13 Days Wildlife Adventure Trip To The Pearl Of Africa

Uganda is an incredibly beautiful and safe country with world-class national parks and wildlife. However, my experience with Annette Tusubira and Tubale Safaris was a deceptive financial nightmare that only ended after the authorities intervened. NEVER book with Tubale Safaris. Annette’s license has been suspended/revoked by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) due to fraudulent practices. From the moment we landed, she used a repetitive cycle of lies to avoid paying for pre-paid services: * Upon arrival, she claimed her funds were "unavailable due to theft of their bank money" and pressured us to pay for our first hotel and the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary ourselves. * The next day, the funds still "hadn't cleared," and she expected us to pay for our next lodge, a second night, and a river cruise. * This pattern of extracting more money while withholding pre-paid services would have continued indefinitely if the police had not been called. Her intention was to continue to scam us into paying for the whole trip twice * In addition to this our gorilla and chimp permits which have to be secured in advance were not purchased. We would have never gotten to experience this once in a lifetime encounter if police didn’t pressure her to get permits off another tour operator last minute. * Our guide also informed us he had not been paid for his work like he normally is and was forced to drive an old vehicle that was running out of gas and smoking from overheating when he picked us up. It also had no Air conditioning and the windshield wipers didn’t work. The police impounded this vehicle to use as leverage to get us paid back while we continued in a rental. A Special Thank You to Our Rescuers We are profoundly grateful for the integrity and dedication of the Ugandan authorities who protected us: * Senior Warden Eric at Murchison Falls National Park, who personally stepped in to assist. He impounded the safari car and forced Annette to fulfill her obligations to us. * Officers Martin and Goodwin with the Tourism Police, who worked with the warden and ensured Annette was held accountable and forced to provide the services we were owed. * The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) for their swift action in taking our case seriously. * Phillip with Albrieux Africa Tours * Our guide/driver Issa who stayed with us till the end of the tour and confirmed our story throughout. Warning: Expect "Crazy" Allegations Be aware that Annette has a history of responding to truthful reviews with fabricated, "crazy" allegations to discredit the people she has taken advantage of. Do not let these tactics distract from the fact that she has been identified as a rogue operator. Her favorite line in past reviews has been “I didn’t try to scam them they scammed me.” Steps to Protect Yourself If you have already booked with Tubale Safaris or are facing similar issues: 1. Contact the Tourism Police immediately. Use the national toll-free emergency number 0800300117. 2. Verify your operator. Check the UTB's official Licensed Tour Companies directory before sending any funds. 3. Lodge a formal complaint with the UTB Quality Assurance System to help maintain standards for other travelers. Uganda is worth visiting, but please choose an operator verified by the Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO) to ensure a safe and honest experience. Reporting and Safety Resources The following contacts and resources are available should you need to pursue a formal complaint or require immediate security assistance: * Uganda Tourism Board (UTB): The UTB has taken recent action against fraud, suspending the licenses of 18 tour companies while investigating similar reports. * Public Relations: +256 772 977 007 * Quality Assurance: +256 772 368 747 * Tourism Police Contacts: * Officer Goodwin: +256 775 003 772 Joint Security Command Centre: 0800 199 399. * Murchison Falls National Park: For verifying park entrance fees or activity status, you can reach the park directly at +256 709 477 232 +256 762 489 685.

