Unforgettable experience!!! - Both trekking tours were unique!!!! Uganda was our absolute highlight. The support from the team was sensational. Before, during and after the safari Denis + Patrick were always and immediately approachable for us. We have always felt safe and in good hands Through Patrick's very pleasant nature he created a lot of highlights and brought us closer to the land, people and especially the animals. We really got to know life and culture in Uganda and Patrick told us a lot and showed us. He always paid attention to us even before and after the gorilla and chimpanzee trekking. Took care of our dirty shoes. Food and drink organized and was always there for us. We'll keep time with Patrick in our hearts. Denis, the man in the background, always answered hundreds of questions immediately and patiently. Even when we had already said goodbye to everyone and travelled on to Tanzania, he still supported us with organisational problems. We also had the impression that the guides had reasonable working conditions at Encounter Africa Safaris, which was very important to us.

The best 5 days we could have spent in Uganda - Seeing gorillas and chimps in their natural environment was on top of our bucket list. Finding the right tour agency was quite difficult because we didn’t have much time to spend in Uganda. A lot of tour agencies didn’t even reply to our request. It was pure coincidence that I ended up on the website of Encounter Africa Safari. With not much hope I emailed them right away but didn’t expect much. I can’t remember how long it actually took, but within maybe 30 minutes I got a reply and Denis was named as my contact person.   We communicated through WhatsApp which made it really easy to plan the whole thing. After telling him what we were looking for Denis found the perfect tour for us – the „ 5 days Uganda gorilla and chimps safari through Kigali“. We were super excited that we finally found a tour which we were able to book within a couple of days of the first contact.   A couple of weeks before we arrived I got a text form Denis, confirming the tour once more, letting us know that Patrick would be our driver and what time we would be picked up. We didn’t have to worry about anything.     Patrick was right on time, actually half an hour early, which was a very good first impression! We got a short briefing about whats about to happen and off we went. 9 hours of driving ahead. Patrick told us a lot about life in Uganda, I saw my first zebras, we stopped at the equator and had a great lunch stop – food was incredable. After 12 hours we finally made it to the lodge. We had dinner together with Patrick, which was a really nice ending of the day. Especially because it was one of ours birthday.   Gorilla-Trekking! Patrick gave us usefull tipps and was able to get us one of the nicest gorilla families there is. After a short briefing we were taken to the starting point of the trek. The trek itself was not really long but quite steep. Also you should be aware of the altitude which was a minor problem for us because we had headaches the whole time. Seeing gorillas was indescribable! You have to do it to know what I’m talking about. After a short break at our lodge we went back to the community close by and visited the Batwa. We can 100% recommend going there! Unfortunately I forgot the name of our Guide, but he did a really good job. It was interesting to see and learn about the Batwa.   Next on were the Chimps. But to see them we had to get to Kibale National Park. Once again a long drive, but you’ll see so many beautiful landscapes, animals and people – I wouldn’t have wanted to miss it.   Todays lodge was breathtaking! Unfortunately there were no rooms for the drivers, so we couldn’t spend the evening with Patrick and had to say bye for the day. But he picked us up right on time to take us to the chimp trekking. The weather god was not on our side, it rained cats and dogs.  Did you know Chimps don’t like mud? They were all far up in the trees. We could still see them but it was different compared to the gorilla trekking. But one, Ntali, was kind enough to sit down on the ground and we were able to see him up close. The trek itself was much easier and didn’t take long at all. For the afternoon there was a Bigodi Wetland Walk, a visit in a community as well as a visit at the local banana-beer/gin production planned. Right after we came back from the trek the sun came out so we went streight to the wetland walk. Thank you Patrick for making this happen. All three tours are 100 % worth it. Seeing the people in the communities doing their daily tasks, help them make coffee from scratch or just having to laugh so hard that our stomachs hurt (No Banana – No Party) – no matter what, we had so much fun!!!   The following day was the last, our ride back to Entebbe. All of us (adults!) have been incredibly sad when we got back to Entebbe and had to say goodbye. If we had known what an amazing driver/friend we’d get, we would have planned our whole vacation with you guys!   I know it’s been a long post but I have to say something about Patrick! We (3 adults) travel a lot around the world, we are open minded and are happy to meet all kinds of people. A person like Patrick we have never met before. He is such a helpful, humorous, down to earth, empathetic, devoted and loving human being! We had serious talks and we laughed until we cried. We could not have asked for a better driver.   Thank you Patrick, that you told us so much about your country. Thank you, that you became such a great friend!!!   But I also want to take the oppertonity to thank Denis. Thank you that you came to visit us at the end of our tour, that you helped us in every way possible when we thought we could never do it and that you also became a friend!   We miss both of you guys so much!!!   That was not the last time we’ll visit Uganda and espescially it was not the last time that we’ll book with Encounter! We are already planning the next trip!

