6 Day Gorilla tracking and Wildlife Safari

Our family trip to Uganda was the trip of a lifetime. On safari we saw giraffes, elephants, lions, hippos, rhinos, leopards, zebras, chimpanzees, baboons, silver backed gorillas, and birds with incredible plumage. A highlight for me was the gorilla trek into Bwindi, which was made much easier with the kind aid of several young porters. Another highlight was our mind blowing trip down the Nile, where we saw crocodiles, more hippos, tons of exotic birds, as well as stunning scenery, which culminated at Murchison Falls. Our guides, Silas, Davis, and Isaac were polite, kind, and very knowledgable. Although sometimes out of my comfort zone, I always felt safe. Food and accommodations were fabulous. The trip was absolutely unforgettable and I highly recommend!

This trip was truly incredible. From the moment Silas picked us up in Entebbe we were in good hands. The hotels and lodges were beautiful, with friendly service and great food. Silas, Davis and the whole staff were very knowledgeable about the country's history, animals and birds and clearly knew their way around. Our time in Bwindi was magical. After some hiking through the dense forest, we were able to locate and visit with a family of Mountain Gorillas. There was a mother nursing a two week old baby and a huge Silverback. They were calm and comfortable in our presence. Although the hiking wasn't too strenuous because we moved slowly, I definitely recommend hiring a porter. This helps the local economy and provides an opportunity to get to know someone who lives in that magical corner of Uganda. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the most beautiful places we visited. The rolling hills interspersed with fields of tea will linger in your memory. The roads in Bwindi are...bumpy doesn't quite say it. One of our porters referred to them as "African Massage Roads", which I found hilarious. But the vehicles we traveled in were comfortable and spacious, so once we got used to the jostling, it just became another part of a truly wonderful and unique experience. We were fortunate enough to see all of the animals we had hoped for. From Leopards on a night safari, to Giraffes, Elephants, Hippos and Rhinos. One night at Mweya Lodge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, I was being escorted by the staff back to my hotel room when two lions walked around a corner. This is apparently a common experience (and the reason they escort you to and from your room after dark). It was very cool. Hippos and Mongoose also roam the grounds. The mongoose like to gather in an enormous pile. It is quite a sight. This trip was just about the most amazing thing I have ever done. Before going, I was nervous about everything from safety to animals and malaria, but during the entire trip I always felt like our guides had good knowledge and control of the situation. I was expecting tons of mosquitos, and saw very few. The climate was actually quite a bit cooler than back home in July! I highly recommend this experience. Uganda is an amazing country, and Silas is a great guide. I hope to come back again someday!

We enjoyed our time with Silas and the tour of Uganda including the animals and places we saw. He can be quite charming and talkative with lots of stories. He was very responsive at the start. We had to make all the payments in advance, quite nervously, but that part worked out. There seemed to be a cash flow problem, and it was too late at that later stage to change things. The Land Cruiser we went around rattled and groaned along the rutted roads and was quite messy inside. The places we stayed in were fine and clean, though some were far in the interior and took long to get to on the rutted roads. We were keen to see the gorillas, tree lions, and chimps, and he fulfilled that though we were unlucky with rain. Silas can be forgetful as we wanted to pick up a few things on our way out of the country that he conveniently forgot. Uganda is truly beautiful, and we enjoyed the drives along the forests and through the parks. Silas was great at picking us up at the airport and seeing us off on the last day. I don’t think he says “no” to anything and is eager to grow his business.