Unforgettable Trip
Uganda was lovely and much more breathtaking than I expected it to be, it’s less crowded than other countries in Africa what makes the trip even more unique.
AE
Email Mariona CL | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Uganda is a vibrant, welcoming and peaceful setting for wildlife lovers.
Home to Africa has been very accomodating and has adapted to all of our requests when planning and budgeting. Our guide, Benon, was fun, kind, patient and knowledgeable. He made us feel very comfortable and was always on the lookout to make sure we were on schedule and had all of our needs met. We were able to see giraffs, zebras, hippos, buffalos, lions, monkeys, baboons, crocodiles, gorillas and many types of birds. The highlight of the trip was the gorilla treck in Bwindi. We saw the gorillas up close and it was absolutely breathtaking and humbling.
Email Ee Chang | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Uganda is an underrated destination, would deserve better publicity
We have been fortunate enough to book 2 safari experiences, one going through the Ziwa Rhinos sanctuary and Murchison Falls National Park, where we've been able to see very closely all big five, another going to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest where we have been able to observe a Gorillas family.
There are no words to describe how blessed we've been.
The 2 safari tour operators we used (East African Jungle Safaris & Speke Uganda Holidays) were fantastic : very responsive and professional, the drive guides were both very knowledgeable and friendly.
The local population (in Kampala as well as in other locations) is very welcoming.
We highly recommend Uganda as a destination, both cultural and for its wildlfe.
Email Geoff Mitchell | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Uganda is a land of contrasts- stunning beauty abutting abject poverty. Wonderful people and places.
Uganda has amazing places to see and people to meet. It is a land of contrasts. We love going there. World class highlights we have seen include the gorilla tracking, Lake Bunyonyi, the source of the Nile at Jinja, and Murchison’s Falls national park. Please take time to talk with the people about the lives they lead and the challenges they face daily. Tip generously- they need it! Our Speke Tour to the gorillas was an absolute highlight. They could not have been more helpful with planning and our guide was fantastic.
FR
Email Pamella Carvalho | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
It's very different and a special place.
We went to Murchison Park and it was a amazing experience. We saw a lot of animals. Ors guide was very kind.
BE
Email Reginald Leyssens | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
AMAZING
Wonderfull country I recommand it Very safe A lot of wildlife
nice green
It was a long way but with nice country musik from afrika and europe was the tripp relax. Ab(...... )our driver was excellent he told a lot about the culture animals and politic and other things
Fantastic wildlife and great hospitality!
We had a fantastic trip and really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife. Seeing chimpanzees, gorillas, lions, leopards, and elephants were some highlights, but all the other animals and birds were also incredible. We experienced lovely hospitality throughout our vacation!
Email Simon Ward | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Gorillas and Chimpanzees
A good destination for Gorilla and chimpanzee trekking has the experience was a lot better than expected and the parks were well managed has not to get overrun and the people were warm and friendly throughout and Bamboo Ecotours made this a very memorable trip. For birders we recommend a trip to Mabamba swamp Lake Victoria to see the shoebill storks and plentiful bird life.
CZ
Email Jiri Machacek | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Uganda is an interesting safari destination but its wildlife is obviously under a great pressure
I think Uganda is not for someone who suppose to have just one East Africa safari tour in his/her life.
For such people Kenya/Tanzania are better options.
Uganda is about some special animal (shoebill, chimps, gorillas, other primates, birds) and special landscape (lakes, Virunga, Ruwenzori, a margin of Congo rainforest basin) targets.
We knew that, we are strongly oriented to wildlife but anyway - Uganda was a partial (with the focus on PARTIAL) disappointment.
When I was a child the classical Ugandan national parks like Murchison Falls and Queen Elisabeth were symbols of the African wildlife beauty. They are still here but obviously under a great poaching pressure and some parts of QE (esp. Ishasha sector) are simply dying ecosystems. Without any change in NP management Uganda can expect even further decrease of safari visitors.
There were also 2 and 1/2 disappointments with the activities which were expected to be the Uganda safari highlights:
* Disappointment 1 : chimpanzee trekking in Kibale - IMO this is a cheat from definition - this is no trekking but cca an hour of standing in a dark forest and staring at a chimpanzee back high and far in the trees. I can understand it is made as it is possible but with all the marketing and for the price (a half of the gorilla permit) ... ? But I do believe that for chimps is Kibale a good place to live. Which is a good message.
* Disappointment 2 : tree-climbing lions in Ishasha/QENP - we saw just one older cub which was seriously and repeatedly injured (the older injury from poacher snares, the fresh new injury - as we were told - made by an aggressive male lion ). Add the evening/night shooting at elephants (to keep them out of the crop fields) and the fact that one half (really) of Ishasha sector is completely burnt down. A depressive place.
* 1/2 of Disappointment : gorilla trekking in Bwindi - this is no cheat (compared with chimps trekking in Kibale), it is a real rainforest trekking crowned with gorillas observation from a close distance - we spent a half an hour with a female and cca 10-month-old baby (nice) and we could hear other group members (incl. silverback) in the undergrowth nearby. But when the female with her baby was leaving we were told by our leader guide we could not to continue in observation because of a wasp nest (it was really there but it was there all the time and could be easily bypassed when trying to follow gorillas which were apparently nearby). So we finished our session after a half an hour and returned to the base where we were waiting another half an hour until the "easy group" returned (we were the "medium group"). I suppose the gorilla trekking is no cheat from definition (as I suppose the chimps trekking in Kibale is) but we simply had a hard luck with our leader guide. You didn't travel so long distance and didn't spend so much money to skip a half of the activity for such a vague reason.
But there were also very good points in our Uganda safari tour :
* shoebill in Mabamba swamps
* rhinos trekking in Ziwa RS
* Nile delta boat cruise (private small boat)
* giant forest hogs close to Buffalo lodge/QE
* Kazinga channel boat cruise (private small boat)
* Golden monkey trekking in Mgahinga NP (by far best of the primate trekking)
* Lake Mulehe birding (private small boat)
* Lake Bunyonyi birding (private small boat)
* birding !!!
And the trip organization by Africa Adventure Vacations was excellent. The tour was discussed and planned with Robert and we were guided with Ceasar and Daphne. I can highly recommend all of them, the tour organization was simply great and we would like to thank them once more at this place.
To sum up - I'm far from being sure to visit Uganda again but if we do that we'll ask Africa Adventure Vacations (Robert, Ceasar, Daphne) to organize our trip again.
