A fraction of our Team.
Big Apes Africa
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2019)
- Member Of:
- USAGA, UTB & UWA
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $3,472 to $17,359 per person per day (MXN, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
IT
Email Giorgio | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Uganda wildlife experience
We had a 10-day trip to Uganda and it was absolutely wonderful! We had the chance to experience the country in all its shades: stunning nature, incredible wildlife, and the kindness of local people.
Before leaving, we exchanged many emails to organize and customize the itinerary, always receiving quick and helpful replies. The overall value for money of the trip was excellent.
Our guide Jackson was with us for the entire journey – such a fantastic and knowledgeable person! Always smiling, cheerful, and truly a friend to us. He made sure we got the best out of every experience by talking to the local guides, especially during the gorilla trekking. That was truly the experience of a lifetime! Being just a few meters away from a group of 17 gorillas was simply unforgettable.
The only downside was a small issue with the agency: we had to advance some money, which was refunded only on the very last day before our flight, and only after several reminders and unanswered emails. This was unexpected considering how smooth everything else had been.
Overall, we highly recommend this trip – and above all, we cannot recommend Jackson enough. He truly made our journey unforgettable!
Email Mickey Fitz | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Face to face with Gorillas, Chimps & Lions in 5 days... My SECOND time with Big Apes Africa.
I went on the trip of a lifetime with Big Apes Africa 2 years ago. This year, I came back - and that says everything.
Over 5 days my girlfriend and I trekked into Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and sat next to Gorillas, explored the vast, wild bush of Ishasha Sector to find tree-climbing Lions and Leopards, cruised across the Queen Elizabeth National Park to see 4 of the BIG FIVE, then trekked into Kibale forrest to go get to know some Chimp families.
Here is a rundown of how it all went, plus some key tips from me if you want to book and get the absolute best out of it.
TRIP PLANNING 🤔
After chatting with the team at Big Apes Africa about what we wanted to do (Gorillas & Chimps and game drives), they rightly suggested we do a 10-day trip to truly experience everything Uganda has to offer, but due to other commitments, we had to go with 5. That did not faze them at all, especially after I told them we wanted to go HARD on this trip - non-stop adventure, early mornings, late nights - we wanted to do as much as possible in those 5 days. They designed a trip that was not for the faint of heart - 5 days, 4 national parks and hundreds of wild animals including some we didn't even know we could see along the way. We were primed and ready to set out on a life-changing adventure.
THE TRIP 🦍
Rather than explain our day-by-day itinerary of what we did (because when you book your trip, you should be totally blown away too), I'll just say that every single day, something mind-blowingly unexpected happened. Whether it was being star-struck by the beauty and tranquillity of the accommodation nestled in the trees of Bwindi Forest, how close we got to a silverback gorilla, how beautiful the African savanna sunsets really are, how incredible the view was from our third hotel overlooking Queens Elizabeth National Park or how playful and funny the Chimps were, everything along the way, just like that time, left us feeling like we were getting astronomically more than we paid for.
TIPS FOR BOOKING A TRIP 🤫
I wont give too much away, as Peter and his team always have a few tricks up their sleeves to make your holiday the best it could ever be, but here's my top tips:
1. Don't be afraid to book a trip in the low season
The sky is clearer, so you can see further. The temperature is cooler, and the weather is more varied. The animals are less disturbed, and the parks are so much quieter - it feels more wild and less intrusive.
2. Take a proper camera
being in the presence of a Gorilla or Chimp Family is a truly life-altering feeling. I would suggest keeping your phone in your pocket and using a proper camera to feel more present in the moment, so you can put it down and just sit with them for a few moments.
3. Pack for all weather and if it rains, enjoy it!
There is something different about rain when you're in a rainforest. It's epic, powerful and makes the forest feel more vibrant in some ways. Pack and soft shell rain coat and waterproof boots.
4. If you go to Queen Elizabeth Park, ask the team if you can stay in Enganzi Lodge (or somewhere on that hill)
The best sunset I've ever seen. The most romantic room I've ever stayed in. Amazing.
MY NEXT TRIP... 🤩
There is still so much of Uganda that I want to explore with my loved ones. All-in-all, returning for a trip with Big Apes Africa was the best decision I could have made, and I will 100% be doing it again. I only wish that they did more Safaris in other African countries, because they are simply unmatched.
