A New Standard in Tailor-made Luxury African Safaris.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
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 AlfieA92 
 
 
 
 Verified 
An unforgettable 8 days in Rwanda I recently returned from an 8-day trip to Rwanda with my wife and it was honestly one of the most memorable travel experiences we’ve ever had. We booked our trip through Engabi Tours, who put together a fantastic itinerary that allowed us to experience a huge amount in a relatively short time. Over the course of the trip we did gorilla trekking, chimp trekking, visited the golden monkeys, went on safari, explored Kigali, and spent time at Lake Kivu. Each experience felt completely different and gave us a real sense of the country. The gorilla trekking was absolutely incredible and easily the highlight of the trip!!!!!! A big part of what made the experience so special was our driver and guide, Chance. He was incredibly patient with us and clearly cared about making sure we had the best possible experience. Because of him we even ended up in a golden monkey trekking group of just three people, which made the whole experience feel really intimate. One practical tip: bring more cash than you think you’ll need. We found it surprisingly difficult to withdraw money from ATMs in some places. If you’re booking with Engabi Tours, definitely ask for Chance as your guide - he really made the trip!!!!!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Ron K 
 
 
 
 Verified 
ENGABI TOURS exceeded our wildest expectations in all ways and Roland is absolutely the best guide/driver. I strongly recommend ENGABI Tours if you are looking for an East African adventure. Thanks to Christopher, Roland and Audrey at ENGABI TOURS AND TRAVEL we just experienced our most amazing and satisfying trip ever and we have traveled the world for over 45 years. This tour was absolutely incredible! Christopher tailored it to fit our specific needs and requests. Roland was our guide and driver and he was absolutely the very best we have ever experienced. He ensured we met all of our hopes for this adventure and did it with style. Roland always performed with the utmost level of professionalism and kindness. We have never encountered another guide/driver with Roland’s level of competence. We previously enjoyed photo safaris in Kenya, Tanzania and S Africa with top notch tour companies but none came close to ENGABI. It was truly an amazing adventure. We had a storybook encounter with three gorilla family’s in two nations(Rwanda & Uganda). In Rwanda we were fortunate to have a dedicated and top notch guide(Jolie) for our small group of three(my wife & oldest daughter and myself). In Uganda we actually encountered two gorilla families and spent our hour with the second one. Both experiences were different because of the differences in the terrain and forests. Both exceeded our wildest expectations. Btw, I personally employed an “African helicopter” for both treks because of a previous leg injury. Once again Roland arranged these for me and simplified the entire process. Also, the porters carrying me via the chair were very competent and worked together seamlessly. We climbed some very steep and slippery inclines. They handled this with the precision of a top notch basketball team. Further, the chair carry gave me a chance to contribute to the local economy. After the highly successful silver back gorilla treks(2nd one complete with a drenching from a classic rainforest downpour). Roland met us with his warm, dry Land Cruiser. We followed this with very successful game drives(including the big five) and complete with a python having dinner. We also visited the Ziwa rhino sanctuary where Roland made sure even I was able to visit the southern white rhinos in the open field. Naturally in Rwanda we spent time at the genocide museum and the Dian Fossey museum. We were also interested in the very beautiful international convention center in Kigali and again Roland made a personal tour happen. Finally I must also express my great appreciation to ENGABI & Roland for arranging for our daughter to visit a student her company sponsors at a school in Uganda. This was very important to our daughter and she had an immensely successful visit. At the end of our fantastic journey Audrey met us with Roland at our final hotel and wanted to make sure all was well and chat about what they could have done differently or better. My resounding answer was “everything was perfect and I would change nothing”. Because that’s the way it was. Thank you again Christopher, Roland and Audrey at ENGABI Tours for a truly magical experience.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kathryn T 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Top notch planning for an unforgettable trip. We had an absolutely incredible experience with Engabi Tours for our gorilla trek. From the very beginning, the planning and organisation by Christopher were excellent. Over the past few months he was consistently responsive on WhatsApp, answered all our questions promptly, and was always approachable and helpful — which made the whole process feel seamless and stress-free. This was done at the end of a work trip as a medical mission, therefore having something done clearly and seamlessly was super important for us. Our drivers, Roland and Andrew, were fantastic. Both were super friendly, professional, and genuinely went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed throughout the trip. The lodge was beautiful and very comfortable, the perfect place to relax before and after the trek. And the actual experience of seeing the gorillas in the wild was simply unforgettable. