This past August, my husband and I were finally able to make our trip to Uganda. We had originally booked with Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris for August 2020 but like... read more so many others, we were forced to reschedule. We began planning 14 months before last August, as the gorilla permits were out that far. I read hundreds of reviews from several companies and emailed 3 different ones. After communicating with all three, I decided to go with these guys. Ivan was my contact and always responded immediately. I never felt that I wasn't getting the information I needed and he was a huge help with every step of the way. He efficiently re-scheduled everything for us almost exactly a year later and we had the most incredible experience. Our guide, Kassim was fantastic! He was warm, friendly and very experienced! We spent 8 days, beginning in Entebbe. He picked us up at the hotel and we began our time together. We began with Chimpanzee trekking in Kigali and then two days of gorilla trekking in Bwindi. We enjoyed the chimpanzee day but because it had rained that morning, they pretty much stayed up high in the trees. There's nothing you can do about it but enjoy your day and get quick pictures when one comes down for a few minutes. The gorilla trekking was absolutely amazing. Seriously. If this is something you've ever thought about doing, do it!! Now!! From what I hear, because of Covid, you can get your permits pretty quickly now. It's not cheap but so incredibly worth it! We bought permits for two consecutive days. If you can afford it, do it. Being able to see two entirely different gorilla families means two unique experiences. It's a bit warm and very humid and you will be tired but you won't remember that when you reach the family and get to spend an hour with them. The people of Uganda are the warmest and friendliest people we've met and we have traveled quite a bit. Having been on lock down for over a year, they are desperate for tourism. Having to take covid tests is a hassle but our guide worked hard for us to find us somewhere we could get it done in the right time frame. Even with that extra cost and hassle, it is still worth it to go. We are so very glad we went this past month and loved every minute of it. Everywhere we went, people went out of their way to make us feel welcomed and cared for. All of the lodges (they were very cool), the various guides, village people, etc., were all so happy to see tourists. Children run out to the road when you pass and yell "Mzungo" and wave and smile. We did so much waving that our arms were tired by the time we left. LOL. If you are thinking about a Uganda safari, Gorillas and Wildlife safaris will take very good care of you!! …

  What an experience! Such a memorable four days. Our guide was Ahmed. He is passionate about animals and extremely knowledgeable of the area. I also felt he prepared us very... read more well on what to expect for the entire trip. The gorilla trek was so memorable and a highlight of our entire trip. Strongly suggest this trip. Make sure to ask for Ahmed! …

  Amazing experience start to finish. Starting with setting up the trip with Ivan, communication was easy and efficient. Our guide was Ahmed who made our 5 days unforgettable. He is... read more knowledgeable, accommodating, passionate about wildlife and just a all around great person. Any request we had Ahmed made it happen for us. Gorilla trek was amazing, tree climbing lions, and an unforgettable leopard/water buck encounter were the highlights. I can easily recommend this company and ask for Ahmed as a guide. You won’t be sorry. …

  Had a fantastic 4-day trip with Gorillas and Wildlife!! From the planning ahead of time with Ivan, to the tour itself with Richard, it went smoothly and I had a... read more great time! Visiting the gorillas is a very special experience that I highly recommend. I also really enjoyed the Bwindi community tour with Salvan. For people traveling during Covid, know that you have to get the PCR back in Kampala, and results come in about 6 hours. Will be back some day!!

  Had a fantastic 4-day trip with Gorillas and Wildlife!! From the planning ahead of time with Ivan, to the tour itself with Richard, it went smoothly and I had a... read more great time! Visiting the gorillas is a very special experience that I highly recommend. I also really enjoyed the Bwindi community tour with Salvan. For people traveling during Covid, know that you have to get the PCR back in Kampala, and results come in about 6 hours. Will be back some day!! …

  After doing a mountain of research on the Net, I finally settled on Gorillas and Wildlife Safaris to contact to see if they could help me with a life long... read more ambition to see the Gorillas in Uganda.
From my very first and then subsequent contacts with Ivan I soon realised that I had made a good choice.
My six day trip including Lake Mburo National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Queen Elizabeth Park.
As I was travelling solo, I hoped that I had a guide that I could converse with as so much time is spent in the vehicle. How lucky I was to be allocated Richard for my trip as he turned out to be a fantastic guide in every way. He always made sure that I got the best views when we came across a sighting.
I chose the moderate option for my accommodation and was not disappointed as I could not fault anything - clean, quite rooms and the food was excellent.
Don't expect nicely sealed roads all of the time in Uganda, sure there were some very good roads but there were some that provided an "African massage" often but that added to the experience!
When I first booked my trip I applied for one Gorilla permit which Ivan arranged. Just a few days before I left for my trip I asked Ivan if he could get a second permit. I was very lucky as Ivan was able to procure one for me.
The whole Gorilla experience was unbelievable from start to finish - the briefing before we left on our trek, the "Ride For A Woman" dancers who performed for us, walking through the amazing forest then seeing the Gorillas in their environment.
Pay for a porter to carry your bag when you go to the Gorillas. It is a good way of putting money in to the local community. Cosmas was the guide for both of my trips and he was excellent at his job.
I have no hesitation in recommending GWS, they met all of my expectations and more!

  We (my husband and myself (60) travelling with a younger couple) spent the most wonderful time in Uganda and Ruanda. We were taken with a most appropriate car to the... read more different Locations (prepare for long distances). Our driver Eric knew his way perfectly and by driving by hundreds of little villages we got a very good Impression of rural life in the area. We could ask about everything we would like to know and as Eric has a lot of years of experience he managed us 4 very well and could explain us about every aspect of life in Ugande and Ruanda and about the animal behaviour. All Major events and trips were organized perfectly. We loved the chimpanzees and the Gorillas. As my Headline tells you, This experience is a must on every bucket list and helps people there and helps the People visiting to think About the Climate Crisis and what we could do to make the world better. Thanks for this great time!
It's good to be fit for hiking the Trails!

  We (my husband and myself (60) travelling with a younger couple) spent the most wonderful time in Uganda and Ruanda. We were taken with a most appropriate car to the... read more different Locations (prepare for long distances). Our driver Eric knew his way perfectly and by driving by hundreds of little villages we got a very good Impression of rural life in the area. We could ask about everything we would like to know and as Eric has a lot of years of experience he managed us 4 very well and could explain us about every aspect of life in Ugande and Ruanda and about the animal behaviour. All Major events and trips were organized perfectly. We loved the chimpanzees and the Gorillas. As my Headline tells you, This experience is a must on every bucket list and helps people there and helps the People visiting to think About the Climate Crisis and what we could do to make the world better. Thanks for this great time! It's good to be fit for hiking the Trails! …