Gorilla and Chimp safari in Uganda
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Check dates, prices & availability
Date
Price per adult
Basis
Status
22 Feb 2019
US $5300
excluding flights
Full
02 Aug 2019
US $5210
excluding flights
1 space left
13 Sep 2019
US $5300
excluding flights
Departure Guaranteed
24 Jan 2020
US $5400
excluding flights
9 spaces left
21 Feb 2020
US $5400
excluding flights
Available
03 Jul 2020
US $5400
excluding flights
Available
31 Jul 2020
US $5400
excluding flights
Available
11 Sep 2020
US $5400
excluding flights
Available
Vouchers
Accepted
Vacation type
Small group vacations
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, traveling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If you’re heading off on a gap year your, perhaps – but for those with a two-week vacation, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.
The leaders are not guides – they’re not there to shepherd you around. Instead, they’ll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food – without running the risk of travelers’ tummy. They’ll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.
We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds – and organised travel without the coaches. And it’s cheaper than a tailor made tour. It’s sits somewhere in the middle – and we think it’s just about right.
What are the main benefits?
Big experiencesHave big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.
Simplicity
Make the most of your vacation time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!
Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects – and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.
Who is it ideal for?
Travelers who are short of timeIf you don’t have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels – so you can squeeze more into your vacation.
Solo travelers who’d like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those traveling alone. Single supplements are usually available – providing privacy if you want it.
Less confident travelers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.
Mythbuster
“I won’t get any privacy!”Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travelers their own room.
“There won’t be any free time”
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.
“The accommodation will be basic”
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations won’t have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.
“I won’t like the other travelers!”
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic – age, families, activity levels... Chances are, you’ll even make new friends.
“Will we be following an umbrella?”
No.
Meet a local guide
No matter how experienced your group leader, they can never make up for the knowledge gained from a lifetime in the destination. That’s why many of our trips work with local guides around the world – who invite you into their homeland with pleasure.
Responsible tourism
Responsible tourism: Gorilla and Chimp safari in Uganda
A visit to Uganda and the opportunity to witness the rare mountain gorillas in their natural, pristine environment presents one of the most evocative and memorable travel experiences to be found anywhere.
The very survival of the mountain gorilla depends upon the willingness of communities to embrace the concept of responsible/sustainable tourism, and to see the long term benefits of protecting these magnificent animals - as opposed to the short term gains of poaching.
In conjunction with a Ugandan operator we work to ensure that our tours offer financial benefits to the communities on both national and local levels - eg park fees bring vital hard currency into the country a proportion of which goes directly into gorilla conservation: there is the localised employment of guides/drivers and camp staff.
Traveling in small groups we maximize the benefit to local suppliers ensuring that we do make a difference to the lives of the people of Uganda. We are donating £50 for each person booking on to this tour for departures this year, to the Gorilla Organisation.
As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost.
5 Reviews of Gorilla and Chimp safari in Uganda
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 15 Oct 2010 by Libby Pearson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The first glimpse of gorillas after 4 hours of trekking though the jungle.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
There will be times when there is no running water; the electricity is off; the truck gets stuck in the mud and you are covered in dust - relish it!
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Certainly. Hiring a local porter ensured money went straight into his/her pocket. A visit to the Batwa people benefited them directly too. The impact to the environment was very low level.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Amazing 10/10
Reviewed on 27 Feb 2008 by Shona Hingston
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Seeing the gorillas.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Get your walking practice in :)
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Wonderful.
Reviewed on 04 Jan 2008 by Susan Miles
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Seeing the gorillas.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take more money than you think you'll need. We had the opportunity of trekking a second day to the gorillas and didn't have enough money for more than one of us to go as visa isn't accepted. Also we found that local currency would have been useful at times and we had only taken US$ with us.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We spent a reasonable amount on items made by the locals at different places such as an orphanage and the pigmy village. The money went directly to these people. We left with the impression that the gorillas were the main draw for tourists and if they weren't there the locals would be unemployed.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
For a short vacation, we couldn't have packed much more in. Although long, the journey by road from Entebbe to Bwindi allowed us to see the villages and countryside as we passed through. Our major disappointment was that our luggage failed to connect at Nairobi and so we were without it until after returning from seeing the gorillas on the first day in Bwindi.
Reviewed on 21 Aug 2007 by Edmund Pedley
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
One night I was woken by the sound of a hippo grazing outside my bedroom window.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be aware that there are some steep climbs and also you have to shimmy across a log to cross a river. Also the accommodation is not luxury compared to the UK but it is more than adequate considering it's in Uganda. Not suitable for the posh or frail, but brilliant for everyone else.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
At Bwindi the community is supported by tourism. The forest dwelling people have been pushed out of the forest to protect the gorillas however and they don't appear to enjoy their new life.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very good. I had lots of amazing experiences and was surprised to find that the stay in Queen Elizabeth national park was just as exciting as the stay at Bwindi. I would suggest that more could be made of the opportunities to travel into the forest at Bwindi. The vacation was slightly spoiled by the constant complaining of 3 people who did not feel sufficiently pampered on the trip.
Reviewed on 02 Feb 2007 by Fiona Wilson
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The most memorable part was seeing the Gorillas of course. We had a tough 2.5 hours climb to get to them. The last hour was pretty steep through thick jungle but that made it all the more worthwhile. We got to sit and watch them for a short time and then had to chase down the mountain after them as the silverback as 'sorting out' one of the cheeky youngsters.
I would say the most exciting bit was the white water rafting down the Nile. It was grade 4 & 5 in places which was great fun. It was so good we went back at the end of the trip and did it again. This time my husband went river boarding - going down on a boogie board with fins on. He went down the same route as the rafts and thought it even more exhilarating than the rafting. We went with a company called Adrift for this. Make sure you do this now as apparently they are going to dam the river and the rapids will disappear next year. What a shame.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Tips: I was glad I had long sleeves and gloves for the gorilla trek. I also used one of the wooden walking sticks on offer at the ranger area, which was indispensable. My porter also helped a lot on the steep parts and it is nice to give money direct to the locals. Wet wipes are handy for the long journeys as often the loo stops are a hole in the ground with no running water. Pens, pencils, balloons etc are better to give the kids than sweets. Take stuff to give to the orphanage at Bwindi. We gave away some old clothes too. One person in our group had even brought some stuffed toys for the kids. Be prepared for long journeys between places.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
I felt the locals did benefit from our trip in the places we stayed, though I felt sad when traveling through other areas where we didn't stop as the people were so poor. It was nice to hand some stuff out to the kids but be careful of getting mobbed when you do.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Overall it was an excellent vacation. (4 star). Other highlights apart from the gorillas was seeing 3 leopards one morning in QE Nat Park and also some tree climbing lions sunbathing in the trees in Ishasa. Hadn't expected that. The boat trip on Kazinga channel is the best one I have been on. Couldn't believe how many hippos, elephants, crocodiles, water buffalo, birds etc we saw. Previous boat trips like this have been rather boring but there was so much to see on this one. It was also great to get some luxury by staying at the nearby Mweya Lodge.
Hope this feedback helps. We shall certainly use your site again when we are booking our next vacation.
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