This is the Answer to my Review from Tubale Safari. They offered to pay for my next Trip with them… I would be happy if they pay me the Money they owned us. Again, empty promises. Answer from the Tubale Safari: Dear Markus, I want to take this time to thank you so much for having chosen to adventure Uganda with us. It was a true pleasure having you. I also want to extent my sincere apologies for all inconveniences caused. I want to let you know and the entire world that we're a professional, committed and fully licenced tour agency that is committed to offering unforgettable safari experiences to you and everyone else. We will continue doing that, offering the best to our clients. You said, On the beginning of the planning, the Company seemed to be good. She had good reviews on TripAdvisor, Safari Booking and on the UTB So I don’t know what happened, but I would never book with them again. We really did our best to ensure your trip was successful, even kept on communications with you later after the trip to ensure you're were comfortable. Am so sorry we didn't meet your expectations and we're committed to hosting you here again on our bill for a far better experience in the near future. Thank you so much for coming. My Review First of all, this review should not discourage you from travelling to Uganda and enjoying this beautiful country, its amazing nature, and the wonderful people you will meet there. This review is specifically about Tubale Safari and Anette. What followed was six months of frustration. Of the USD 7,500 they owe us, they have so far paid back USD 3,100. At the beginning of the planning process, the company seemed good. They had good reviews on TripAdvisor, SafariBookings, and with the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). I therefore don't know what happened, but I would never book with them again. From the day we arrived, they did not stick to the agreement and itinerary they had offered us. A few days before our arrival, I asked whether everything was still in order with our trip because I had read a negative review on TripAdvisor. She assured me that everything was fine. When we arrived in Uganda, I received a message asking us to pay for the first two hotels, the lodge, and the first activities (Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Murchison Falls National Park, and the Murchison River Cruise) because she supposedly had some problems with her bank account. There wasn't much I could do, so I paid, as she promised that everything would be sorted out after Tuesday. Unfortunately, it wasn't. In the end, we had to pay for all but one of the lodges again, as well as most of the activities, including the Golden Monkey Tracking and others. We also had to pay for fuel and the vehicle. The vehicle was immobilized twice by the owner using a tracking system because Anette/Tubale Safari had not paid the vehicle fees. Our guide managed to resolve the problem, but because of this situation we missed an early-morning game drive. Throughout the entire trip, there were constant excuses and the blame was always placed on someone or something else. We had paid for the entire trip in advance, yet in the end we had to pay again for almost all of the lodges and most of the activities. Overall, we ended up with additional expenses of USD 7,500 for hotels, lodges, activities, the vehicle, fuel, food, and activities that we missed. On the last day of our trip, Anette came to meet us and once again promised that the money would be paid back by March 5, 2026. To this day, I have received only USD 100. So yes, I would not trust her or this company with a trip to Uganda again. Maybe everything will be fine for the next few tours, but I cannot say that with any certainty. There are many other safari companies that, in my opinion, are safer choices. If you have already booked with Tubale Safari, please make sure to contact the lodges directly and do whatever is necessary to get confirmation that your reservations are actually secured. And do not pay more than absolutely necessary — you will most likely end up having to pay the lodges and other providers yourself. It was not a pleasant experience having to deal with these problems every day during our trip. We never knew whether the planned activities would actually take place or whether our lodge reservations were still valid. That does not make for a relaxing holiday. In the end, because of the problems with Tubale Safari, we missed some experiences and did not get the trip we had hoped for. We had to pay for many things twice, even though we had already paid for them, and we had to deal with uncertainty every single day. On a positive note, we had a good safari guide, and the guides on the activities we were actually able to do were excellent. We also met some very nice people in Uganda. So please do travel to Uganda and enjoy this beautiful country — but based on our experience, I would not recommend booking with Tubale Safari. If you are just starting to plan your trip with this company: STOP. Look elsewhere. There are other options. After going through this experience, we spoke with other safari companies and found that there are good and reliable operators out there. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Anette is very good at telling you what you want to hear and always seems to have an excuse for everything. At one point, she said that her bank account had been frozen by the government. Another time, she told us that the night game drive had been cancelled due to safety concerns. The next day, however, we met other travellers who had actually been on the night game drive. And there were many other situations like this. I am happy to share the communication and screenshots I had with Anette and Tubale Safari. I hope that the Uganda Tourism Board and the other organizations and platforms where Tubale Safari is listed will see this review. As for SafariBookings: look elsewhere.

We booked with Tubale Safaris after we compared with several operators. We choose to book with them due to their professionalism in communication, quick to respond and relatively better priced. We indeed made a better choice. Everything was well organized from start to end. Highly recommended!