IT
Email Daniela | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Outstanding Solo Travel Experience with Excellent Service and Stunning Wildlife Tour
I had an excellent experience with this tour operator! The communication was quick and easy, and the team was very accommodating and flexible to my needs. As a solo traveler, I always felt safe and well taken care of. The guide was professional, attentive, and made sure everything ran smoothly. The tour itself was incredible, covering the Kibale National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for gorilla trekking, and Lake Mburo National Park – all highly recommended! The combination of breathtaking landscapes and wildlife encounters made this an unforgettable adventure. I wholeheartedly recommend this operator for an outstanding journey!
IT
Email Augusto | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great
Thanks for the beautiful safari and the wonderful guide Gerald. Gerald was fantastic, kind and very helpful. we will recommend him in Italy together with your agency: Big Apes Africa. Greetings.
BE
Email Lode | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Safari tour Uganda
We did a 8-day trip with Big Apes Africa, where we visited:
- Murchisson falls
- Queen Elisabeth park
- Lake Bunyonyi
- Lake MBuro
Everything was taken care of by Peter, our guide.
The only thing we had to do is enjoy.
During the drives in the different parks, Peter demonstrated his skills as a nature guide. He's very knowledgeable on the wildlife in the parks.
He's open for input and tries to deliver the best experience.
I would like to thank Big Apes for the magnificent time we spent in the Pearl of Africa.
Thanks !
Lode
BE
Email MatthiasD | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Great value for money creation
I would certainly recommend Big Apes. Our guide knew a lot about all the different animals (even the birds, which is certainly a plus) and has a real spotters eye. He is a kind man, that wasn't all over the place the whole tour. Accomodations were all nice aswell.
Email Callum lindsay | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing gorilla and chimp tour
Hi all, we went gorilla and chimp tracking with big apes Africa and it was amazing, from the start Peter was really helpful in planning and answering all my questions he also got back to me straight away every time. We was picked up by Sam the man are guide who was amazing, really nice guy and very knowledgeable, he was always going out of his way to show us animals while on the road and telling us parts of the history ect, the ride was a landcruiser very comfortable as it was a lot of driving between the national parks, accommodations were loverly as was all the food. I would highly recommend big apes Africa everything was arranged professionally and at a great coast aswell
We had an amazing times hanging with the gorillas and chimps one of the best experiences ever.
IT
Email Alessandro | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Gorilla, Chimpa and Golden Monkey Tracking
Big Apes Africa is a professional agency. The did a great job designing the tour accordingly to our expectations (both in terms of experience and budget). Roland was the best guide. He was supporting all our needs sharing his knowledge and providing valuable recommendations. We did Gorilla (Bwindi) , chimpanzee (karinzu) and golden monkey (Mgahinga) tracking. They were all amazing with a preference for Gorilla and Golden Monkey. We were a little bit unlucky with Chimpa. We saw 2 of them from distance and the track was quite short (just 2.5 hour). We started our Tour in Kigali and Peter made the transfer to Uganda during day one. We thought the first day would have been transfer only while Peter organized big surprises. We did a couple of stops in spot of interest including boating on the lake Bunyonyi on local canoe.
CH
Email Szandra M | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Very well organised and all we could wish for.
We did this tour with a group of 6 pax, starting from Kigali, Rwanda. Our tour guide Peter was already very communicative before the start of the tour and turned out to be an even nicer man in person. He was always on time, always atuned to our needs, and met all our wishes. When we had some hick ups due to our own groups lack of organisation, it was resolved quickly. Every single thing of our 3 day trip was organised in every small detail and extra wishes and changes were not a problem at all. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, we loved it.
Email Victoria M | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Life-changing adventure, getting face to face with gorillas and exploring the gorgeous countryside
Just had the tour of a lifetime with Peter, our wonderful guide, and three of my friends. Cannot recommend Big Apes enough! Overall, the trip was a fantastic value and we got face to face with incredible wildlife including gorillas, golden monkeys, zebras, and impala. We also stayed at some very unique eco-lodges and tried some delicious local foods! Another highlight was just driving through the gorgeous Rwandan and Ugandan country-side.
From my first contact with Peter on Safari Bookings, he was very responsive and worked with us to tailor the trip itinerary. We had a super convenient and smooth pick-up from the airport and comfortable lodgings each night with the basic amenities (Wi-Fi, hot water, mosquito nets, comfortable beds). The restaurants we went to were also great and had options for local and Western cuisine. Some bonus experiences we had included trying some exotic fruits, swimming in a gorgeous lake, and visiting some local markets. Peter himself is also a highly knowledgeable guide who taught us a lot about the history and ecology of each country.