The Gorilla Safari CompanyReviews of gorillasafaricompany.com

Gorilla Safari Company put together my short trip to Rwanda. Everything was perfectly organized from start to finish. I was particularly impressed (since not expected) with the personalized and superb arrival service - a gentleman was waiting for me at the bus drop, taking me to the lounge, completing all arrival formalities while I had coffee and croissant, before whisking me through immigration and security in a heartbeat. I felt very well cared for and looked after throughout the entire trip. Thank you to Jill and Amanda for contributing to a memorable and out of this world experience.

Third trip using the team at Gorilla Safari Co. Always a pleasure working with then. Amazing safaris in Namibia and Botswana. A life time of memories.

The team at Gorilla Safari Company was amazing. They stuck with me from 2020 pre-COVID through our once in a lifetime trip to Uganda in August 2022. From having us met at the airport, to the recommendations for each of the accommodations, all of the air travel, excursions, and the permitting we felt safe, well cared for, and able to enjoy a lengthy itinerary with every detail covered. I can not thank them enough or refer them enough other travelers. You will not be disappointed!

Amanda and Jill went above and beyond to reorganise our covid postponed trip. Everything went without a hitch, making our Rwanda gorilla and golden monkey safari the highlight of our trip to Africa. Our driver/guide Mugabe was wonderful, safely driving us over busy mountain roads and guiding us through the safari registration process with humour and a minimum of fuss. I would recommend him as a guide without hesitation. The Ingagi Park View Lodge was lovely. The staff went out of their way to look after us and make our stay as comfortable as possible - particularly loved the personal fireplaces in the dining room, the open fire every night in our bungalow and the hot water bottles to warm up the bed. We selected the easy to medium gorilla trek and after a not too gruelling 45 minute walk up the mountain found the Sabuyinyo family group in a jungle clearing. Getting to them would not have been possible without the amazing guides, porters and trackers and we spent an unforgettable hour with these incredible animals. The next day we went to see the golden monkeys which didn't involve much of a trek and was totally delightful. The only thing that was a bit disappointing was the first night in the Scheba Hotel in Arusha. I would recommend paying a little more and staying in another hotel if it doesn't stretch your budget too much.

After reading the other reviews, I realize that my sister and I were like many others, postponing the trip several times. It made me realize how much Amanda had to deal with over the past few years and what a great job she and Jill did assisting us and answering our endless questions. Our trip was amazing. The accommodations were wonderful, the staff (especially Wesley and Rosemary) was very attentive at the Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, and our guide and driver, Patrick, was great. The gorilla trek was extremely difficult. My sister and I are 69 and 75 and I'm guessing our age and the altitude are what made it so difficult. Fortunately we had three porters between the two of us who were incredibly helpful and got us up and down the mountain. We got within a few feet of the gorillas and they were completely unfazed by us being there. It was quite an experience to spend the hour with them. We also spent part of a day at the Batwa Cultural Village visiting with the locals. It was very interesting and the children were darling. So despite the 40 hours of flying to get there and back and the difficult trek, it was a great trip.

Bravo to Gorilla Safari Company for putting together a magical trip to Uganda, Africa. So many positive things to say about your tour company, and I am recommending to everyone I speak to about my trip. In fact, I cannot wait to save up some funds to travel again to Africa with your company. All the preparing right up to departure day was easy with the help of Amanda Wheeler & Jill Ansell. Both ladies were exceptionally organized and supportive. Thank you Our driver and primary guide for the entire trip was “Jude” (our group nicknamed him “Jude, the Dude”). He took good care of us, and made things happen with ease. His knowledge of his country is impressive. He brings so much passion to the tour, I was amazed. I will request “Jude” again for my next trip with Gorilla Safari Company. Driving clients around the countryside to 5 different National Parks sounds like a stressful responsibility to me. Jude was a very safe driver, and I had complete confidence in his abilities. He is well experienced for any and all situations. It was not his first rodeo!(A fun US phrase we shared with him ) All of the overnight accommodations were absolutely lovely. The hard working staff went above and beyond to make every moment special. Each lodge had its own unique elements with beautiful scenery. I was so comfortable; that I would have been happy to spend each day on the lodge property. But, I did not travel to Africa to not explore  The people are amazing: hard working, soft spoken, and very proud of their heritage. We spent time at several Women Centers, and had a visit from some beautiful children with a local Bwindi Orphanage. They charmed, and impressed us with their singing and dance skills! All of the organizations we visited are doing great work, and making a different in the lives of Ugandans. The wildlife is fantastic. As a zoo keeper who takes care of many of these species, I was especially thrilled to see them in their natural environment. Thank God these animals are still on this planet. It was a real blessing. Equally as important, are the trekkers, rangers, guides and porters that dedicate their lives to protecting their local wildlife! Thank you Gorilla Safari Company for the trip of a lifetime. I appreciate everything that you do. When I go back to Africa, I am booking with your company again.

