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Email Paul & Mary | 65+ years of age | Experience level: first safari
Uganda is a perfect place to see the wild beauty of Africa, but also a very hospitable people!
We’ve been coming for years to Uganda to work among people in rural, impoverished villages. But this was the first time we had the opportunity to explore some of the natural beauty of Uganda.
We’ve spent vacations in France, Hungary, Peru, Greece, Italy, Ireland, Alaska and more…..but this trip (a Safari) to Murchison Falls Park TOTALLY equalled or even surpassed what we’ve seen and experienced in these more famous places!
We experienced up close and personal viewings of rhinos, giraffes, elephants, leopards, a lion pair, hippos, water buffalo, crocodiles, baboons and a wonderful array of birds and lizards! Because we were there in the off season, we also had our Pamoja tour guide (Amos) all to ourselves and he was great!
And the crazy thing is…all this was available to us at a much less expensive cost (we are now living on a limited budget) than the more famous safari countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana or South Africa.
So—-if you’re considering a trip to this amazing continent, look at Uganda and any of their big national parks. We plan to visit more of these for sure!!! Bwindi and the mountain gorillas are next year!
NL
Email Norbert van Hoof | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Uganda April
Great organisation and the driver Abdul was very helpfull. Good trip!
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Email Matthew Montanari | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A Lush Oasis with So Much to See
My wife and I did a 5 day Uganda safari. Our guide, Francis, picked us up from our hotel in Entebbe and we drove several hours to start our trip at Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP).
Even though we visited during the rainy season, we were lucky enough to have beautiful weather during our trip. The drive to QENP was interesting because you drive through many small towns where you can see the local vendors selling produce on the side of the road. Our guide was happy to stop whenever we requested, so long as it was safe. The further you go, the landscape begins to change. It was beautiful.
QENP was absolutely stunning. We saw nearly all the animals we wanted to see and Francis went above and beyond to make sure we fully enjoyed our experience. We were even lucky enough to see the chimpanzees when we went chimpanzee tracking on our 2nd day.
On our way to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, we drove to the Ishasha sector, which was unique in its own way and we were able to observe a tree climbing lion resting in a tree.
Gorilla tracking in Bwindi was incredible. We were lucky, where it only took us 30 minutes to find the gorilla family we were looking for, but apparently it can sometimes take up to 3 hours to find the gorillas. It was such a unique experience. I will never forget it.
Our last night was at Lake Bunyonyi, which was beautiful and a perfect way to wind down to end our trip.
We were very impressed by all of the lodges we stayed at. Everything was clean and very nice (We opted for Mid-Luxury). All of the staff and locals we encountered were so friendly and spoke great English.
In my opinion, Uganda is a must visit in Africa. Our guide Francis was fantastic. His experience and knowledge made us feel safe the entire time and he also answered any question we had.
Uganda has so much to offer and we didn’t even get to see everything due to our safari only being 5 days.
Such an unforgettable trip. I highly recommend.
ES
Email Sabine Reichow | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Unique experiance Uganda
After having been on Safari in Kenia and in South Afrika, we choose Uganda as a destination to experiance what we saw as the ultimate highlite in Safaris…… the chimpansee and Gorilla trekking in Uganda. We visited a week end of April, still rainy season.
We booked through a local company we had chosen through safaribooking.com ( safarisbyjon) and flew to Entenbbe with exitment . I must say that the week was even better than we had dreamed of……… it was just perfect!!!! We stayed at Murdgison Falls National Park and did the trekking to see Rhinos( amazing) we visted the Waterfall ….. spectaculous, and we met sooo many friendly people! All the locals, guides, rangers, staff atcthe lodges were super friendly , helpful, had good knowledge of their job and always a big smile ! We of course did the chimpanzee and gorilla trekking, and the fact that you walk through the jungle ( great nature) and suddenly see them face to face is a one liftime experiance! I can only highly recommend Uganda and the experiance of trekking by foot to anybody! It is such a special experiance! Nature in Uganda is great, as we went end of the rainy season ( it just rained one day and not heavy rain) tourism was low and so the trekkings were and safari we did were not at all overpacked with tourists……… and everywhere peolpe todl us how greatfull they were that we had chosen Uganda for our holidays…..that was so sweet……… we will definitly come back some day!!!! Thank you Uganda for an unforgettable holiday !!!!!!
