Reviews

Average User Rating
5.0/5

Rating Breakdown
  • 5 star 85
  • 4 star 3
  • 3 star 0
  • 2 star 0
  • 1 star 2

Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 1-10 of 90 Reviews
Wascar   –  
United States US
Visited: October 2024 Reviewed: Oct 11, 2024

Email Wascar

The review below is the personal opinion of Wascar and not that of SafariBookings.
A complete disappointment and not worth the money.
1/5

Accommodations was bad cheap place to stay and no wifi 🛜 in the rooms. You will only see one day of the gorilla and will change your schedule. Keep in mind for 2k there’s better accommodations and trekking but make my mistake if you book with this company. Had to take him to the police station to bring down the amount he wanted. The Chimpanzee is very cheap in Uganda and that’s he’s alternative to make you waste another day and he’s plan to fulfill the other trekkings days he promised. He also stated only Americans complain and I don’t have an education?? Keep in mind trekking in Rwanda cost 1500$ in the park where he will take you it cost 800$ so please do the math. Overall you can find way better tours operators who will provide a much better experience. Safari bookings please look into this matter.

Reply from Safari 2 Gorilla Tours
Reply from Safari 2 Gorilla Tours
Posted on Oct 14, 2024

Dear Payono Wascar,

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. We value all feedbacks, as it helps us to continuously improve our services. We are truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we regret that you left feeling dissatisfied. However, we believe it’s important to provide clarification on certain aspects of the tour to ensure a fair and accurate representation. We gave u a an itinerary which was our contract with you, which you deliberately refused to follow as expounded below. For instance, we don't know what we would have done better in a situation where u paid for 1X Gorilla ticket but wanted to do 3X Gorilla Treks which you hadn't paid for and which was practically impossible. Let's pass through your contract on a detailed basis

1. Itinerary and Activity Adjustments
  - Before your trip, a full itinerary was provided, outlining each day’s activities in details (Day 1; Kigali transfer to Volcanoes NP, with a visit to the Kigali Genocide Museum, Day 2; offered the option of Rwanda Gorilla Trek for an additional $1,500 or to do inclusive Golden Monkey Trek, Day 3, Uganda Gorilla Trek at Bwindi/Mgahinga Gorilla NP & Day 4; For returning to Kigali to end the trip). Due to the short notice booking & availability of permits, we made a slight schedule adjustment to ensure your experience could proceed without any disruptions. We communicated these changes to you in advance.

2. Cancellation and Rebooking:  
 On the Oct 06th at 23:30, you opted to cancel, and then rebooked at 10:22am on the Oct 7th (Time your tour is supposed to commence). Despite the sudden changes, our team worked swiftly & efficiently to rearrange permits, guides, and accommodations to accommodate your new plans. We take pride in our flexibility and commitment to ensuring that all guests have a smooth and enjoyable experience, even when plans changes unexpectedly.

3. Payment Dispute and Police Involvement  
  - Regarding the payment dispute, our field team involved local authorities after you declined to pay the agreed amount for the services rendered. The pricing & optional activities were communicated transparently in your contract/invoice, and you agreed to the terms. However, upon conclusion of your gorilla trekking session you deliberately shortened the trip & refused to make payment as agreed in your contract instead demanded for more activities (3X Gorilla Treks, tickets alone costs $4,200) contrary to your agreed package @ $1,980 that included 1X Uganda Gorilla Trek.
  - The involvement of the police was necessary to mediate the situation and ensure the terms of our agreement were honored. This was done in a professional and respectful manner to ensure a fair resolution for both parties. We regret that the situation escalated, but it was important to ensure that our team was fairly compensated for the services provided.

4. Price Transparency
  - The package price of $1,980 included 1X Uganda Gorilla Trekking permit, 1X Golden Monkey Permit, accommodations, and meals, as specified in the itinerary. The 1X Rwanda Gorilla Trek was offered as an add on activity with a permit fee of $1,500, which was clearly communicated prior to your booking. When you chose to shorten your trip, we made a corresponding adjustment to the cost, ensuring you were only charged for the services provided.