While our trip was over a while ago, we keep going over the fond memories we made in our extraordinary visit to Uganda. From the breathtaking wildlife, the delicious food, the kind people, the beautiful hotels, to our amazing guide Jamal, we had a truly unforgettable experience. Everything worked seamlessly starting with the communication with Annette, our Travel Consultant, who always provided us with fast answers and accommodated all our requests to tailor our dream trip. We chose a mid-range budget option, with a variety of hotels, and we never lacked for comforts - we always felt very well taken care of, and we got to experience some of the dreamiest hotels. The key piece of our trip was our incredible guide Jamal. He is very experienced, fun to talk to, a confident and safe driver, extremely knowledgable in everything about Uganda - especially the animals!!! - and eagle-eyed in spotting all the species. When a personal situation forced us to make ad-hoc stops and detours, Jamal was incredibly acommodating and understanding, doing everything he could to support us. We wholeheartedly recommend this 11-day trip to anyone. Go for the magnificent gorillas, but don't miss out on the endearing chimpanzees and the unique shoebill near Entebbe. Uganda truly is the pearl of Africa, and Tubale the perfect option to discover it.

Note: Our trip was in February 2025. Even though our trip took place more than a year ago, we keep on going over all of the fond memories of our time in Uganda. From the breathtaking wildlife, delicious food, extraordinary hotels and the most amazing and knowledgeable guide, Jamal, we had the most unforgettable experience. The trip was perfect in every step: starting with the seamless communication with Annette, our Travel Consultant, who answered always very fast and was extremely accommodating to all of our desires in terms of trip customization. We planned a mid-range budget experience with a mix of hotels and never lacked for comforts - we felt extremely well taken care of and still got to experience some of the dreamiest hotels. Our trip would have never been so extraordinary without the key piece of it all: our guide Jamal. He is extremely experienced, fun to talk to, a confident and safe driver, incredibly knowledgeable about everything in Uganda - especially animals!! -, and absolutely eagle-eyed in spotting all species. When a personal situation forced us to make ad-hoc stops and detours, Jamal was incredibly accommodating and understanding, going out of his way to support us. We wholeheartedly recommend taking this unique 11-day trip to anyone. Go for the magnificent gorillas, and Dr. Goodall’s chimpanzees, but don’t miss out on the amazing safaris and shoebills in Entebbe. Uganda truly is the pearl of Africa and Tubale are the perfect choice for this adventure!!

Our trip was absolutely amazing. Annette was super responsive to our needs both before and during our trip. Isaac our driver/guide was a star especially with all those long drives on those bumpy Ugandan roads 😃

We had a fantastic time on our Uganda trip. The itinerary was excellent, the right combination of safaris and relaxation. Isaac was our driver/ guide and looked after us really well. Anette was very easy to get in touch with and was very responsive when we needed help. She kept checking we were happy and quickly provided a response when we were not so happy with one if the lodges. As this trip was our honeymoon, she made sure all of the lodges were informed, and most made us feel very special. She went over and beyond to accommodate us and Tubale offered us excellent value for money compared to many other international agencies. I would highly. recommend Tubale Safaris without reservation.

We’ve had a great 7-day tour of Uganda that included the Rhinos, the Big five at Murchison Falls National Park and Queen Elizabeth , Chimpanzees, as well as Gorilla tracking. Annet did a great job at organizing our trip on a short notice. Our guide Isaac was a fantastic tour guide - he was very friendly, organized, an excellent driver and incredibly well connected with the rangers and other guides at the parks, which helped a lot in seeing all animals we wanted to see. We’re already planning to come back next year with a bigger group and more Safari days with Tubale Safaris. Highly recommend!

We just ended a family tour to Murchison Falls National Park with Tubale Safaris and everything was so well organized and fun. Highly recommend!

Severely Disappointing and Unprofessional Experience with Tubale Safaris Uganda Our family’s safari with Tubale Safaris Uganda in December 2025 was an unacceptable and deeply distressing experience. Despite paying approximately USD 7,000 in advance, the company repeatedly failed to deliver essential prepaid services, demonstrating a serious lack of professionalism, reliability, and integrity. We were promised a proper four-wheel-drive safari vehicle but were instead provided with an old, poorly maintained minibus (approximately 25 years old) with no functioning air-conditioning. This vehicle was entirely unsuitable for safari conditions and caused constant delays, directly resulting in canceled or severely shortened game drives and activities. Prepaid drinking water was not available at the start of the trip, and our guide attempted to shift the responsibility onto us to purchase it ourselves. Due to mismanagement and delays caused by the company, we missed four prepaid lunches, with no refund or compensation offered. Most alarmingly, the company repeatedly failed to pay third parties for services that had already been fully prepaid by us. At one lodge, we were prevented from leaving for several hours because the safari company had not paid the accommodation bill. On another occasion, we were denied entry to Murchison Falls National Park because the entrance fees had not been paid, forcing us to pay USD 440 out of pocket on the spot for fees that had already been paid in advance. Throughout the trip, communication with the company owner was dismissive and evasive. No apology, refund, or compensation was offered at any point. In an additional breach of basic professional and personal boundaries, the owner recorded a video of us without our consent. We are experienced safari travelers and have visited several African countries, including Kenya and Tanzania. We have never encountered such blatant disregard for clients, repeated withholding of prepaid services, or such a fundamental breach of trust. This experience raises serious concerns about the company’s business practices. We strongly advise future travelers to avoid Tubale Safaris Uganda and to exercise extreme caution when dealing with this company, especially regarding advance payments.

