How to select a Tour company in Uganda and Rwanda

Are you planning your gorilla trekking adventure and aren’t sure of which tour operator to use? Traveling overseas for the first time can intimidate even the most experienced globetrotters. It is important to do good research and making sure that everything is well planned before goring for a safari. Among the important decisions you will have to make is choosing the right safari company that will make your journey less stressing and more memorable. However, selecting the best tour company in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo can be a headache. There are over 100 tour companies operating in the three countries – each claiming to be the best. Some are registered Tour Operators while others aren’t.

Before choosing a tour operator for a safari in Uganda, Rwanda or Congo, it is important to take time and collect relevant information about the Tour Agencies while making necessary comparisons if possible. We have put together some relevant things to note and take into consideration when selecting good Tour companies for a safari in Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. You can also check out the list of Tour companies in Rwanda.

How do you choose a good Tour Tour Operator for Gorilla Trekking and general wildlife safaris?

Website: Check out if the company has an “About Us” page. If they have one, look at what they do, their motivation and how long they have been in operation. Do they have offices in other locations or countries? By knowing the kind of services they offer, and the countries in which they operate, you will be able to know if they can be able to handle all aspects of your tour – especially if it involves activities in multiple countries. Such information may also help you know how professional the safari tour operator is.

Membership to local Tour Associations: Leading tour companies should be members of a local tourism association in their country of registration. It is easier to raise a complaint about a company if it is a member of a Tour Operator Association.  However, membership doesn’t often imply quality services. Some gorilla safari companies may be registered members of Tour Associations but still offer average services. Others may not be bound any organizations but still provide excellent services. Being a member of a Tour Association is good but doesn’t guarantee great services. It is for this reason that you should also consider many of the other factors discussed here.

Company Reputation and Reviews: Online reviews are the best way to know how reputable a company is. Leading safari companies must have good reviews from their past clients. TripAdvisor and Safari bookings help potential clients make informed decisions based on recommendations and feedback from real clients who have used the services of a Tour Agency. These tools even allow travelers to contact the reviewer of the company directly. Feedback from clients help you know if a company will deliver what it says it will. Do not rule out a company just because of a few bad reviews. Aim for those that average between 4 to 5 stars. Sometimes things go wrong even for the best gorilla tour companies If the reviews about the tour operator are not convincing, it is great to ask the company if they can forward you names and contacts past clients from your own country who used their services. In this way you will be having a second opinion from someone from your country who has traveled with the company.

Social Media presence: Does the company have active social medial pages? In order to know if the company is reputable, check their social media pages. Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn are all good social media sites that tell a lot about a company. You can get more feedback from clients and others who have traveled with the tour company in the past by perusing through their social media pages. You also get to see if the company does have offices, their location, address and contact details. Book with the safari company only if you are satisfied with your findings.

Frequency of Communication: A good gorilla safari company will attend to your first inquiry in a timely manner. A quick response from a tour operator with correct information shows you how serious they are. You cannot take a Tour Agency serious if they responded to your first inquiry two days later. If they can’t respond to you in time, then what will happen when you are stuck somewhere during your safari. A good Tour operator must be able to provide all relevant information about the trip. For example, the tour company should let you know the level of difficulty of each activity so that you go mentally and physically prepared. Staff from the Gorilla Safari company should have knowledge about almost everything concerning the tour. The Tour Operator should be in position to explain to the client all possible options – even those that were not known to the traveler.  A good way to find out how knowledgeable and professional the Tour operator is –  Ask difficult questions about your safari destination that only a good Tour operator could know the answer. It is not a good sign if communication is infrequent and lacking in detail – particularly after payment has been made.

Banking Information: A good tour company must have a bank account in the country of registration. You can know if the company is registered as a company by checking to see if their banking details are in their names. Banks only give company accounts to registered companies. A good Safari Company will have a bank account in their company names. Never send money to individual accounts. Always ensure that the company name is the one used as the bank name.

Flexibility of the Itinerary: Before making an informed decision about which gorilla trekking company to use, find out if all activities are included in the proposed final itinerary. A good tour company will be flexible with the itinerary and adjust it according to what the traveler desires. If the itinerary cannot be adjusted to your needs, look elsewhere. You must be involved and active in selecting the places and activities you wish to get involved in. The tour company must provide information about all available options, make recommendations and let the traveler make the final decision on what to do.

Pricing: Gorilla Safari companies charge differently for their tours. If you are traveling on budget, it is important to compare prices from other companies before making a final decision. We recommend that you choose a company that offers a reasonable price that is not too low to compromise on quality. Do not choose a safari company just because they offer the lowest price. We hear of companies giving low prices for the sake of confirming a trip but while offering poor quality services – an old car, poor accommodation facilities, inexperienced and poorly paid Guides/Drivers. You don’t want a poorly paid and grumbling Guide on your trip – Do you? A good safari company should be able to provide high quality services at a reasonable price regardless of whether the tour is budget, mi-range or luxury. A good tour company will not accept to run a safari if they believe the client is paying an amount that will compromise on quality. If the final cost is high, ask why the tour is so expensive.

