A trip to East Africa?

All the historical events in the African continent left something to be admired; a place with some of the most ancient sites, untouched and still fresh. East and central parts of Africa speak more; welcomes and ushers you into unforgettable experiences. The evidence of what you love in a typical tour all around. The Republic of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo are all open for you, offering the best of rich wildlife, research, primates, mountaineering activities, cultural vibes, picnics, beach gate-away and more

Uganda, blessed by nature, is located in the east of Africa, besides Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. When exploring the African continent, Winston Churchill, a British wartime minister, visited Uganda and was awestruck, going on to list his describe “Uganda, the Pearl of Africa” in his book “My African Journey,” a well-deserved description, because there’s no story you will ever wish to tell during a safari that can’t be told in this wonderful destination.

Don’t miss the rolling hills of Rwanda, where you will meet the world’s only surviving species of mountain gorillas and to the Far East you’ll be amazed by the yearly wildebeest migration from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park to Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve.

Imagine a place where the wonder begins with the inhabitants’ warm welcome, traditional architecture, and weather. Even in the face of climatic change, East Africa’s weather is one of the best in the world. The air is relatively clean and pleasant. Join some of the few of individuals who have been lucky to see the world’s most beautiful sights and natural wonders. The world’s tallest stand-alone peak, Mount. Kilimanjaro; the Nile River, world’s longest river; Lake Victoria, world’s largest freshwater lake; and Murchison Falls, world’s most powerful cascade.

As the holiday season approaches, birds sing, a honeymoon beckons, study demands, a family day out beckons, a business trip concludes and desire to visit arises for whatever reason; Visit the African continent and enjoy the best safari experiences available. Trips can be personalized to fit your budget, time and desires for any of the destinations you choose.

It can be a luxury or affordable trip for groups or individuals and it is open to people from all over the world. A journey with a tour operator is one of the most enjoyable experiences because it is inexpensive, hustle free and time-saving.

Wildlife Safaris

A wildlife safari to Africa is a suitable way to explore Mother Nature and get rewarded with a comprehensive experience. On the African continent, it is a must-do safari. Game drives, boat cruises, mountaineering, bird watching and guided nature walks provide opportunities to explore the outdoors while learning about vast flora and wildlife. There is a diverse range of flora and animals that has been beautifully preserved for future generations to discover. A wildlife safari takes visitors to numerous national parks and wildlife reserves across the globe to see a variety of animals, birds and other things. Uganda has ten national parks, each with its own distinct attraction.

Queen Elizabeth national park with the rare tree-climbing lions, the true wilderness of Kidepo valley national park with its ostriches; Murchison falls, the world’s most powerful waterfalls in Murchison Falls national Park; marvel at the magical hot springs of Semliki national park; three-horned chameleons and Margherita peak of Mountain Rwenzori national park; Zebras and Impalas in Lake Mburo national park; chimpanzees in Kibale forest national park, Gorillas and Golden monkeys in Bwindi impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla national parks and the breathtaking caldera on top of Mount. Elgon National Park.

In these places, you will get to know the color, size, height and unique characteristics of various animals, and wilderness creatures. The wilderness is an open place with lush vegetation cover, water bodies, swamps, trees, and grassland. The hunters (predators) and the hunted (prey) depend on it, living day and night and be encountered with the help of an expert ranger guide who knows these residents.

Rwanda’s wildlife safaris primarily happen in Akagera national park; while Volcanoes national park, Gishwati – Mukura and Nyungwe national parks are primate destinations.

Kenya has numerous destinations but then the most common are Masai Mara national park with its large concentration of Big 5, Lake Nakuru with the pink flamingos, and Amboseli national park with giant elephants.

Tanzania wildlife safaris. This is East Africa’s largest country and home to a profusion of wildlife species, offered asylum in Lake Manyara national park with the tree-climbing lions; Serengeti national park; a host to the annual wildebeest migration and Ngorongoro national park, with one of the largest calderas in the world and big 5 mammals.

By 6:00am in the morning, gates are already open for wildlife safaris to begin. There is a full-day animal hunt, night game drives in pursuit of night hunters and sunrise game watching. The greatest method to discover mother nature and aquatic wildlife is to go on a boat trip. The morning shift begins at 9:00 am, and the afternoon shift begins at 2:00 p.m. East African local time. Lions, African elephants, Cape Buffaloes, Rhinoceros, cheetahs, leopards, impalas, warthogs, hyenas, wildebeest, zebras, the Uganda kob, which serves as the country’s emblem, and many other animals, birds, and plants to look out for on your wildlife safari include flamingos, ostrich, shoebill stock, crested cranes, egrets, etc.

