The Gorilla Safari CompanyReviews of gorillasafaricompany.com

I don't even know where to begin! I feel immense gratitude for Amanda, our agent, the drivers and guides on our trip, who made this experience one I will always cherish. After having to rebook this trip to Rwanda and Uganda three times because of the pandemic, the Gorilla Safari Company stayed with us the whole way, so calm and patient. I always felt well taken care of during our time together in Africa, and everything ran silky smooth. I really felt like our Drivers/Guides, Edmond, Emma and Jude went out of their way to make sure we had the best experience possible. And just so everyone knows, the "drivers" are so much more- they know the history, botany and wildlife of the areas, where to buy anything from essentials to crafts, and how to position the vehicles for the best shots. When we expressed an interest in local music, Jude made us all who requested it, a thumb drive with tunes that he gave us on our final day in Uganda! They all had a great sense of humor too. The lodges were terrific, the staff incredibly attentive and the food delicious. And of course the Treks were magnificent. I could go on..... Bottom line, a life changing experience and I would book with this company again in a heart beat. Hummm, where shall I go next?

We had an incredible trip to Africa thanks to The Gorilla Safari Company. From the moment we arrived in Kigali to the moment we left for home from Kilimanjaro, every detail had been planned and they were all executed to perfection. There was always a driver waiting (or available) and they were all friendly and professional and helpful. All transfers between hotels went smoothly and the hotels that Gorilla picked for us were all excellent. All of the people that we met along the way were incredibly friendly and sincere and made us feel comfortable in an unknown environment. We would definitely use The Gorilla Safari Company again.

My husband and I began to plan a trip to see the mountain gorillas in Rwanda and Uganda back in 2017 with a trip planned in 2018. This was a lifetime bucket list trip for me as I am a retired wildlife biologist and had always wanted to see mountain gorillas. Due to an unexpected illness we had to cancel the trip. We then convinced some friends to join us on a trip in 2020 which was canceled due to Covid. We again tried in 2021 which again was canceled due to Covid. Finally in July 2022 we were able to complete our trip of a lifetime. I chose the Gorilla Safari Company (GSC) after researching numerous companies. The GSC was recommended by someone who lived near me and they could not say enough good things about the company. One member of their party had an injury on the safari and had to be airlifted back to the U.S. The GSC did an excellent job of arranging for her return to the U.S. and keeping the rest of the party informed about her status. Donna, who was the tour coordinator at that time, called me from England and we spoke twice on the phone for over an hour each time. She answered all of my questions and concerns. I put together a list of everything I wanted to see and do in Rwanda and Uganda and Donna put the itinerary together and made all of the lodging and transport arrangements. When Donna retired, Amanda took over as our tour coordinator. Amanda was also excellent at answering all of our questions and was very patient working with us to transfer our bookings three different times due to the Covid-related cancelations. The trip exceeded all of our expectations. We did and saw everything that we wanted to see during our 3 week trip (except the shoebill stork which was not present due to dry conditions). In fact, we had so many activities planned that we all needed to take off at least half a day during the trip to sleep in and relax. We did two gorilla treks, one golden monkey trek, a chimpanzee trek, carnivore tracking, forest hikes, visited a bat cave, did three river boat trips, multiple vehicle safaris, a trip to the Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, a night time walking hike, a visit to the Ngamba chimpanzee sanctuary, saw the Kigale Genocide Museum, and had several cultural experiences with native people. The lodges we stayed at were all clean, comfortable, and the food was amazing with 4 course dinners. The Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge near Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was especially amazing. The people of Uganda and Rwanda are very friendly and welcoming, and many spoke English which made it easy to communicate with them. Our guides, Edmund in Rwanda, and Emma and Jude in Uganda, were all excellent. They were very knowledgeable about the birds and wildlife, and patient when we asked a multitude of questions, sometimes multiple times. They were also helpful and patient with our photography requests as we were all avid photographers. Our guides and the GSC staff were also all very helpful in arranging to have our lost baggage forwarded to us once the airlines located it. Because we had to go 10 days without our clothes and the entire trip without any toiletries or other gear, our guides helped us to shop for needed items that we could replace locally. It was challenging to replace our clothes and gear in small villages, but they did their best to get us what we needed. The GSC even paid for the baggage forwarding costs for which we are eternally grateful. I cannot say enough good things about the Gorilla Safari Company and highly recommend them. What you get from a private custom safari from them surpasses what you could experience from a company that does organized group tours on a set itinerary. The price was equal to or less than what other companies charged for the same amount of time on safari. We thank them immensely for creating such a wonderful lifetime experience for us!

