Uganda and Rwanda Gorilla Discovery

An excellent trip, with the highlight being the mountain gorillas, but there was far more to this trip than I was expecting. The walking safari was also excellent, we were very close to giraffes. There are a lot of cultural experiences in this trip, which are excellent as you get to see how the local communities benefit from tourism and learn about their background. However, these all come with purchasing opportunities 'please buy from us and support this project' etc etc. So beware - do not do all your shopping at the first project! Hotels were better than expected in most cases, however the Kampala hotel could be improved on. It was very noisy with music noise most of the night.

Our Explore tour was amazing and we certainly got to see what we had wanted to see. I especially enjoyed the smaller group as we all got to know each other quite well. The accommodations were great and our tour guides were outstanding. We did find the long drives between Safari's, especially on such rough roads, very gruelling. I also felt that the vehicle that we travelled in was not the greatest. Perhaps this is due to the trucks travelling over the rough roads. The one recommendation that I would give that would provide for a more interesting experience is to give the Tour Guides a small microphone that they could wear while driving. It is almost impossible to hear what they are saying and they are a wealth of information. You could just amplify their voices to make it easier to hear, or even better, each traveller could wear a little receiver and the commentary would come through it. Unfortunately, we missed so much of the great information that the Guides were giving us, especially those in the back seats, as we were unable to hear them.

Our first accommodation was in a development close to late night bar noise pollution. Subsequent accommodation was excellent. The vehicles had poor suspension and no or inconsistent AC. One was non functional. The driver/guides were top notch, driving expertly for long hours on very poorly maintained roads. The nature of the country, and the road system. Full disclosure: We enjoyed a second safari in Kenya, similarly high end, with much superior vehicles. The wildlife experience was unforgettable. The final meal together should have been included in the package.

The first night there was a significant issue with the lodge. The neighbour hood where the lodge was located had a nightclub just below they kept me awake all night. Because this was where the tour started we booked in 2 days earlier, t9 recover from the long flight and see the area. No5 a good decision. The staff at the lodge were wonderful a# was the facility. The noise issue until 4 in the morning need to be addressed.

It was a near perfect trip. Our guides Robert and Umar were knowledgeable guides who looked after us superbly. Even the rough road conditions could not lessen our enjoyment during the trip. The accommodation settings were ideal because they were in amongst the forest and wildlife which were on our doorsteps and plentiful. Local people were friendly and unassuming, even the Batwa tribe were adorable after what they had been through. All and all, a memorable holiday.