5. Payment Options and Surcharge  
  - We offered several payment options that included bank wire transfer, cash, WISE and card payments. Card has a 6% surcharge transactions fee, which is standard in our region. We informed you of this surcharge ahead of time, and also provided the option of cash payment to help you avoid this fee.

6. Accommodation and Wi-Fi
  - The accommodations selected for your trip are eco-friendly lodges located near national parks. These properties were chosen to enhance your experience of the surrounding natural beauty, though Wi-Fi is often limited to common areas, which is typical in these conservation areas. We strive to balance comfort with ecological responsibility, and we apologize if this was not communicated clearly beforehand.

We are pleased that you enjoyed the gorilla trekking itself, as this is a truly unique & memorable experience. However, we regret that other aspects of the trip did not meet your expectations. we are committed to delivering well-organized, affordable, and exceptional tour experiences, and we take pride in offering our clients the best value across East Africa. Our team is dedicated to providing transparent pricing and superior customer service, even when unforeseen challenges arise.
We remain committed to addressing any concerns and are open to further dialogue if you would like to discuss the matter in more details.

Thank you again for your feedback, and we wish you the best in your future travels.
 
management.

Ronny   –  
Austria AT
Visited: January 2022 Reviewed: Jan 15, 2022

Email Ronny  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

The review below is the personal opinion of Ronny and not that of SafariBookings.
Not recommendable
1/5

We booked a combined trip to Rwanda and DRC. The services in Rwanda were close to what was offered. In DRC, however, Aaron tried to rip us off. Instead of the 3-star lodge we had booked and paid for, they wanted to put us up in a room without any standard (no water, used towels). We had to spend a night there and really struggle to get to the lodge we had booked. The Congolese guide kept telling us that he had not received any money from Safari 2 Gorilla Tours and therefore could not pay for the services we had booked. Aaron only gave us completely idiotic excuses like Covid, no cook in the lodge (all lies, there were good staff in the lodge). Safari 2 Gorilla Tours is not recommended because they are dishonest and that is dangerous when paying in advance. 2 hours before departure we were suddenly informed of the change in accommodation, where there was no way of defending ourselves. Should tours deny this, photos of paid and received services as well as price and itinerary follow.

Gail   –  
United States US
Visited: November 2025 Reviewed: Dec 13, 2025

Email Gail  |  65+ years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Aron was friendly and cared about my trip.
4/5

Aron was able to organize a very unusual itinerary : RT Bujumbara, Burundi to Gombe, Tanzania. This included 2 overland routes, border crossings and private boat trip. He paid attention to details and was flexible in adjusting the itinerary to my preferences.

Ms. Gianna Riva   –  
Switzerland CH
Visited: April 2023 Reviewed: Apr 18, 2023

Email Ms. Gianna Riva  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Professional and organised, nothing is missing
4/5

I had a really wonderful and well-organised experience. nothing was missing. Aron is a kind and very helpful guide.

Minna Wallin   –  
Finland FI
Visited: September 2019 Reviewed: Sep 18, 2019

Email Minna Wallin  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Everything went like said and they answered quickly to all the questions.
4/5

It was worthwhile to see the countryside in addition to Golden Moneys. Driver was great because he spoke good English and could tell about the society and things which interested me.

Tahlia   –  
Australia AU
Visited: May 2026 Reviewed: Jun 1, 2026

Email Tahlia  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Aron was everything you look for in a guide. Local knowledge, honest, kind, trust worthy, very safe.
5/5

I booked the 4 day safari with extra gorilla permit and my experience was nothing short of amazing. Aron my guide was a proud local man who shared a lot of information on local traditions, culture, lifestyle and the history of Uganda. The village experience is an absolute must.
I leave this short tour with an understanding of the history in both Uganda and Rwanda, an insight into the culture in both countries and of course incredible memories of the time I spent with the gorillas, nothing compares.