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Email Paal Stroem | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla Trek
I went trekking for Gorillas and the experience was amazing. Once in a lifetime stuff. Great people and service and the travel logistics went really smoothly. Highly recommended.
Email David Tredinnick | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The pearl of Africa lives us to expectations
Murchison national park & waterfall where an amazing experience. So beautiful and amazing to see all the animals and birds in their natural surroundings. Tour operators was first class & very knowledgeable about everything
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Email Peter ******* | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Best Safari ever😍
Short travel report Uganda January/February 2024
We left almost on time on January 24th shortly after 11 a.m. from Nuremberg's Albrecht Dürer Airport via Istanbul to Entebbe. When we arrived there, we were met by our two guides Elli and Joseph at around 6 a.m. and taken to the Seven Seasons Hotel to relax. In the afternoon we went on our first trip to the Entebbe Botanical Garden. This was founded by the English in 1902 during the colonial period and has a large variety of plants, shrubs and trees. We were also able to observe the first species of monkeys such as mantled monkeys and vervet monkeys.
The next day we set off early in the morning to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. In this great park we were able to admire 13 rhinos while tracking with a local ranger. The sight was simply indescribable, we got to within about 20m of these wonderful animals. After a short night at the Bomah Hotel in Gulu, we continued to the Zebra Lodge in Kidepo Valley National Park for 2 nights.
This park is located across borders in the drier north of Uganda on the borders with Kenya and South Sudan. On the game drives we were able to see huge herds of buffalo, lots of elephants, bumbas (warthogs), some giraffes and various types of impala. This savannah landscape there is simply indescribably beautiful. A highlight was the visit to Idi Amin's former residence in the Katurum Lodge park.
After another night at the Bomah Hotel, due to the longer distance, we went to Murchison Falls National Park. Here the Pakuba Safari Lodge was our accommodation for 2 days. It is located in the middle of the park with a small waterhole and a wonderful pool that gave us our first slight sunburn. On our game drives we had lots of animal sightings, saw our first lions in Uganda and, as a highlight, a leopard in its tree hideout. We ended the evening by the campfire with guitar music and singing from our new Canadian friends Beggi and Tom.
It can really continue like this!! The next day, after the morning game drive and lunch in the lodge, we went to the Nile for a boat trip upstream to the Murchison Falls. Along the Nile we saw buffalo, elephants, monitor lizards and some large crocodiles, as well as many species of birds. But the view of the waterfall from below was already very impressive, but it was about to get even better.
The trip directly to the falls was only planned for the next day, but Elli, our guide, had a feeling and after a short drive and a short walk we arrived at the top of the waterfall. The rushing and roaring, the spray, the play of light until sunset, just amazing, fantastic and indescribably beautiful. An impression that will last forever!!
Early in the morning when we left the Pakuba Lodge, a herd of elephants was standing almost directly in front of our room, leisurely making their way around the grounds, which delayed our departure a little. But we reached the Kibale Forest Camp in time for lunch. In the afternoon we went on an excursion to the “country and its people” including a medicine man, coffee roastery, basket weaving and banana beer brewery. A must if you want to get to know the culture of these great people. In addition to the beer tasting, there was also a great homemade banana schnapps. The way back to the camp took a little longer!!
The next morning we set off for a wonderful walk in the forest before going chimpanzee trekking in the Kibale National Park in the afternoon. After a few mud holes, wet shoes and dripping trousers, there they were, the chimpanzees. It was wonderful to be able to observe our closest relatives up close, simply unforgettable moments!!
On the 10th day of our tour through Uganda we continued across the equator to the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Here we stayed at the Buffalo Safari Lodge. During the game drives we were able to see a lioness with her 4 cubs, but the absolute highlight was a bull elephant who visited us while we were swimming in the lodge's pool and drank a few liters of water from the pool with his trunk. Another highlight that you won't forget!!
The next day we went on a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, which connects Lake Edouard with Lake George. Here too we were able to see lots of elephants, buffalo, many species of birds and hippos. This time we only saw small crocodiles. But a boat trip like this is just awesome, highly recommended!!
After 2 nights in the Buffalo Lodge, we went to the highlands, to the rainforest of the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, to the Rushaga Gorilla Camp. The temperature difference was really big, in the evening hot water bottles were put in our beds so that we were nice and warm.
