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In general the trip was a great experience. The accomodation was particularly good and exceeded our expectations. Our guide was a great driver, I felt safe on the roads the whole time. Few small cons - the guide requested / pestered us about getting our family and friends to travel to Uganda repeatedly which got quite tiresome. And some things I thought were included (on the agreed/final itinerary) were apparently not included as we found out whilst on the tour - these were not costly items but I found it very frustrating having spent so much time working through the planning and paying a lot of money for the tour, the company should ensure inclusions and exclusions are clear prior. Overall we had a good experience with the tour company. The Gorilla Trekking and Golden monkey trekking is an unreal experience, I highly recommend doing it.…
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Date of experience: February 2020
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We are still absorbing a fabulous 13-day trip to Uganda, which we booked through Africa Adventure Safaris. It was a pleasure working with Anna. She provided us with prompt, expert and professional advice on all aspects of our trip, building us a world-class 13-day itinerary that included a gorilla habituation trek in Biwindi Impenetrable National Park (NP); lion tracking, game drives, and a boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth NP; chimpanzee tracking in Kigali NP; a nature walk in the Bigodi wetlands; game drives in Murchison Falls NP; a boat cruise on the Victoria Nile to Murchison Falls; game drives in Kidepo Valley NP; a visit to the Karamojong Community; and Rhino tracking in the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary. While the itinerary was excellent, it came to life with our driver/guide Kenneth. His knowledge of Uganda, including its history, culture and wildlife were outstanding. We could not have had a better driver or guide. He was quick to use his experience as a park ranger in both Biwindi Impenetrable and Queen Elizabeth NPs and his extensive network of contacts to help ensure that every aspect of our trip and experiences were the best they could be. We also appreciated his keen eye and outstanding ability to spot and identify birds and other wildlife. The trip exceeded our expectations. We were impressed with the abundance and variety of wildlife; the progressive policies of Uganda’s national park system; and the warmth of the Ugandan people.…
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Date of experience: January 2020
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We used AAS to plan a 20-day trip from Entebbe to Kigali taking in multiple national parks, two gorilla treks, a chiimpanzee trek and a golden monkey trek. While a bit nervous at first to book such an extensive trip with a company we'd never heard of before, our nerves were calmed by the Trip Advisor reviews and the extraordinary competence of the staff, namely Maclean, who was a joy to work with from day one. She is responsive, pleasant and patient. She worked with us over weeks and months to plan every detail as we requested. She responded to nearly every request within 24 hours. And after we arrived, she worked to make a few last minute additions to the agenda. The entire 20 days went off without a single hitch! Again, we were a bit nervous about paying in full in advance using wire transfers to Uganda. We needn't have worried. The bank transfers worked smoothly and we received timely receipts. As a result, we paid for very little on the trip -- only beverages, laundry and tips to hotel staff. (Laundry is very inexpensive, so there's no need to over pack.) Everything else was taken care of by our guide. We were fortunate to have William (Luchi) as our guide. He is experienced, knowledgeable and the best driver one could hope for on roads that would cause most drivers to stay home. While generally taciturn, he enthusiastically answered every one of our many questions throughout the trip and provided meaningful background information regarding the country, its history, culture and people. Because of his planning (and his relationships with people at the parks) we had the best experience (i.e., the shortest hikes with excellent rangers) one could hope for on our treks. And, we also had a student guide with us for the entire 20 days: Denny was a great addition. He is young, intelligent and personable. He will be an excellent guide when his apprenticeship is completed. The treks are arduous. You will climb up (and down) steep, rocky and muddy slopes. But don't let that stop you -- regardless of your age. Unless you are young, fit and an experienced climber, you should/must hire a porter to help you. (Paying a porter is a great help to the local community, so consider hiring one even if you believe you can traverse the difficult terrain without one.) The porters carry your backpack, but also guide you along the way. There is no trail to follow 95% of the time -- park rangers create a trail by hacking through the dense growth with machetes. Your porter will hold your hand and lift you up if necessary to keep you on your feet and moving! Getting to spend an hour with mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and golden monkeys is, indeed, the experience of a lifetime for those of us who love seeing animals in the wild. You will be remarkably close to them -- without any significant danger. Our lodges were mostly quite good. (Of 8 lodges/hotels we used, there was only one we would not return to. Do check out the reviews of each lodge for further comment about the lodge and its food. AAS will book you at your choice of lodges if they are available on your schedule.) We booked "luxury" accommodations. But "luxury" is a relative term when you are hiking in remote places. Don't expect a 5-star lodge. These are "eco" lodges -- most run on solar or hydro power. The point of the trip is to see the animals, not to bask in luxury. So, "luxuries" like hairdryers in every room don't exist. And at least a few lodges don't permit the use of one's own hairdryer in the room. Instead, they provide a single hairdryer at a central location -- sometimes quite a distance from your cabin and sometimes without a mirror or any privacy. In the higher elevations, it will be cold once the sun is down. Most lodges have fireplaces in the rooms and hot water bottles in your bed, but no central heating. Very few have air conditioning, but it really isn't needed at night. If you will be in low elevations, those lodges generally do have air conditioning -- and it is quite hot, so book accordingly. Just be prepared and you will enjoy this trip. Most lodges are lovely and comfortable with good to excellent food, but without all the "luxury" touches. In summary: Don't hesitate to book and plan your trip with Africa Adventure Safaris. Feel free to contact me through Trip Advisor if you have questions.…
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Date of experience: January 2020
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Everything was so well organised, the lodges were very good and our guide (Kenneth) was exceptional. The tour included a cross section of activities and a lot of travelling and we were successful in seeing all of the animals we wanted to see. However I do not think this would have been possible without Kenneth's extensive knowledge of the areas and the national parks specifically. Kenneth had a story to tell about the parks themselves, the animals, the local area, the history and culture. We thoroughly enjoyed every part of our trip and would be more than happy to recommend both the company and Kenneth personally.…
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Date of experience: January 2020
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As a teenager traveling with 9 other members of family (3 other teenagers included), I was AMAZED at not only what Africa had to offer in terms of animals and landscape but also the people we met there. Our guides Fred and Luchi (William), and Luchi’s trainee Danny were incredible; we could not have asked for better people to spend 14 days of journeying with. We started in Uganda where we did rhino and chimp tracking, then moved Queen Elizabeth, then to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest for the gorillas (amazing), and finally finished in Rwanda. All 3 guides were so personable and knowledgeable about everything we could’ve hoped to learn about African countries. They also made us feel so safe and secure and gave us very close-up experiences of people’s cultures in Uganda. Very high quality people. Thank you Africa Adventure Safaris! I hope to travel back to Africa someday as an adult so I can experience this whole thing again! 100/10 would recommend.…
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Date of experience: January 2020
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