5 Days Gorillas And Game Safari - Fantastic trip! Obed was an excellent guide who cared about our well-being so much. In fact, Obed became a friend and I can highly recommend this tour and him as a guide. What an experience!

Great experience and awesome guide - The hotels they picked for us were really great, nice accommodations and good food. Our guide Godwin was a blast, explained a lot about Uganda, catered to our needs and was fun and friendly!

This was an amazing experience! - An all around successful experience. The Booking process was very easy and all my questions were answered in advance. The tour guide was great, he explained a lot on the trip to Bwidi and I felt very safe at all times. I would definitely recommend the tour!

A Must!!! - I did the gorilla and golden monkey trekking tour in October 2017. When I say this was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever done, I am not exaggerating. For the gorilla trekking, they do not use electronic devices to track the gorillas as they want to keep a harmonious relationship with the gorillas, so they had three trackers to go ahead of us to track the gorillas. We hiked for roughly 1.5 miles - the first part was pretty steep so make sure you were hiking shoes. We had one hour with the gorillas and it was absolutely incredible. We were only about 20 feet away and got to see baby gorillas, one silverback and multiple other female family members. This was unlike everything I’ve done. Another important part to mention is our driver, Godwin. When he picked us up, he had the most amazing energy and huge smile on his face. He was so welcoming, sweet, and such a genuinely friendly person. We spent multiple hours with him daily, and he really made the experience special. I can’t recommend this experience enough!

Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trek in Uganda - I travelled to Uganda for the first time solo to do the Gorilla and Chimpanzee trekking and it exceeded all expectations! There are many operations to choose from but I took my time with picking a company and I couldn’t be happier to have chosen Encounter Africa Safaris! Denis was very responsive to my emails and answered all of my questions promptly so that relieved a lot of travel planning stress. Allan was my local guide for the week and he was very professional, attentive, and knowledgeable. He truly made my experience wonderful! The accommodations that were arranged for me were also very nice and comfortable. And of course the gorillas and chimpanzees were breathtaking. This is a trip and company I highly recommend!

Unforgettable! - First of all; for all you guys wondering if Encounter is a legit and serious company: Yes, it is. You can safely book with this company and be assured that you will be taken well care of. So when that’s out of the way, let’s get down to business. First of all I want to say thank you to Dennis at the office who always responded my questions very quickly and last, but not least; my personal driver, Godwin who managed to get me safely all the way from Kigali to Entebbe. That’s not an easy task on Ugandan roads, that’s for sure. 🙈 My trip started in Kigali where Godwin picked me up. We had a 5 hours drive across Rwanda until I landed at Rushaga mountain lodge. This is simple place, but with the sweetest staff. They even put a heating bottle for you in bed at night. Be aware that it’s colder in the mountain so be sure to pack a warm sweater for the mornings and nights. The next morning it was Gorilla time. That was just amazing. It was a tough hike through the thickest rainforest, but so worth it. The gorillas were a true sight. 🦍 After an early night it was time to get up by dawn again and drive to Lake Mburo. That’s another 5 hours, but in a beautiful landscape, especially down the mountains. I was brought safely to Kigarama Lodge and this is a place that deserves its own review. The short story is that you will most likely love it like I did. After a quick lunch it was time to go to the lake and join a boat cruise. I got to see lots of hippos, a huge crocodile and there are also plenty of birds for the bird lovers. On land I had an absolutely amazing morning walk amongst the giraffes at sunrise. Nmburo is a small national park in Ugandan standard, but it so full of wildlife and variety. My trip is coming to an end. Only 5 hours left until I reach Entebbe. I cross the Equator on my way and have lunch. The hardest part has come, it’s time to say goodbye to my driver. You get close traveling like this. He is your lifeguard, your encyclopedia and your traveling buddy. Thank you Encounter for making my trip so memorable. I will never forget! ❤️🙏🏼

An incredible Guide for an incredible Safari - We booked a 5 days safari to do an habituation program with gorillas and a safari in queen Élisabeth park. First, the pre organisation with Denis was great, he was very helpful and tailored the program based on out preferences. But the real deal is when we met Patrick, our guide for the 5 days. We have rarely seen someone with such a positive attitude and energy. He was always smiling and laughing. On top of that, he has incredible knowledge about all the animals you may see, it is like a leaving documentary. He went above and beyond to make this trip unforgettable. Thank you Patrick, you made this trip one of the best we ve ever done. All the best!

Unique encounter with gorillas in the rainforest - The gorilla trekking far exceeded our expectations, although the trek with 5h running was quite exhausting. The selected gorilla family was also found thanks to the park administration's clever tracker system