Gorilla Trekking Safaris

This is a premier safari activity in the world, only offered in the African continent. Gorillas are a man’s closest relative, sharing approximately 98% similar DNA. They are giant and gentle creatures and quite social. They live as a group, feeding mainly on vegetation including bamboo shoots, leaves, stems and so much more. It is a lifetime encounter with the largest primate in the world, at the natural habitat where they call home and spend the entire day moving in the wild before retiring at sunset.

Gorillas spend time in the wild and to find them, you will have to walk on foot, through the lush forest, guided by an expert ranger guide with a wide range of knowledge about the apes, their unique characteristics and more. The same jungle is shared by other primates such as monkeys, baboons, forest mammals and birds. The gorilla trekking experience is magical when done by a group of up to 8 people.

Gorilla trekking rules and relations

The trekking exercise begins with a pre-trekking briefing at the park headquarters, where the ranger guides lay down the rules to follow during this adventure. After briefing which lasts for about 30 minutes, you will start the search, from the place the family was last seen to where they are anticipated to be. The exercise lasts for roughly 2-8 hours, plus an additional hour of watching, taking photos and asking the ranger guide more about the primates, their unique behaviors and their habitat.

Each rhythm of the jungle is unique and very exciting because you can’t tell where the next sound and ape emerges. A maximum of 8 people is allowed to track one gorilla group at a given day and spend a maximum of 1 hour with them. A gorilla group is made of 5 or more gorillas, led by a dominant silverback, with the authority of bringing order and security to all the family members.

When you are in the wild with gorillas, you’ll be required to observe the following rules; speak in a low voice, don’t litter the park, observe a seven-meter distance from the gorillas, wash hands before meeting the gorillas, don’t smoke, don’t create a path in the forest and follow instructions as given by the ranger guides. These rules are made to protect the apes from human illness and conserve their environment.

 

Where to do gorilla trekking from?

Gorilla safaris take place in the Republic of Uganda, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo. These destinations share the high-altitude Virunga chain of mountains, which harbor not only the mountain Gorillas but also chimpanzees and golden monkeys. Uganda hosts half of the total mountain gorilla population, followed by Rwanda and then Democratic Republic of Congo.

Gorilla trekking permits

To get access to a given family of gorillas, one must have a valid gorilla trekking permit; a compulsory trekking document presented at the start of every gorilla trekking tour. A gorilla permit in Uganda currently costs 700 USD for foreign non-residents, 1500 USD in Rwanda and 400 USD in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is valid for only one day of tracking for persons aged 15 years and above.

A percentage of the money got from the trekking permit is used to contribute to the welfare of the communities living around the national parks, payment for ranger guides who will be with you in the wild for the whole time, park entrance fees and contribution to conservation activities.

Gorilla Trekking Destinations

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

Upgraded to national park status in 1991, Bwindi impenetrable National park is a famous gorilla hub in the world. This park shelters the largest concentration of mountain gorillas in the wild; residing inside of it. The park has four sectors in which gorilla trekking adventure is done.

These include; Buhoma sector, Nkuringo sector, Ruhija sector and the Rushaga sector. The trekking exercise starts very early in the morning with an experienced ranger guide and lasts for roughly two days. The park is gifted with wide range of flora and fauna, insects, amphibians and birds to mention but a few. Bwindi impenetrable national park is situated in the far corners of the southwestern part of Uganda. It is a large place, covered by a misty tropical forest.

Volcanoes National Park

Volcanoes National Park is located in the northwestern province of Rwanda in Musanze district. It was established as a national park back in 1925 by colonialists, making it a premier safari destination on the African continent. The park features over ten gorilla groups, each tracked by maximum of eight individuals per day. The activity begins with pre-trekking briefing led by a professional ranger guide who discusses trekking regulations as well as what is required during the exercise. Volcanoes National Park is a magnificent gorilla trekking destination on the African continent, with variety of attractions, including Gorillas, mountains, ancient caves, golden monkeys etc.

Mount Karisimbi, Gahinga, Bisoke, Sabyinyo and Muhabura are just a few of the volcanic mountains that surround the park’s 160-square-kilometer rainforest. It also protects the rare mountain gorillas and the lovely Golden monkeys. Dian Fossey, the famous primatologist found a home with the gorillas in this forest, while conserving and studying their unique behaviors. Her research has greatly contributed to their survival and protection.

The park opens for tourists at about 6:00 am and closes at 7:00 pm. It is secure and there are well-established lodges suited for every traveler’s taste and budget.

Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park, formerly known as Albert National Park, is one of Africa’s oldest and most biologically diversified national park. Despite the fact that its operations were temporarily halted owing to the eruption of Nyiragongo Mountain, now is the perfect time to visit. The Virunga National Park is located in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in the heart of Virunga massif and east of Congo Basin. It was founded in 1925 and now houses a fifth of world’s mountain gorilla population. Gorilla trekking is the park’s most popular safari activity and it’s available all year round.