Unfortunately, our family’s safari with Tubale Safaris Uganda in December 2025 was extremely disappointing and stressful, despite Uganda itself being a beautiful country. We prepaid approximately USD 7,000 in full at the beginning of the trip, in cash, without receiving any receipt or invoice. Several essential services that were fully prepaid were either not provided at all or only after serious disputes. Instead of the promised four-wheel-drive safari vehicle, we were given an approximately 25-year-old minibus in poor technical condition, with no working air-conditioning. This unsuitable vehicle caused major delays throughout the trip and directly resulted in missed or significantly shortened game drives and activities. Drinking water, which was included and prepaid, was not available at the start of the journey, and the guide initially tried to make us purchase it ourselves. Due to delays, we missed four prepaid lunches without any refund or compensation. On one occasion, we were unable to leave our accommodation because the safari company had failed to pay the lodge, despite our advance payment. We were delayed for several hours, and the issue was only resolved after a family member contacted the lodge owner directly. On another day, we were denied entry to Murchison Falls National Park because the park fees had not been paid by the company, forcing us to pay USD 440 on the spot even though this had already been prepaid. Communication with the company owner was dismissive, no apology or compensation was offered, and at one point he recorded a video of us without our consent. We have done safaris in other African countries (including Kenya and Tanzania) and have never experienced anything like this. The repeated failure to provide prepaid services represents a serious breach of trust, which is fundamental in tourism. For these reasons, we cannot recommend Tubale Safaris Uganda and advise future travelers to exercise extreme caution, particularly regarding advance payments.

Our guide Denison was fantastic—friendly, knowledgeable, and full of fun. Every moment of the trip felt special, from the incredible gorilla trek (truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience!) to the breathtaking Murchison Falls, where we watched the Nile roar through the rocks in a spectacular display of nature’s power. We saw so much wildlife—lions, elephants, colorful birds—and the whole trip was smooth and perfectly organized. Denison made sure we were always in the right place at the right time, and his passion for Uganda really shined through. Couldn’t recommend Tubale Safaris more. Pure joy from start to finish!

From start to finish the tour was amazing. On first booking with the company they kept in touch, answered any questions we had. We had the good company of Isaac who was our driver and guide who had good knowledge and sense of humour. Lodges were really good and staff excellent. Only complaint was we should have booked a longer tour !! Loads to see and do in uganda.

Very well organised in all aspects. Excellent guide and an overall great experience. Our safari drives were really good and the Nile cruise was excellent.

Our trip with Tubale was truly incredible. They took care of every detail with such thoughtfulness. From the planning stage, Annette was always responsive, helpful, and incredibly kind. And during our trip, they went above and beyond to make our experience perfect. Our guide, Herman, was outstanding. He took great care of us—not just with the big things, like expertly navigating the parks to give us the best opportunities to see wildlife, but also with the small details, like surprising us with fresh pineapple for snacks and ensuring we always had water. I celebrated my birthday during this trip, and Tubale made it so special. The game drives and treks with rhinos, chimpanzees, and gorillas were absolutely incredible. Each accommodation was fantastic, with great food and even better staff. We felt truly welcomed and comfortable everywhere we stayed. I could go on and on and still wouldn't be able to say enough wonderful things about this experience. This was truly a trip of a lifetime, and choosing Tubale was the best decision. If you're considering a trip, we couldn't recommend them more highly!