After breakfast and a very short drive, the lodge is about 300m from the starting point of the gorilla trek. We were greeted by a dance group and after a detailed briefing we set off. In total we were on the road for about three and a half hours, up and down hills, through the thicket, over small streams and mud holes, but after about 80 minutes of extreme conditions we were able to see them. A mountain gorilla family, the silverback with about 14 family members, we were sometimes only about 2 meters away from these amazing creatures. Unfortunately, after 10 minutes it started to rain very heavily and the animals hid under a large bush. I quickly threw on a ponch and followed the family. We overlooked the fact that the poncho was over our feet and we had to go headfirst into a mud hole. After about 30 minutes of heavy rain, the gorillas came out of their hiding place again and we were given an extra hour to take photos before heading back to the starting point. A small detour was necessary because our path crossed that of an elephant. After receiving our gorilla certificate, we went back to Rushaga Camp to shower and change before we reflected on our experiences in the evening around the campfire.
Day 14 of our trip had already arrived, and we headed to Lake Bunyonyi with incredibly heavy legs and sore muscles. There we were taken by boat to a small island called Habuhdro Island. A wonderful gem for relaxing, where you could just unwind with a good, cold Nile beer. A dream island that you could walk around in just under 15 minutes.
After a good night's sleep, we took the boat back to civilization the next morning after breakfast and then on to Lake Mburo National Park. Here, too, we had a wonderful lodge with a view of the park's wide valley, the Kigarama Wilderness Lodge. On our last game drive in the park, we saw lots of giraffes, buffalo, antelopes and also some hippos. We were also able to leave our jeep and get within about 4 meters of the giraffes, who were watching us curiously.
But unfortunately our adventure slowly came to an end the next day. We stayed at the Seven Seasons for a few more hours and then drove to the airport at 3 a.m. the next morning where we flew back home to Nuremberg on time with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul.
Special thanks go to our two guides Joseph and Elli!! We had a lot of fun with them during the 16 days. They took us safely and reliably across Uganda and brought us much closer to the wildlife, nature and culture through their knowledge.
Also Sedrick, the boss of Ngoni Safaris who planned this unique tour for us, and all the staff at the hotels and lodges. We were warmly welcomed and entertained everywhere. We will definitely travel to this great country again!!
To paraphrase Hemingway:
“If I’ve ever seen magic, it was in Africa”
(automatic translation from German)
NZ
Email Chris Millbank | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Extremely enjoyable and very professional.
I first landed in Entebbe and visited the Mabamba Swamp, we encountered a Shoebill in the first minute and spent time observing this prehistoric bird, to my joy we saw it walk and then fly in the swamp, many other birds were also seen.
I travelled by vehicle up to Murchison Falls, beautiful trip through the villages and landscape, staying at the Pakuba Safari Lodge was brilliant, superb setting with animals roaming around the area most of the day. My company Adventure in the Wild Safaris was fantastic, my guide Joram was skilled at finding animals and really went the extra efforts to see as much as I could, I couldn’t have been more pleased with his guiding and friendly nature, to make my trip a pleasure.
A visit to the top of the falls is a must see, the power of the water is frightening, then a cruise on the Nile river to see the bottom of the falls is also brilliant, along the way we saw elephants, Nile crocodiles, Hippos and much bird life.
I am very impressed with the organisation and skills of the travel industry in Uganda, I am a solo traveller and enjoyed every aspect of my trip to Uganda, I can highly recommend the country to visit and experience different adventures.
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Email Loy | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Beautiful place, friendly people!
I greatly enjoyed my tour of Uganda. Uganda has a variety of terrain, from savannas to mountains. I visited Murchison Falls and the national park, then Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest for a mountain Gorilla trek. All stunning. The people of Uganda are very friendly and even as a solo traveler I always felt safe. I would very much recommend Uganda as a destination.
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Email Heather | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
An undiscovered treasure
We had the most incredible time. Our guide and driver was outstanding and so friendly. Uganda is a beautiful country with so much to explore. Murchison Falls and the Nile are breathtaking! Our safari day was beyond anything we expected. The landscape is gorgeous and we saw hundreds of animals. A true bucket list trip!
