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Gorilla & Chimp safari in Uganda

COUNTRY:
Uganda
HOLIDAY TYPE:
A small group adventure
DEPARTURES:
2012: 11 Feb, 16 Jun, 30 Jun, 14 Jul, 28 Jul, 11 Aug, 25 Aug, 8 Sep, 22 Sep
2013: 12 Jan, 26 Jan
PRICE:
From £2372 - £2798 (10 days) including UK flights
MORE INFO:
From £1699 - £1845 excluding flights. Single supplement £220.
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday
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Gorilla & Chimp safari in Uganda

Gorilla & Chimp safari in Uganda

Small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

How this holiday makes a difference

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.

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Story of the holiday provider

This small group operator is just celebrating its 30th year and was originally set up to enrich people’s lives through adventure travel. The directors have roots in overland trucking and are determined to keep a pioneering spirit alive. They believe what sets them apart is the strong relationships they’ve developed with local suppliers and tour guides over the years. A tour leader who thinks creatively can turn a good experience into a fantastic one and open up a place so that travellers gain insight into a completely different way of life. They operate in many different countries and try to avoid a blanket approach – their aim is to get customers involved in the projects they visit and to forge lifelong friendships.

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Holiday provider no: 276

Gorilla & Chimp safari in Uganda

Reviewed 15 Oct 2010 by Libby Pearson5 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


The first glimpse of gorillas after 4 hours of trekking though the jungle.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


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 holiday 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 holiday overall?


Amazing 10/10

Reviewed 27 Feb 2008 by Shona Hingston4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Seeing the gorillas.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


Get your walking practice in :)

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?


Yes.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?


Wonderful.

Reviewed 04 Jan 2008 by Susan Miles4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


Seeing the gorillas.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


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 holiday 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 holiday overall?


For a short holiday, 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 21 Aug 2007 by Edmund Pedley4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


One night I was woken by the sound of a hippo grazing outside my bedroom window.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?


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 holiday 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 holiday 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 holiday was slightly spoiled by the constant complaining of 3 people who did not feel sufficiently pampered on the trip.

Reviewed 02 Feb 2007 by Fiona Wilson4 star rating

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?


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 travellers booking this holiday?


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 holiday 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 travelling 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 holiday overall?


Overall it was an excellent holiday. (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 holiday.
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