My trip to Uganda was a one of a kind experience. My favorite part was the gorilla trek and observing all the incredible wildlife. The Ugandans are a lovely people that are kind and friendly. The guides and drivers were exceptional and made the group feel at home. I highly recommend this tour if you plan to go on an African vacation

The Gorilla Safari Company went above and beyond meeting my expectations - one of the best decisions I have ever made was to select this company for my once in a lifetime experience. Over the course of 3 years, Donna and Amanda communicated with me in over 200 emails. Any questions or concerns I had, they immediately answered. Due to the pandemic and having a total knee replacement, the trip planning took much longer than expected - they were so patient and accommodating to me. I went to Tanzania on a week long safari. My trip began as soon as we hit the runway, a guide was waiting for me outside and we began the tour in Arusha. He took me to reputable shops where I got great bargains and he explained all that we saw and encountered. I traveled alone and never felt safer throughout the whole trip. My guide was the best!! He was informative, accommodating and had a great sense of humor. He even had an app on African birds and wildlife and would show me. While on safari, Mr. Abu constantly stopped other guides to ask if they’d seen wildlife and where. He also monitored the radio too, asking other guides to submit reports of sightings. Because of my Parkinson’s, Mr Abu offered to take my pictures and did a splendid job of it. The company also arranged for me to visit a Maasai village where I gave the sheriff of the village a suitcase full of school supplies, the villagers were very appreciative. All of my accommodations were luxurious and clean. All staff members incredibly gracious. They gave me whatever I wanted. The food, all gourmet - superb food and so much! This trip went beyond, far beyond my expectations. They took such great care of me, even filling out my customs form at the end. If you want to hire a company who goes above and beyond expectations, please use The Gorilla Safari Company. Mr. Abu also educated me about tribe customs and always asked what else he could do for me. He even gave me tips on how to barter! I left Tanzania with stupendous memories and a deep respect of the people and tribes in Tanzania. Thank you so very much Donna and Amanda for the generous arrangements you made for me so that my African and Tanzanian experiences will forever be in my heart.

Our gorilla safari was wonderful -- a trip with memories that will last a lifetime! The staff at Gorilla Safari Company worked with us for almost two years to make this happen (our trip was delayed a year due to COVID). Through many changes in plans and work-arounds, they always were there for us and friendly even in the face of changes, set-backs and challenges. Our accommodations were great -- especially the Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge. Our gorilla watching and golden monkey treks were incredible. Flights and connections were seamless despite complications in our itinerary (we traveled on to the Masai Mara from Uganda) and COVID requirements. This was a great team who earned our confidence.

We began our planning with Gorilla Safari Company in 2019 for a trip to Rwanda in October 2020. Well of course, with Covid, this did not happen, but they were wonderful in making sure all the reservations and permits were transferred to October 2021. Amanda was always there to calm my nerves when questions arose and I can't say enough about her and her patience with me. Thanks for everything guys, it was the trip of a lifetime.

We just returned from two weeks in Rwanda. Our trip can only be described in one word...PERFECT!!! Rwanda is the most beautiful, welcoming and clean country, not to mention that they really have their Covid policies in place. There is not one thing that I would have changed. Magashi in Akagera National Park, One & Only Nyungwe House in Nyungwe Forest National Park and Bisate Lodge in Volcanoes National Park were all amazing, with fantastic food. Our guide Edmund was wonderful. Make your reservations with Amanda!!!