This company surpassed all our expectations. I have been on several Safari tours to Uganda but this time we decided to book with Tubale Safaris and it's the best decision we have ever made. Everything was well organized from Start to finish and the Guide very professional, accommodations booked for us we're all excellent. I will definitely be touring with Tubale Safaris again. Highly recommended.

Everything of our Safari has been well organized from start to finish. I highly recommend this Company Tubale Safaris to Everyone! Trust them with your fun and you will not regret doing so!

Brian is an amazing companion for such an adventure. We were well driven, informed and looked after. 👌 most of the animals played ball and paraded for our delight. The walk in the Rhino park can never be replicated. And when we thought we were satisfied, well , the trip on the boat among crocodiles and hippos just topped it all. To see the mighty falls with 🌈 left us all in awe. The lodge was indeed all you would hope for, very comfortable with amazing food and the loveliest of staff. I was really touched when a birthday cake was rolled out in my honour. Thank you for such a well put together safari. I know that my family really enjoyed this and we were honoured to have had such a positive time in nature.

This company organised our adventure Safari through Uganda. We arranged a 13day Tour with a family of 7people and I have to say, it was the best we have ever experienced. Our Guide Ayub was professional and took great care of us. The hotels we stayed at were clean and yummy food, the staff were all friendly. We will definitely be recommending Tubale Safaris to everyone we know as we cannot stop talking about our Safari experience with them.

Uganda was magical, beautiful, exotic and was teaming with wildlife. I never thought that at the age of 70, that I would feel like a child, a teen, a young adult and a old man during different phases of my trip. Every stop was a new adventure, every trek was filled with nervous excitement and the safari was heaven on earth. The reason that it took so long to write this review is because my friends, aquaintances and family are still calling, plus droppping by to see the pictures and hear my stories. My guide/driver Jamal was phenomenal, he spoke 17 of the 50 dialects that are spoken in Uganda. His experience provided me with unimaginable photos and memories of a lifetime. Jamal's knowledge of the landscape, through the safari trails, villages, and mountain terrain, made the trip seemless. Jamal made sure the accommodations, whether it was in a lodge, or glamping, was always prepared with me in mind. By the time my trip was over, I was taking pictures of signs of land for sale. Thank you for everything that a person could ever dream of, or ever experience. Ray F. United States

Everything has been perfect from the first moment. The communication and organisation of the trip have been smooth and easy. Jamal is the perfect driver/guide. Uganda is a fantastic country. I've been amazed every single day.

We are so lucky we found this company. We contacted over five companies and strongly we confirmed with Tubale Safaris due to their professionalism during the booking process with quick responses, the guide Brian was amazing and excellent, a really great and unforgettable Safari experience around Uganda. Highly recommended!

Awesome experience, lovely place, lovely people, incredible wildlife… If you go with Tubale ask Brian as your guide… knows everything about the place and a very very nice guy

We did a 13 day tour through Rwanda and Uganda and it was an amazing experience. Tubale safaris tailored our itinerary to our needs and both of our guides worked to ensure that we had the most enjoyable time possible. We participated in a diverse range of activities and had plenty of opportunities to explore the nature and people of these beautiful countries. Highly recommend this company and in particular the guides Robert (in Rwanda) and Peter (in Uganda). Both were exceptional drivers with immense knowledge of their country and the nature.

Avoid! Our money does not seem to have been used to pay for the hotels, the treks, and the gorilla permits! The manager Annet changed the hotels without notifying us (trip paid for 1 year in advance to finance everything!!!) We were forced to pay for a hotel to be able to leave after waiting for 4 hours! She doesn't want to hear anything about it. We learn that she didn't book the Gorilla Habituation permit, she tries to send us on the simple trek, in short, we have doubts about the end of our stay: the dream is actually a nightmare because of her! And no 4×4 vehicle as in the quote but a van not suited for Ugandan tracks! In short, there are more serious agencies.

I was satisfied with the trip to Uganda organized by Tubale Safaris, through the Italian tour operator Sharewood. Transfers and accommodations, excursions and food were all organized in detail. Local guide Brian was always available and drove the van carefully. The Italian guide Claudio allowed you to have no difficulty in staying. I recommend this tour to anyone who wants to experience a trip full of emotions.