropping spectacular. The view from our balcony was absolutely stunning. I woke early to catch the sunrise and enjoyed coffee sitting on the balcony listening to the sounds of the African night, Lions, Hyena, Elephant, and many more. The sunrise was amazing. I took many photos although none quite captured the moment.
Our game drive during the day was excellent even thought it started with a breakdown half-way down the steep road to the crater floor. This was a minor inconvenience and actually added to the adventure. The wildlife on the floor of the crater was everywhere. I had some great photo opportunities in the early morning light. At that time of year there were not too many tourists or vehicles. Our guide said that it is much busier in the high seasons. The day was wonderful and one that we will not soon forget. Eventually it was time to leave so we headed out of the crater to the Ngorongoro Farmhouse lodge. We really enjoyed our time at this lodge, relaxing by the pool and wandering around the exotic gardens of the grounds.
CA
50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
SE
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The most wonderful experience in our lives
We had a wonderful time in Tanzania. Our Guide, Lawrence, was a fantastic guide! He knew everything about the animals, from the insects to the the big five and was eager to show us everything! We learned a lot and will definitely go back and of course, we want Lawrence as our guide.
The service was perfect and Lawrence did everything to make us feel comfortable and listen to our wishes.
This was our best trip ever!
US
20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Superb service!
We first reached out to two agencies when we were looking to book our trip to South Africa. They didn't really answer our questions and took days to respond. One actually stopped responding altogether and we gave up after 3-4 follow ups. Then a friend recommended Discover Africa. She and her daughter both used them for their separate trips and both were very happy with the service. They certainly did not disappoint. Megan Warrington, our agent with Discover Africa, was... IS amazing! She responded right away and answered all (TONS and TONS!) of our questions fully and clearly. We never waited long for a response and the only things that held up responses were the time difference and both of our office hours. We gave her our desired travel dates, list of activities we'd like to do, accommodation types and a budget (a pretty low one at that) and she made it all happen! She revised the itinerary per our requests several times and seemed happy to do it every time. There were 5 travelers in our group and she accommodated every single one of our requests. They also provide all the information (contacts, tips, etc.) leading right up to the trip for everything we would need should we have any questions or issues before, during and after our trip. The trip itself was unbelievable! They really put together an amazing itinerary for us and we did not have any complications with anything. The lodges were great, the safaris were amazing, all the transfers were on time, everything was just as the itinerary explained it would be. This trip far exceeded our expectations and it was all thanks to Discover Africa and Megan Warrington (and of course our friend that made the recommendation)!
US
35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A safari that beat every expectation.
Allen at Back of Africa made sure that every possible thing we needed was taken care of. The team was completely professional at absolutely every opportunity. Everything promised was completed with a smile.
US
50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
overall comments on the trip and the travel company.
i don't have enough great things about this Africa safari tour operator!I used them to plan our dream honeymoon to kenya and couldn't have done it without them.I actually had gone with another travel agency due to to the higher number of reviews,but after i had a negative experience through out the trip i decided not to use them again,i decided to give this company a shot and i am so happy that i did.A few highlights:
1.personal touch:
The owner scheduled a time that was convenient for us to talk over the phone as soon as i reached out to them about my inquiry.Even though they were based in Nairobi(more than later),they were always accommodating to my schedule even though i live in the states,He personally went over what we were looking for,gave me some great advice.
2.flexibility.
I like to be hands-on with trip planning and loved that the company was so flexible with all my requests.They let me use my miles/points to purchase some of the plane tickets and also book hotels on my own when i found a better price online.I always felt like they cared more about making me happy than making money.
3.Our agent:
I felt like i had to dedicate a whole section to our agent.since this was our first time traveling to africa and going on safari,we had a lot of questions.i think i sent 50 emails to him before the trip and another 20 during the trip.He replied to all my emails quickly and positively each time.He even met us while we were in Naiobi ,bought us a drink,gave us a thoughtful gift basket of local treats,and provided personal recommendations for activities and restaurants.All of his recommendations were spot on and it was great to get advice from someone that had personally experienced everything he recommended was very helpful.He has followed up with me since then to make sure that we got back okay and didn't just move on to the next client as most companies would.
Our Africa safari travel has gained a client for life and my wife and i will be recommending them to all our family and friends.Don't let the limited reviews dissuade you,they are small,boutique company that provides a personal touch,but have the resources and experience to handle most complex itineraries and requests.