OK, I've done the East Africa safaris (Masai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Amboseli) and the southern Africa safaris (Kruger, Mkhaya, Okavango, Moremi, Chobe, South Luangwa and Etosha), so now I'm ready for something completely different, and have planned a short trip to Uganda and Rwanda for late August with the intention of making two gorilla treks (Bwindi in Uganda and PNV in Rwanda) and also spending a couple of days in Queen Elizabeth NP in Uganda.

I am considering booking with Volcanoes Safaris which has offices in Kampala and Kigali, as well as a US-based representative. Has anyone worked with them before?

Finally, if you have been to either of these two countries, can you please share any info on lodging, transport and other tips.

Thank you

My dad went to see Gorillas in Bwindi, Uganda with Volcanoessafaris February 2003.

In UK his contact was Praveen Moman - [email protected]

The Uganda Contact was someone called Rehmah - [email protected]

I've just phoned him and he said he was extremely happy with Volcanoes.

He had a couple of pointers:

Usually Volcanoes put you up in their own accommodation - a camp he said is perhaps 2-3*. Because that camp was full at the time of his trip he (and my mum, and the two friends they went with) were put up in a different camp for no extra charge - this was a 5*+ camp - similar to the better camps in Botswana. He said, if he had known the difference in standards between Volcanoes own camp and the one they stayed at, he would have paid the difference to stay at the better one, if needed.

Let me know if you want the name - he couldn't remember off the top of his head.

He said they spent 2-3 days on the Gorilla treks and then added some regular game viewing to make the trip longer - game viewing was enjoyable but did not compare in any way to game viewing in East or Southern Africa.

Michael
Did you book?

I've sent them my itinerary, and am in the process of confirming availability of gorilla permits in Bwindi (Uganda) and Parc Nacional Volcano (Rwanda), but they've told me my preferred dates are available, so I should book tomorrow.

I secured international flights into Nairobi using American Express Membership Miles (transfer to Continental which booked flight on KLM for 140,000 miles), and now am in the process of arranging short visit to Tsavo at the end of the trip (I have previously been to Masai Mara and Amboseli).

Not much traffic on any sites re Uganda and Rwanda, which is all the more reason for me to go!

Good news - hope you'll report back here after the trip - I know you post on TT too but the report would soon be buried there...

Kavey

Booked and departing tomorrow via Amsterdam and Nairobi to Entebbe, so I'll be on safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda on Saturday evening.

Have a greaaaat time and let us know all about it please when you get back!

: o )

I hope you have an outstanding trip!

Cindy

Trip report will follow after I return next week. Right now I'm sitting in an Internet cafe in Kigali, Rwanda, but trip so far has been amazing. The two gorilla treks, the first in Bwindi in Uganda and the second this morning in Parc Nacional Volcans in Rwanda, have been spectacular, with the gorillas exhibiting no concern to our presence. In fact, a medium-size female decided to use the same trail this morning as me, and she reached out and touched my leg as she passed. Full report after I return. Tomorrow morning I'm off to Samburu in Kenya for a few days.

Michael

Can't wait and WOO HOO Michael!

<wave>

Touched your leg? That is fantastic.