Sai   –  
Australia AU
Visited: May 2026 Reviewed: May 29, 2026

Email Sai

Safari 2 gorilla is an excellent tour operator, providing a fabulous experience with great commuicat
5/5

My partner and I did a 3 day Bwindi impenetrable forest gorilla trekking tour with Safari 2 Gorillas. From the outset, with enquiries, Aron was excellent with responsiveness, information, advice and tailoring the itinerary to our schedule

He was very responsive throughout, and greeted us at the airport on arrival. Aron was a very hospitable host & driver, and was very happy to answer all our questions. The tour itself was an incredible experience and we will cherish this forever. He also kindly organised a Batwa community cultural experience at the last minute as we had some extra time.

Overall it was a great experience, and we would highly recommend the tour to others travelling to the area.

Alia and Alixa   –  
United States US
Visited: February 2026 Reviewed: May 22, 2026

Email Alia and Alixa  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

We loved our tour and guide!
5/5

This was an excellent tour with a wonderful guide. Martin was a sweet, knowledgeable, funny, and extremely capable guide. We felt safe, and like we got the best of every single experience. Martin went above and beyond to ensure that our experience was once in a lifetime.
Aaron, the company owner, was wonderful to work with as we planned and changed the itinerary in the months in the lead of to our trip. Highly recommend this company! Martin drives an awesome car that we lovingly came to call avocado.

Jeffrey   –  
United States US
Visited: May 2026 Reviewed: May 13, 2026

Email Jeffrey  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Professional, responsive, flexible
5/5

Safari 2 Gorilla Tours (S2GT) organized the Gorilla Habituation trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda) for me, including itinerary, transportation (from/to Kigali), Forest permit and accommodation. Aron of S2GT was my point of contact to discuss itinerary, cost, payment timing and linking me to my transportation driver (Dan). Aron provided clear information and instructions, replied promptly to my queries and worked with me on payment timing due to uncertain circumstances (worldwide oil disruption). Aron followed my trip, in the background, from start to finish. S2GT’s pricing was also the most affordable of three companies I contacted.

Dan, my driver, was fantastic - professional, safe, knowledgeable, client-focused and an interesting conversationalist.

The Gorilla Habitation trek was all and more than I had expected; simply beautiful, humbling, raw and adventurous. The Forest Rangers from the Uganda Wildlife Authority — Chris (lead), Gideon & Chris — and the trackers (Michael, Meti & Silver) were professional, protective, skillful and client-focused.

The accommodations (~35 minutes from the trek entrance) — Lake Mulehe Gorilla Lodge — was in a serene setting overlooking a lake with a volcano in the background. The staff were professional, courteous and client-focused. The grounds were simple, pleasant. The rooms were clean, simple, comfortable.

All in all, Safari 2 Gorilla Tours did all they could to ensure my trip was smooth and memorable. Truly an amazing experience.
Based on my experience, I would highly recommend Safari 2 Gorilla Tours for your East Africa experience.

Philip   –  
United States US
Visited: March 2026 Reviewed: May 5, 2026

Email Philip  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Perfect customizable tour for anyone in the Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya area
5/5

I was referred to Safari 2 Gorilla Tours by someone who had used them years ago. I wanted to make sure I was getting a reputable and legitimate guide for a trip that was to be a lifetime dream. I got just that and I’m so happy I did.

You can approach it several ways. Let them know some general things that you’d like to do as well as a length of a tour and they will customize something for you. I basically told them I wanted to see gorillas and anything else they thought was interesting. They made a great trip for me, mostly in Uganda, where I got to spend time with gorillas, chimpanzees, golden monkeys and so much more. I like to walk so, for example, they arranged a couple of additional walks with local guides to show me areas behind the scenes that I would never have found otherwise.

The accommodations were also good, locations were great and the scenery was spectacular.

I strongly suggest using them because they’ll give you a great tour and you won’t have to worry about anything. They take care of it all. Meals, transportation, lodging, entrance fees, etc. They know the area well and you’ll be well taken care of. Go for it and plan your adventure!

Average User Rating
5.0/5
Rating Breakdown
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  • 4 star 3
  • 3 star 0
  • 2 star 0
  • 1 star 2
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