Traveler Reviews

• Matt4315 21-Mar-2020

  Everything about this company is exceptional. From start to finish Fred was on it. He was the first out of 5 companies to reach out to me and the communication was endless. Every time i changed something or had a question he would awnser right away!! He worked with me for 5 straight days to plan the perfect itinerary, took care of all the permits/ accommodations and had everything completely figured out for me. This was all done by the way a week before i was supposed to leave. Can’t speak more highly of Fred for his worth ethic and amazing communication!! My guide Ronald was the man!! Request him if you can!! From start to finish everything went great! He was waiting for me in the airport ready to help with whatever i needed. His communication was excellent and anything that i needed was handled immediately. He went above and beyond to assist me with anything needed and explained many things to me as i have a lot of questions. Ronald was more than helpful and was a great companion as i was a solo traveler for 9 days. Cant speak more highly of Ronald as a guide and friend!!

• Rjmackay123 28-Aug-2019

  I wanted to visit the Mountain Gorillas as a bucket lister, I spent days trawling through travel companies and itineraries. I had a tight budget, but was time rich. After peer group reviews, I used the excellent travel brokers Mojhi.com. I told them what I wanted and when I preferred to travel. They recommended East African Jungle Safaris. Of the list of itineraries offered, I chose the 9 day Uganda Signature tour with the gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. But this is very flexible and Fred adapts the tour to whatever you want to do. I was told that two days with the gorilla will be so much better than just one as each experience would be so different. This was the best advise, and I took it. Also, instead of flying into Entebbe in Uganda (as per itinerary) and spending the first day driving across the country, it really is so much easier to fly into Kigali in Rwanda and then cross the border with your guide. Rwanda is safe. You can spend time with habituated Mountain Gorillas in Uganda, Rwanda or DRC, but each of the closely controlled Govt Wildlife Authority permit will cost you US$600, $1500 or $1300 respectively. This is just for the 1 hour with these incredible creatures. I chose Uganda because of the price as everyone loved their experiences in each country, so budget won. But I did two days Gorilla tracking and turned the trip into a 10 day Signature tour. Although traveling alone, I chose to join a tour with others as I thought that would be a better experience, and I paid for the mid range budget accommodation throughout. This was definitely the trip of a lifetime. I saw everything I could possibly hope to see and experience in Africa, and thanks to the experience, contacts and local knowledge of my fantastic guide Apollo, I saw more amazing things than the itinerary had planned. Midrange budget hotels were better than I expected them to be. All were pretty quiet, the food may have been average, but the warmth and helpfulness of the locally employed staff made up for any shortfalls. The views very incredible!!!! Each one is chosen really well, but finishing in Fort Murchison was a grand finale, for food as well as facilities. These are my top tips. Book two days with the Gorillas, the first day took us 3.5hours to track in and the same to track out) through really steep mountainous dense forest to see the gorilla family and they were on the move. This was exhilarating but exhausting. Day two was only 45minutes climbing down a steep mountain and the family were sat at play, happily munching food, playing and relaxing with us in close proximity. The mountainsides are like an endless forested steep river bank that you have to clamber up and down. They are covered in stinging/scratching plants and roots. Take thick gardening gloves, good walking boots and long socks to tuck your trousers into (to protect yourself against safari ants), long sleeve shirts or T-shirts as despite it being extremely cold first thing in the mornings for the tracking brief, it soon warms up. Do wear only earthy, natural colours. Bright colours attract the insects, and repel all mammals as you stand out like a tourist! Do this for all tours. Do pay for the porter. Apart from the fact that every Ugandan Shilling/US$ spent in the community encourages more conservation and less poaching, it will only cost you $15 to have a strong, mountain fit local to pull, push, guide, help and even to take the best photos when you can't reach them due to lack of fitness. On that subject, do get fitter than you are. It cost US$300 cash to be stretchered out or in by a team of 16 locals just because you are unfit or overweight. It is hard work, but worth every drop of sweat when the black back or silver back comes and sits on your feet, just because he can!! Do carry the 2litres of water they suggest. We all used ours and more! Do take the free walking sticks that they offer. They are like stability magic! Do take a v lightweight waterproof jacket & trousers. At Murchison Falls, take the optional short hike to the top. The view in a million times better than from the boat. A guide will meet you off the boat to take you up. Fly into Kigali in Rwanda. Spend the first day doing the Genocide War Graves commission sites of the Catholic Missions that were attacked in April-July 1994, when over 800,000 Tutsi were slaughtered by Hutus and other allegedly Govt sponsored groups. You will see the places rather than visit the Genocide museum in Kigali. It is harrowing. But today, Rwanda felt incredibly safe and the whole country is stable and forward looking. Even better, fly into Kigali, and do Dian Fossey's Mountain gorillas in the Virunga mountains aswell as go to her grave site, Kisori research station and met the most habituated group of gorillas that even groom your hair!! Then do the War Graves Church sites, before crossing the border, which is extremely easy and stress free if you have already bought your E Africa Visa online. Get your vaccinations done really early. Travel clinics are booked up in the high season. Book your African or Uganda single entry visa online before travel. It's easy. Make sure all your US$ are printed after 2013, not torn or damaged, they won't be accepted. (2019) pay Gorilla/Chimpanzee porters min $15 then tip on top. Tip the trackers and your group guide at least US$15 too. Same for each tour (gorillas, Batwa, Kazinga Channel, Chimps, Murchison Falls, Ziwa Rhino sanctuary.) You're not allowed to photograph any military, police, security people or places, nor funerals. Please take and wear as many old clothes as you can bring in your luggage allowance. Go to your local charity shops and ask for any of their 'ragged clothes'. (These are clothes that are just not smart enough to sell). There are so many desperate charities for children and adults alike, too many have nothing and your clothes/shoes will change lives. You can leave your safari wardrobe with your guide as you leave, he/she will share it out to any one of the many charities. Water Aid is another desperate need. I was lucky to have Apollo as my guide. He has good English, a great sense of humour, is respectful to the animals (and will not distress any animal for you to get too close for your good photo, he says we are here to see them as they are, not irritate, or distress them). He has excellent eyesight and an experienced eye so can spot wildlife and birds like Superman. No one else had booked the tour, so I was on my own with him. (but had not paid the private tour price). At first I felt a bit alone, but he is easy company, and comfortable with silence. It was the best holiday of my life! We had the Toyota Land cruiser with the safari pop top to drive around in. Apollo's contacts got me a private launch cruise tour on the Kazinga Channel in QE Nat Pk with Martin, the head Uganda Wildlife Org guide. It felt like I was with a Ugandan David Attenborough! On day 6, you head for the Crater Lakes. It is not on the itinerary, but by far the most incredible pair of crater lakes is at NJABEKIRI crater lakes, very close to the Baboon safari Lodge. Apollo showed me these first. Two lakes in steep mountain sided craters, at different levels and different colours. The rest of the lakes paled into insignificance after them. Ask your guide to take you there! I'd like to thank Fred, the owner of E African Jungle Safaris and especially Apollo for looking after me so well, You can trust this company!