Africa Safari
Telephone Office (USA): 562-889-4016
Keith's Cell Phone (USA):
626-512-0877
E-mail: keith@jonesadventures.com
Africa Safari and Gorilla Encounter
This is a budget minded fully guided African safari tour featuring clean and secure accommodations and wildlife viewing in three wildlife parks.
This safari takes you into the heart of Africa. Many nations in Africa recognize that tourism is a way for their country to help infuse money directly into the poorest parts of their economy. Because the safari's take place in wilderness settings the villagers who live near these wild animal parks benefit tremendously from jobs and from the money tourism generates.
We offer a safari plan that is long on safari and short on gin and tonics! That old pattern of sitting on the veranda sipping a libation all afternoon, brought to you by one of a bevy of hovering servers is not how our tours operate. Our safari tent accommodations are comfortable and they place you on safari in really good locations at a good price. You will find that Uganda is cooler than you expect.
Here is our 2018 trip details:
Trip Price beginning at $6,550, for 9 days. As always there is no solo traveler supplement on our Africa tours. This is a savings of as much as $500 or $1000 for you solo travelers. Keith (Baja) Jones plans to be along as the group trip leader. A qualified Ugandan driver - naturalist will accompany the group on all tour dates. We travel in 6 passenger pop top vans! The best viewing vehicle available.
The 2018 trip takes place in July and August (part of the dry season); please keep in mind that Uganda is located at the equator (passing through southern Uganda) so other than rainy and dry seasons the weather doesn't change drastically. The average annual temperature is about 26°C (78°F). Shirt sleeve weather most days.
What’s included in the 2018 trip:
• Airport transfer at beginning of trip and return to the airport at the end of the trip.
• Driver / Guide full time during the entire safari and gorilla trek. Vehicles for safari with pop top roof unless not available. Window seating for ALL participants.
• Daily wildlife drives as listed in the itinerary, lasting 3 or 4 hours except the travel days. Some travel days will also include game drives or walks. Depending on the particular situation of that day a second late afternoon wildlife walk or drive is possible. Please note that each day is different, but the general plan is to leave our lodge in the morning and do wildlife viewing all day until near dinner time. Because we are not ‘arranging game drives’ with the lodges as many tours do, we have the freedom to go all day and sometimes in the evening too. You get each day as packed with wildlife viewing or cultural encounters as it is possible to do.
• Budget accommodations consisting of either 2 person safari style tents at Murchison Falls or later in the tour comfortable lodging with en suite bathrooms, while the safari tents do not have bathrooms attached.
• Breakfast is provided each day, usually before we leave the lodge, but some days we carry breakfast in the vans to get an early wildlife viewing start. (This style was difficult to get our Uganda guides and lodges to adjust to, but they now understand why we do it). Lunch is frequently eaten while out in the ‘bush’. Dinner normally at our lodge.
• Purified drinking water either in bulk or individual bottles will be available while traveling in the vehicles and while on game drives.
NOT INCLUDED in the tour basic price:
• Bwindi Impenetrable forest entry and gorilla permits which at this time are $600 USD per person per day and might increase to $750. Gorilla permit subject to availability. Two days are scheduled at the gorilla location, but some travelers choose to just do one day.
• The only drink provided during the tour is purified water carried in the vehicle to use while traveling or while on game drives. Any other drinks are not included.
• Tips are not included. Please read our separate note about tipping because on all African safaris tipping is an important factor that you need to plan for. The people you will be tipping count on this income.
• Airfare to Entebbe, Uganda is not included. Current air ticket prices from North America are about $1,000 up.
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African Elephants
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Giraffes Eating
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Female Lion Resting
Day #1:
Arrival day at Entebbe. We provide transfer from the airport to accommodations in Kampala upon your arrival. Accommodations tonight at the Red Chilli Hideaway, Kampala.Twin room with en suite bathroom. Some of you may choose to upgrade this first night in town. Red Chilli is on the outskirts of town away from the bars etc. Because of travel differences no meals are included each member will eat on their own.
Day #2
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Today we leave Kampala and travel to the Murchison Falls National Wildlife Park. Along the way we will visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see the only remaining rhinos in Uganda. At the park we will observe wildlife in a combination of wildlife drives, game walks and even a river cruise to observe the falls and wildlife including hippos and crocodiles. Accommodations tonight at the Red Chilli Rest Camp staying in twin safari tents. If you cannot see yourself in a tent some “bandas” are available to upgrade to, but we will need to know very soon after you sign up.
Day #3 - 5:
We continue our wildlife observations and encounters in Murchison Falls National Park. We expect to see hippos, buffalo, giraffe, antelope. Maybe a leopard or lion and so much more.
Day #6:
We depart Murchison Fall Park and travel toward Bwindi National Park where we will do our gorilla trek and encounter. Tonight we stay near the town of Fort Portal.
Day 7:
This morning we arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in anticipation of two exciting days of Gorilla trekking. Those who do not want the expense of the gorilla permit will have lots to do visiting and exploring the local village. Accommodations at the Buhoma Community Camp in twin bandas with en suite bathrooms.
Day 8 – 9:
Gorilla encounter days. This is what many of you joined this safari to do.
Day #10:
We leave the Impenetrable Forest behind and travel to Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Park. Along the way this day should have several interesting wildlife encounters. We travel through the Ishasha wilderness where tree climbing lions are sometimes seen.
Day #11 & 12:
Two days more of wildlife viewing in the widespread QE Park. Last tour this is where we saw the most lions and the leopard at twilight.
Day 13:
Today is departure day from Queen Elizabeth Wildlife Park. We drive back to stay in Entebbe near the airport. If road conditions and time permits we plan a 2 hour wildlife drive through the Lake Mburo Wildlife Park which is approximately 3 to 5 hours away from Entebbe, strictly dependent on traffic and road conditions.
Day 14:
Today we will arrange your transfer to the Entebbe hotel airport.
• Gorilla Trekking permit = $750 X 2 Some people may choose to not go on the gorilla trek, but rather to use the day to visit the local village
• Souvenirs and keepsakes - ?
• Tips - $125 – $200.