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that we will never forget. We would highly recommend Engabi Tours to anyone considering a gorilla trek, exceptional service from start to finish.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Elizabeth S 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Highly recommend Engabi! My mom and I did a 2 week long safari with Engabi and we had the most amazing trip from start to finish. Christopher worked with us tirelessly from the beginning to plan this bucket list trip. He was also flexible and patient with us changing our itinerary around numerous times. We started in Uganda and did chimpanzee trekking, gorilla trekking, Murchison falls- which consisted of game drives and a boat cruise down the Nile River to see the falls from below. The roads can be extremely remote and difficult to drive on if muddy and our guide Allanie was incredible- his knowledge is vast and his driving was impressive to say the least. In Tanzania our guide was Karim. He has been in the industry for 15+ years and it shows. We saw all of the big 5 and even saw 8 rhinos. All of our accommodations that Engabi chose from start to finish were amazing and the staff and all were kind and welcoming. We had an amazing trip and highly recommend Engabi!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Nigel 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Pick these guys Would and have recommended these guys to my friends, they worked with us to develop the experience we wanted and delivered it. The supported offered when our flights were canceled or delayed was excellent (thanks Christopher) and a guide, Good Luck (yes that's his name) was also excellent, a great bloke who was happy to work with us to make sure we had the special trip that it turned out to be. Would book with these guys again in a heart beat.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 number1fishboy 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Amazing experience! We had a great time with Engabi, starting with a safari in Tanzania and ending with Gorilla trekking in Uganda. Christopher from Engabi was excellent - very communicative and helpful when we needed. Our guide in Tanzania was Bahati (also known as Goodluck). He was very funny, knoweldgable and excellent at finding and showing us all the animals including birds in which we were interested in. Our route took us from north Serengeti through to Central and East, then onto Ngorogoro Crater and ended at Tarangerie National Park. It was amazing snd just kept getting better! Apparently this is not the normal way, but would recommend and allowed easy access back to Arusha. All the staff and facilities at the bush camps were excellent (ie flushing ensuite toilet!) From there we flew to Rwanda and met our guide Roland for pickup and drive to Uganda and the Bwindi impenetrable forest for gorilla. trekking. Roland was also great and very helpful - including at the border checks on the way there and back and showing us some of Kigali on our last day. When in Uganda we stayed at Bweza Gorilla Lodge, which was lovely -funny owner, and really lovely staff including Praise and Jean- Bosco. Overall 5 stars, no complaints! Thank you!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Hallie W 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Every Moment Matters w/ Engabi BOOK ENGABI and REQUEST JOEL as your guide!! My husband and I spent 6 unbelievable days in Tanzania, flying into Kogatende and moving our way South to Tarangire - and everything in between! We simply can't say enough good things about our whole experience with Christopher in the pre-planning, and Joel onsite. Christopher was organized and helped my husband choose - truly - once in a lifetime excursions and lodging. One property we chose had a sweeping view of the entire Serengeti and an outdoor rain shower. Each lodge was impossibly beautiful with truly unique features and some of the best staff I've ever encountered. We landed at Kogatende strip and JOEL was ready and waiting for us in a KILLER Safari tiered jeep (even by Texas standards!) filled with snacks and waters. Joe started off, showing us a map of all the areas we'd be visiting and explaining a little bit about why they were special. He would begin each of our days by doing that, explaining where we were going and asking what in particular we wanted to see and how we preferred the timeline of our day to go, with his own recommendations based around what wildlife we hoped to see. Every day our vehicle was cleaned and ready for us with replenished waters, and snacks. Joe is from Arusha (where most of the rangers and guides are from) so he knew all of the other guides and they each would CB radio one another when they had wildlife that one of us wanted to see. Additionally, Joe himself could spot animals like he'd been doing it his whole life! He made sure we saw EVERYTHING we wanted and THE BIG FIVE! Joe also made sure he stopped at a couple gift shops so that I could get my souvenirs :) Perhaps most interesting to us, was Joe's collegiate background in zoology and botany, which allowed him to answer literally ANY question we had about the fauna and flora in the Serengeti, and the indigenous peoples of the various areas. I cannot explain how much this enriched our experience, especially visiting new places every day and so many new things with each day. Understanding what we were seeing, gave us such greater appreciation for every moment. We saw Northern Mara / Great Migration, Central Serengeti / Seronera, Ngorongoro Conservation Crater, and Tarangire National Park with Joe, and he made every moment unforgettable for us. He also sent us some photographer-grade wildlife & sunset photos after we'd departed! We hated to say goodbye and will never forget our time with Engabi Tours and their top-notch guides!