Before agreeing on the final cost, find out details about what is and is not included. Do they include lunch and water when outside the hotel? Check and ask the Tour operator to confirm if the final cost includes all activities, transport, meals and accommodation. The gorilla safari company must be able to let you know if there will be any hidden expenses. You need to ask why a tour is so expensive. You cannot pay for anything else while already on the safari. Any extra expenses should be sorted out before you make any bookings. Check to see the hotels, vehicles and Guides that they use. Make sure that what you pay for is what you get and please ask them to send you details (website) of the hotels where you will be spending the nights.

Ownership: Travelers are sometimes concerned about the quality of services offered by local tour companies and may choose to travel expensively with international brands operating offshore. Whereas there is no problem choosing internationally recognized companies, we think locally owned companies can offer you the same experience and quality at a much lower cost. By choosing to travel with a locally owned African tour companies, you help empower the African and contribute directly to the employment of people who are less privileged. Locally owned companies will assign you Guides who know their country, people and languages in and out.  If you have any concerns about security and the quality of services offered by local tour Agencies, check their Facebook or TripAdvisor reviews. You will find out that other international clients like you have used such companies before and had amazing experiences.

Size of the Group: Before booking with a particular gorilla safari company, find out if they offer both private and group tours and choose according to your preference. Group tours are also ideal for those who are traveling alone and offer amazing opportunities to make new friends. Traveling in a groups removes away the nerves experienced by some lone travelers. Small groups are ideal for those who wish to have more time with a Guide or make few friends but at a deeper level. Your safari company should be able to allocate you a group depending on your age bracket if possible. An older traveler may feel out of place traveling with a group of partying teenage travelers for days. Honeymooners and couples who wish to travel alone in a private tour must be assigned their own vehicle and accommodation.  

The Guides/Drivers and Accommodation Facilities: A good tour company will ensure that they only allow the most pleasant and experienced guides to handle their clients. Before booking check out TripAdvisor reviews about what past clients had to say about the Guide/Drivers of the company. Guides/Drivers can make or break a safari. You need a Guide who is passionate about their country and is willing to give their all to ensure that you enjoy the perfect safari. Motivated Guides will take you to amazing places that were not even included in the itinerary. A motivated Guide will share information. A good gorilla tour company will assign you guides who know the local language, have been trained in defensive driving and lifesaving skills.

Method of Payment:  Genuine Tour operators will never ask you to pay money through a personal account or Money transfer services like Western Union, World Remit or Money Gram. The best tour companies use bank transfers, PayPal, Pesapal and direct payments at their office. All payments must be sent to a bank account with the names of the Tour Agency. Clients must be given the choice of paying by bank transfer or using a safe and secure online payment by credit card.

Ecotourism, Philanthropy or giving back to the Community: Some may not see these three things as important when choosing the best safari companies but they can tell a lot. Giving back to the

community and getting involved in wildlife conservation effects lets you know that the company is passionate about what they do, wildlife and people. What is the tour company doing to support the local community, the environment and wildlife conservation? Are they Eco-friendly? All leading tour companies give back to community or support wildlife conservation efforts. By choosing to travel with a tour company that is engaged in wildlife conservation, you are also indirectly contributing to the same cause. Check your preferred company website and see what else they are doing apart from organizing safaris to ensure that part of the money you spend benefits the local people.

Cultural Aspects of the Tour: Does the Gorilla Safari company include cultural experiences and immersions in their itineraries. Most travelers wish to have some moments during their trip to freely mingle with the local people. A cultural experience helps one appreciate cultural differences and understand the connection between wildlife and human activities. For example, a gorilla trekking safari should include a visit to the Batwa people or the Iby’iwacu cultural village. Visiting the Batwa is important for understanding the impact of a government wildlife conservation decision on one of Africa’s indigenous tribes living outside the gorilla national parks.

Safety: This may be listed last but its one of the important points to consider when choosing a gorilla safari company. A reputable gorilla safari company takes safety seriously and ensures that there are measures in place to protect clients. The good tour company will indicate if they do not offer insurance coverage for the clients and suggest potential providers. A good safari company will let the client know about the security situation in the country and suggest any safety precautions while on safari or in the major cities. The operator should assure travelers of their safety in the national park and while with wild animals.

Note: Do not demand for too many activities in a short time frame during your safari. Having too many activities lined up in a short time may affect the overall quality of your  safari. Good tour companies will not accept to run a safari at an extremely low price which could compromise on the overall quality of a trip. There are tour operators who accept much lower prices but will offer you poor services to make up up for any lost revenue.