How to select a Tour company in Uganda and Rwanda

Are you unsure of which tour operator to choose for your gorilla trekking adventure? Even the most seasoned travelers can become nervous when they are going abroad for the first time. Before going on a safari, it is crucial to conduct thorough study and ensure that everything is arranged.

Selecting the best safari company like Naleyo tours and travels to make your trip less stressful and more memorable is one of the most crucial choices you will have to make. It can be difficult to choose the ideal tour operator in Rwanda, Congo, or Uganda, though. Each of the more than 100 tour operators in the three nations makes a claim to be the greatest.

While some are not, others are registered tour operators. It is crucial to take the time to gather pertinent information about the tour agencies and, if at all feasible, do the essential comparisons before selecting one for a safari in Uganda, Rwanda, or the Congo.

We have compiled a list of important factors to consider when choosing reputable tour operators for a safari in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Congo. Additionally, you can look through the list of Uganda and Rwanda tour operators.

How do you pick a reputable tour operator for wildlife safaris and gorilla trekking?

Website:

 See if there is an “About Us” section for the business. Examine their activities, motivations, and duration of operation, if they have one.

Do they operate offices elsewhere?

 You can determine whether they can manage every aspect of your journey, particularly if it includes activities in several countries, by learning about the services they provide and the nations in which they conduct business. You can use this information to gauge the safari tour operator’s level of professionalism

Participation in regional tour associations:

Prominent travel agencies ought to be affiliated with a regional tourist organization in the nation where they are registered. If a business is a member of a tour operator association, it is simpler to file a complaint against it.

But quality services are not always implied by membership. Despite being certified members of tour associations, some gorilla safari businesses nonetheless provide mediocre services. Others may offer top-notch services without being affiliated with any organizations. While membership in a tour association is beneficial, it does not ensure excellent services. This is why many of the other issues covered here should also be taken into account.

Reviews and Reputation of the Company:

The greatest approach to determine a company’s reputation is to read online reviews. Reputable safari firms need to have positive feedback from their previous customers. Based on suggestions and reviews from actual customers who have utilized a tour agency’s services, Trip Advisor and Safari reservations assist prospective customers in making well-informed judgments.

Travelers can even get in touch with the company’s reviewer directly thanks to these capabilities. Customer reviews help you determine whether a business will offer what it promises to. A few negative reviews should not be enough to disqualify a business. Choose ones with an average rating of four to five stars. Even the top gorilla businesses have their share of setbacks.

 Asking the tour operator if they can provide you with the names and contact information of previous customers from your own nation who have utilized their services is a wonderful idea if the reviews seem unconvincing. This will allow you to get a second perspective from a citizen of your nation who has taken the company’s trip.

Social media presence:

Are there any active social media pages for the business? Examine the company’s social media accounts to determine its reputation. LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook are good social networking platforms that provide a wealth of information about a business.

By looking through the tour company’s social media pages, you can get more reviews from customers and previous travelers. Additionally, you can view the company’s location, address, and phone number, as well as whether it has any offices. Only make a reservation with the safari company if you are happy with your research.

Communication Frequency:

A reputable gorilla safari operator will promptly address your initial question. A tour operator’s prompt and accurate response demonstrates their seriousness. If a tour agency answers your initial question two days later, you cannot trust them.

If they are unable to reply to you in time, and what will occur if you are stuck during your safari? All pertinent information on the trip must be available from a reputable tour operator. To ensure that you are both physically and mentally prepared, the tour operator should, for instance, inform you of the degree of difficulty of each activity. The Naleyo tours and travels employees ought to be knowledgeable about nearly every aspect of the excursion.

The tour operator ought to be able to inform the customer of every option available, including ones the traveler was unaware of asking challenging questions about your safari site that only a competent tour operator could know the answers to is a fantastic way to gauge how informed and skilled the operator is, banks only give company accounts to registered companies, so a good safari company will have a bank account in their company names. Never send money to individual accounts; always make sure that the company name is the one used as the bank name.

Banking Information:

 A good tour company must have a bank account in the country of registration. You can determine if the company is registered as a company by checking to see if their banking details are in their names.

Flexibility of the Itinerary:

Before choosing which gorilla trekking company to use, make sure that all activities are incorporated into the final itinerary proposal. A reputable tour operator will be adaptable with the schedule and change it to suit the needs of the passengers. Look elsewhere if the itinerary is not flexible enough to meet your demands.

When choosing the locations and activities you want to participate in, you need to be proactive and involved. The tour operator must educate the customer of all the possibilities available, offer suggestions, and let the customer make the ultimate decision.