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Matt T 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Gorilla Trekking experience BOOK ENGABI and REQUEST GAVIS as your guide!! My husband and I spent 3 beautiful days in Uganda to kick off our honeymoon and we simply cannot sing enough praises for our experience with Christopher in the pre-planning, and Gavis onsite. The booking process was straightforward, easy to review various options, and we received clear advance itineraries. Christopher also monitored our outgoing flight, alerted us to changes, and proposed alternatives. When we landed we were greeted with a HUGE smile and warm energy from Gavis, who had WhatsApped us the day before. He grew up in Uganda, so we felt so incredibly comfortable and safe with him from start to finish! His vehicle was new and comfortable, he knew everything about the area and everyone there! We called him the Mayor because anywhere we went, people knew him and were happy to see him! His friendships even allowed us to skip ahead to the front of a VERY long immigration line crossing from Rwanda to Uganda (which, after 36 hours of flying, is a Godsend). In addition to gorilla trekking, which was our primary purpose of visiting the area, Gavis took the time to ask us what kind of travelers we were and what we liked to see in places that we went. In turn he took us to see Uganda as the locals do ... a BEAUTIFUL farmers market the size of a Costco, lunch in the village, and to visit with the mothers and children of one of Uganda's poorest villages. Anytime Gavis wasn't with us, he was messaging to check in OR scooping up local treats for me & my husband: homegrown bananas and raw sugarcane, beers of the region, and Uganda friendship bracelets at the end of our trip. One morning we came down to the main lodge and he had "Africa" by Toto playing over the speakers with the staff serenading us, because my husband had mentioned he liked that song. We literally cannot say enough good things about the experience Gavis gave us. From start to finish, he made every moment matter to us. He felt like a close friend the entire time. An hour after he dropped us at the airport, we received a video compilation of all the INCREDIBLE candid & posed pictures he'd snapped on his own - set to Toto's Africa. Gavis's knowledge and enthusiasm for his country made all the difference for us. He loves Uganda and wants you to see it and love it too. 10 STARS!!!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Shruti S 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Trip of a lifetime We booked our trip with Engabi Tours to do both gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Uganda, as well as a Serengeti safari in Tanzania—and the entire experience was truly unforgettable. In Uganda, our tour guide Robert went above and beyond to make the trip special. He was incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and quick to understand our preferences. He even helped us book extra activities and made everything seamless. Robert wasn’t just a great guide—he’s an amazing human being. If there’s such a thing as “Guide of the Year,” he should definitely win it. Engabi Tours as a company was excellent from start to finish. They were responsive, always available when we had questions, and extremely reliable throughout. The only minor feedback would be for the Bweza Lodges in Bwindi and Kibale, where we stayed during the Ugandan leg—both could improve their food offerings. That said, this was in no way Engabi’s fault. In Tanzania, we stayed at Tanzania Bush Camp Central in the Serengeti, which was another highlight. The manager, Frank, was exceptionally attentive and made sure every guest felt well taken care of. The camp’s cook, Joseph, was phenomenal—we had one vegetarian and one person with a nut allergy in our group, and they handled both dietary needs with care and grace. Every meal was delicious, and we felt completely safe and well-fed the entire time. Both parts of the trip were memorable in their own ways, and we’re so glad we chose Engabi Tours to plan it all. Highly recommended! Shah family, USA
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Michael G 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Amazing Honeymoon Experience! My wife and I booked a 12 day private safari tour with Engabi Tours through Uganda and Tanzania for our honeymoon, and had an incredible trip! Chris was very helpful in working with us to make the itinerary what we wanted it to be and we had the trip of a lifetime with very nice accommodations throughout our trip. We also got quoted from several companies and for the level of accommodation, Engabi was definitely the best deal. Our trip started in Rwanda and Uganda where we spent 6 days doing a city tour of Kigali + the Rwandan genocide memorial tour, then we did Gorilla trekking in Bwindi which was absolutely incredible and chip tracking which we were equally impressed by. Our guide Roland was and excellent guide and was a huge reason why we enjoyed Uganda so much. He was very attentive to our requests, very personable and fun to get along with, and also very knowledgable about his country. Uganda is a very beautiful country and our only regret was that we didn't spend more time there. We also enjoyed our time in Tanzania visiting the Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti. We stayed at the Serena lodges at each of the parks and they were all very nice accommodations with awesome views and food. In the parks we were able to see some awesome wildlife (big 5 +) with some days seeing a ton and others being a bit slow. Overall we really enjoyed our experience. Highly recommend Engabi for anyone looking to do a private tour through Uganda and or Tanzania!