After two years of false starts my wife and I were finally able to take our gorilla safari. Amanda was an amazing and concerned professional, assisting us in rescheduling the trip multiple times due to Covid. If drivers/guides were rated on a 1 to 10 scale, with 10 being the best, Jude would rate a 19. He was friendly, knowledgeable, an amazing driver, and had a great sense of humor. At no charge to the GSC we taught him a new American phrase. When someone would comment that they were surprised at his knowledge of a subject, we taught him to say "this is not my first rodeo." He had never heard the phrase and had us write it down for him. He was fantastic! Another thing that made our trip so much fun was the third person in our group. Amanda had told us that a women from Florida would be joining us. Vickie was a barrel of fun. She is a zookeeper at the Busch Gardens zoo, specializing in primates. She had previously cared for hoofed animals. Between Jude and Vickie there were no questions about the wildlife that could not be answered. The highlight of the trip was the gorilla trek. The porters were fantastic. I slipped on some wet leaves once in the climb and three of them were on me immediately to make sure I was not injured. I was not, but their concern was palpable. I was also the only one in the group to have physical contact with a gorilla. When we came upon the family all but one were on one side of the path. I turned to the other side and saw an adult female under a bush. She rushed to join the silverback and accidently hit my leg pretty solidly. No harm done, but the girl does not need to go to the gym. She was toned. The quarters were all excellent. Vickie commented that each one was her favorite until she got to the next one. The staff were without exception fantastic. I cannot say enough about the kindness, professionalism and competence of GSC. I would use them again in a heartbeat. There cannot be a finer safari company in the world.

I highly recommend the Gorilla Safari Company. This last July I went to Rwanda and Uganda with 5 friends for approximately 3 weeks. One couple had started planning in 2017 for the trip in 2018, but because of illness, they had to cancel. Four more of us signed up to go in 2020. Again the trip was cancelled, but this time due to covid. And again it was cancelled in 2021 because of covid. Finally, after all these years of trying, we did it in 2022! For the years that I and the three other late-comers were involved in the trip, GSC, through Amanda Weller, patiently worked with us, setting up the itinerary, helping us with our cancellations and our rebookings, and answering all our incessant questions, all with forthrightness and the patience of Job. Since four of us are retired biologists, 2 of us wildlife biologists, we had certain expectations regarding our “wildlife experience.” We were not disappointed: the expertise of the guides and drivers was outstanding, and the wildlife and plants were fantastic. I especially like the Ugandan savannah habitat—one could see all sorts of wildlife (elephants, giraffes, ungulates, etc.) scattered throughout the savannah as far as the eye could see. It was beautiful, a wildlife biologist’s dream. During the trip our three drivers, Edmond in Rwanda and Emma and Jude in Uganda, were excellent. They were knowledgeable about many things, generous, very helpful, had a good sense of humor (which was a requirement for our group!), and extremely patient—we really enjoyed their company. They, with Jon and Embry, also went the extra mile in retrieving one couple’s lost luggage from the airline, persistently battling the airline—if it hadn’t been for the effort of the GSC, I believe Julie and Bob would have never gotten back their luggage. Many of the Ugandans and Rwandans we met were very friendly and helpful and made us feel at ease. The lodges were all clean and comfortable, and the food was delicious (although they gave us proportions that were too big). We were given fresh local fruit every day, and all the soups were dynamite. All our cultural activities were well worth it, especially the two women’s projects, the dancing and singing groups, and the Rwanda Genocide Museum (sobering but a must see to understand an important part of Rwandan history). All in all, I can’t say enough good things about our trip, thanks to the Gorilla Safari Company and the Rwandan and Ugandan people. I can’t wait to go back to the African Continent. Sign me up, GSC!