Pricing:

The tours offered by Naleyo tours and travels  businesses are priced differently. It is crucial to evaluate rates offered by many businesses before deciding on one if you are on a tight budget. We advise you to pick a business that provides a fair pricing that is not too low to make a quality sacrifice.

You should not pick a safari company based just on price.Companies that offer low pricing to confirm a trip are known to provide subpar services, such as outdated vehicles, subpar lodging, and untrained and underpaid guides and drivers.

You do not want your trip guide to be underpaid and complaining, do you?

Regardless of whether the vacation is luxury, mid-range, or budget, a competent safari business should be able to offer excellent services at a fair price. If a reputable tour operator thinks the client is paying too much for a safari, they will not agree to organize it.Inquire as to why the tour is so costly if the whole cost is high. Top tour operators in Uganda Find out exactly what is and is not included before settling on the final price.

Do they provide water and meals when they are not in the hotel?

Verify with the tour operator whether the total price covers all activities, lodging, food, and transportation. If there are any unforeseen costs, the gorilla safari business should be able to inform you.

You should inquire as to why a tour costs so much. While on safari, you are unable to pay for anything else. Before you make any reservations, you should work out any additional costs. Examine the hotels, cars, and guides they employ. Verify that you are receiving what you paid for, and kindly ask them to provide you with the website information for the hotels you plan to stay at.

Ownership:

Tourists may decide to spend more money on trips with foreign brands that operate offshore because they are occasionally worried about the caliber of services provided by local tour operators.

While selecting globally renowned businesses is not difficult, we believe that locally owned businesses may provide you with the same level of quality and expertise at a significantly lower price. Selecting to travel with a locally owned African tour operator immediately supports the employment of underprivileged individuals and empowers Africans. Locally owned businesses will provide you with guides who are intimately familiar with their nation, its citizens, and its languages.

If you are worried about safety and the verify the caliber of services provided by nearby travel agencies by reading their Trip Advisor or Facebook evaluations. Like you, numerous foreign customers have used these businesses in the past and had fantastic experiences.

The group’s size:

Before making a reservation, inquire as to whether a specific gorilla safari operator offers both private and group trips, and then make your selection based on your preferences. Additionally, group trips are great for solo travelers and provide fantastic chances to meet new people. Group travel eliminates the anxiety that some solo travelers feel. If you want to spend more, time with a guide or make a few acquaintances but on a deeper level, small groups are perfect.

Your safari firm ought to be all to make sure you have the ideal safari. Motivated guides will show you incredible locations that were not even on the program. A driven Guide will impart knowledge. A reputable gorilla tour operator will pair you with guides who are fluent in the local tongue and have received defensive driving and lifesaving training.

Payment Method:

Legitimate tour operators will never request payment via a personal account or money transfer services such as Money Gram, World Remit, or Western Union. The top tour operators accept direct payments at their office, PayPal, Pesapal, and bank transfers.

All funds must be deposited into a bank account that is associated with the tour agency. Customers must be offered the option to pay by bank transfer or making a credit card payment online in a safe and secure manner.

Giving back to the community, philanthropy, or ecotourism:

These three factors may not seem significant to some when selecting the top safari firms, but they do reveal a lot. Giving back to the community and participating in animal conservation initiatives demonstrates the company’s enthusiasm for its work, people, and wildlife.

 How is the tour operator promoting wildlife conservation, the environment, and the local community?

Are they environmentally friendly? All of the top tour operators support wildlife conservation initiatives or give back to the community.

 You are also indirectly supporting the same cause if you decide to go with a tour operator that is involved in wildlife protection. Verify you are preferred Visit the business’s website to learn more about their activities outside of safari planning to make sure that a portion of your purchases help the community.

Cultural Aspects of the Tour:

 Do the itineraries offered by Naleyo tours and travels incorporate cultural immersions and experiences? The majority of tourists hope to spend some time freely interacting with locals while they are there.

One can better appreciate cultural diversity and comprehend the relationship between human activity and nature through cultural experiences. For instance, a visit to the Iby’iwacu cultural hamlet or the Batwa tribe should be part of a gorilla trekking safari. Understanding how a government animal protection choice affects one of Africa’s indigenous tribes that do not reside in gorilla national parks requires a visit to the Batwa.

Note:

Avoid asking for too many things to do in a short period of time throughout your safari. The overall quality of your safari may suffer if you have too many activities scheduled in a short period of time.

Reputable tour operators will not agree to operate a safari at a very low cost, as this could lower the trip’s overall quality. To make up for any lost earnings, some tour operators may give you subpar services even if they accept far lesser charges.