The best way to protect the natural heritage of this planet is to engage and educate people. If tourists visiting Uganda can be entranced and moved by witnessing wildlife in its free and natural habitat, by experiencing the culture of the people and learning the value of protecting what we have, then we are doing something right for the future generations of this world who will enjoy it.
Kibale Tours was founded in 2016 by Peter Rujabuka who is still heavily involved in the business. And, through carefully constructed safari packages the tour business is raising the value of the country’s natural wealth in the hearts of everyone who visits.
“We want our guests to have the adventure of a lifetime,” Peter says, explaining that when embarking on a safari one should feel immersed into the wilderness. According to him, a good safari will bring a guest as close as possible to that wilderness without actually putting them in danger, “Safaris should engage all of your senses, ignite a sense of wonder and great humility in the heart and if possible, generate great surges of excitement.”
The Tours
To achieve these responses from the guest can be a tricky task he explains. Safaris show animals in their natural environment and most of them are constantly on the move, caring very little for the tour guides and their guests and the schedules they’re trying to keep.
The best guides are the ones with enough experience to predict where the most likely area will be to locate a certain type of animal. Then to follow the tracks and signs left behind, sometimes subtle and almost invisible to the untrained eye. Then, knowing how to position the party of guests in such a way to provide the best views and interactions without getting too close to disturb the animals and cause them to leave.
“Often guides think on their feet and provide informative, engaging and enjoyable tours with what they are presented on the day,” Peter says, “Wildlife is unpredictable and cannot be controlled, so we focus our energy on taking care of everything else in the journey that can be. So that we can offer the sort of safari that our guests are expecting and deserve.”
With this in mind, the usual safari starts with a pick up from the airport and a transfer to the accommodation. This is where the tour really begins because without having to worry about how they’re getting their luggage to their rooms, guests can enjoy the pleasant trip and a worry-free introduction to Uganda.
Safaris usually last up to 7 days and itineraries are provided ahead of time so guests have a good idea of what they should expect. This also includes where they will be going, what they are likely to see and what they should bring.
Some of the highlights include the forested areas in Uganda at Kibale forest which is well known to have the highest number of primate species in Africa. The Great Apes tours that Kibale Tours offer play a vital role in the education of the international community regarding the work being done to sustain their habitat.
“Our tours are informative and as engaging and educational as they are enjoyable,” Peter says, “There is a natural attraction that we have with the Great Apes and people have an intrinsic interest in learning what they can about them.”
Other Tours
The Gorilla Tours and the Crater Tours are some of the most popular available. Crater Lakes Adventures Uganda Gorilla and Wildlife Safaris offer glorious adventure holidays, community safaris and tours for wildlife related experiences in this natural environment.
Crater Lakes Adventures specializes in adventure gorilla and customized chimpanzee trekking safaris, wildlife safaris and Rwenzori mountain adventure climbing. There are also city and Ngamba Island excursions both in Uganda and Rwanda.
Then, there is the Queen Elizabeth National Park tours that guarantees to have guests marvelling at the huge variety of indigenous flora and fauna. And, afternoon game drives around the park and boat trips on the Kazinga Channel between Lakes George and Edward to see the large numbers of hippos.
The hippo tours are always popular. Many people do not appreciate until they actually see these gigantic animals, that they are the most feared and respected in Africa. Looking quite adorable and even cute while they float lazily around the water until they open those incredible jaws which have had fisherman and would-be predators fleeing.
Building a Business based on Passion
Peter explains that building up a business such as his requires a passion for adventure and a dedication to conservation, “These are at the heart of what we do,” he says.
It has taken him over three years to build the business to where it is now, at a point where he can share the joy of his home country to guests while also contributing back to the community. By sharing awareness and educating, changing opinions and opening eyes he can do his part to safeguard the future of what he sees as the natural wealth of the country.
All for the clients
With a range of explorers, couples, solitary travelers, volunteers and holiday seekers from the budget and mid-range vacationers through to luxury holidaymakers there is an importance to keep the tours as original and authentic as possible to show Uganda in the best light.
So, to keep the standards of the safaris as high and as relevant as possible, each track and route is updated every six months with careful consideration to animal movement, ecology and sustainability. Relying on the carefully selected ten local staff members he works with Kibale Tours is entirely shaped around the clients.
“We customize all our trips to suit the guests and we advise according to market changes,” he says, “Additionally, we are involving community activities that help encourage the sustainability and eco-consciousness of our business.”
Socials
Social media has proved to be a valuable tool not just for the promotion of the business and the tour packages but also for the highlighting of important issues pertaining to industry sustainability. To handle this Peter has employed someone specifically to safeguard and steer the social media image of Kibale Tours across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
“It is important that people talk about issues,” Peter says, “For the Ugandan tourist industry to continue to grow it needs to improve several aspects such as infrastructure, roads and health centers. These changes will only come about with people speaking openly about the importance of them and leveraging the audience available thanks to social media.”
PRICE: Average price for 3 days is $600 and 7 days $1850
ADDRESS: Rweteera Safari Park, 18km Kamwenge road Fort Portal, Western Uganda
TELEPHONE NUMBER: +256776862153, +256753266007
EMAIL:info@kibaletours.com, kibaletours@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.kibaletours.com