Virunga national park’s gorilla permits are the cheapest in the world, but the experience is thrilling, taking place deep in the world’s second-largest tropical jungle. The park is always accessible through a 5-hour drive from Kigali – Rwanda or through Uganda. Mountain Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most active volcanic mountains is also located adjacent to the park. This peak is sixth highest of the mountains that make up the huge Virunga chain. The over 32-time eruption has created a spectacular burning lava lake at the summit, which takes about 5-6 hours to reach from the bottom. Gorillas frequently occupy the mountain base, moving and grazing on the flora and insects.

It is advisable to book a Gorilla permit at least six months in advance because of the high demand. You can get this through the conservation authorities or a tour operator.

Cultural Safaris

When it comes to meeting new people, learning about their culture and getting familiar with the rural life, Join us on a cultural safari around Africa. Uganda has 56 distinct cultures, each with its own dance, dress, dialect, food, and so much more. Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania are all home to pleasant, outgoing people. The cultural safari comprises visiting local communities, walking through them, eating with them, and interacting with them. The African continent is culturally diverse and majority of its people are still unaffected by western cultures.

Some of the famous cultures not to miss out on your safari include;

Masai people, leaving outside the parks in Kenya and Tanzania. They are tall, and renowned pastoralists, famous for their dramatic dance. They are comparable to the Karamojong in northern part of Uganda, who completely depend on cattle for livelihood. The other culture is that of the former hunters and gatherers formerly living in the Virunga ranges – Batwa pygmies. These are some of the shortest people on earth, with wealth of stories related to life in the forest. What is done while on a cultural safari is dance, storytelling, eating authentic foods and community walks.

Why Travel With Us?

Since establishment, we have captured the hearts of travelers with our unique and personal safari packages while going off-the-beaten tracks. We are second to none when it comes to providing our combination of exquisite places of lodging, transport means and experienced safari guides in addition to the pocket-friendly packages that we offer visitors.

Interestingly, we are the trailblazers of blueprinting jaw-dropping safari packages and travelers that have tried us in the past say we set the pace and begin journeys where others end. While satisfying visitor needs and surpassing their expectation is how we operate, Native Africa Tours is also focused on having a great sense of responsibility towards the natural environment as well as respecting and giving back to the local community. Because visitor satisfaction is crucial to our business success, we have never stopped listening to the needs of all travelers as a way of improving quality and service of out safaris.

Unlike other businesses that measure their success by how much sales they make, Native Africa Tours measures success by our client satisfaction rating to which we continuously jog into our memory in addition to sharing to our team on a daily basis. The following are the reasons why you will not regret traveling with us;

A team of experienced travel partners

At Native Africa Tours, we accord each and every traveler a customized safari experience like no other. We boast safari pundits in many parts of Uganda, who are enthusiastic about providing information on this small slice of Paradise known as the “Pearl of Africa”.

Our safari experts strongly hold the principles of always being fact-based and when it comes to booking your safari with us, our Travel consultants are always involved in every step of the way. For this reason, feel free to ask what ever relevant question concerning your trips and be sure of being helped.

Our tailor-made safari packages and experiences

When traveling is us, simply relax and be filled with amazement as you discover the hidden treasures of Africa. We at Native Africa Tours understand that very experience is remarkable and because of this, we make it easier for dream safaris to come to pass by first studying and understanding our clients. For this reason, we stand out from the rest by tailor-making safaris while favoring client interests, safari budgets, and levels of physical fitness, age, safari adventures and health conditions to bring experiences to perfection.

Visitor safety and security is our prime concern

Many things should be expected but travel with Native Africa Tours guarantees the best care you have ever received during a trip, as we boast of the right contacts to ensure safety as well as security of clients during operations.

With important contacts of Uganda Police and other national security agencies to help assistance along the way, we are always ready to deal with safari stumbling blocks. Surprisingly, majority of our safari driver guides are trained in basic first aid responses, possess basic knowledge on vehicle maintenance and repairs in addition to a number of emergency cases.

Top-notch and quality accommodation facilities

With our many years’ experience of taking travelers to top safari destinations, we understand that exquisite places of lodging close to these incredible destinations as well as top notch restaurants immensely contribute to the overall satisfaction of clients.

Surprisingly, most tour operators book for substandard places of lodging as a way of saving on expenses thus inconveniencing clients but we are different. Anyone who has traveled with us before will agree that our safaris always encompass only the crème de la crème of Lodges/Hotels/Tented Camps.

Responsible Tourism

While creating unforgettable visitor experiences and making sales is part of our company mandate, we hold dearly to our heats the great sense of responsibility towards our natural environment. For this reason, we deeply get involved in conservation of Mother Nature or even venture into rural areas to cause a change.

Our Credibility

Travel with us confidently, because we are registered members of “Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) and licensed by Uganda Tourism Board with a committed team of safari specialists and consultants.