About Us

KWAHERI can loosely be translated as “Bye Bye”. We embrace the attitude as promoters of sustainable tourism taking into account of the current & future economic, social & environmental impacts of mass tourism through addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment & Host communities. “As our industry evolves, as our clients and their needs change, we just keep moving. Honestly, sometimes it feels like we adjust daily.”

1. ABOUT US ….

1. Who we are

KWAHERI Eco Safaris works with a team of well-travelled and experienced Travel consultants, Guides and managers, who work with you to tailor-brand your experience at an outgoing budget! After travelling the continent, the team noticed that they had a special interest in culture, Adventure & Wildlife combined with the way of life of “local” people. Tom and his team decided to start Kwaheri Eco Safaris so that they can share their travel experiences with the rest of the world.  

• Mission

To provide memorable holidays in East Africa, social and environmentally responsible, satisfying the needs of our clients and always surpassing their expectations.

• Vision

To become the region’s leading tour operator and total destination management company by means of service excellence and innovative products and personnel attention for our tour clients.

“Whilst we’re obsessed with our customers, I’m obsessed with my staff and ensuring that their experience of working in this business is a positive one. Engaged staff are committed staff.”

1. Association & Affiliations

• Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO)
• Uganda Tourism Board (UTB)

• DESTINATION

1. UGANDA

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape comprehends the snow-capped Ruwenzori Mountains and immense Lake Victoria. Its abundant wildlife includes endangered gorillas and chimpanzees which are some of the major attraction, as well as rare birds. Remote Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is a famous mountain gorilla, while Murchison Falls National Park in the northwest is known for its 43m-tall waterfall and wildlife such as Giraffes, pools of hippos etc.

Uganda is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the southwest by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part of the country includes an extensive percentage of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania, situating the country in the African Great Lakes region. Uganda also lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied but generally a modified equatorial climate.

Uganda takes its name from the Buganda kingdom, which encompasses a large portion of the south of the country including the capital Kampala. The people of Uganda were hunter-gatherers until 1,700 to 2,300 years ago, when Bantu-speaking populations migrated to the southern parts of the country.

The official languages are English and Swahili. Luganda, a central language, is widely spoken across the country, and multiple other languages are also spoken including Runyoro, Runyankole Rukiga, Langi and many others as Uganda has approximately 54 tribes!

• RWANDA

Rwanda is a landlocked East African country whose green, mountainous landscape has earned it the nickname “Land of a Thousand Hills.” Its renowned Volcanoes National Park is home to mountain gorillas, Chimpanzees and golden monkeys. Bordering Congo and Uganda, the park incorporates 4,507m-tall Mt. Karisimbi and 4 other forested volcanoes. Kigali, the nation’s sprawling capital, has a vibrant restaurant and nightlife scene with other historical sites to visit.

In 1994, Rwanda’s civil war dominated the world’s headlines. This became known as ‘Rwanda’s genocide’; hundreds of thousands of people were killed. It is still what most people will think about when they hear the word ‘Rwanda’.

Now, 17 years later, the country is once again peaceful. Rwanda’s democratic government promotes harmony, and the Rwandese are enjoying a good life again. Many are eager to tell of their past, to let the world know what happened – and to protect their country against it ever happening again.

Time in Rwanda

There is no time difference between winter and summer months in Rwanda; it’s always two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).

Currency in Rwanda

Rwanda’s currency is the Rwandan franc (RWF). Currently (Jan 11), £1=Rwf920, and US$1 = Rwf580; you can check the latest exchange rates with www.oanda.com .

Rwanda’s International Dialing Code

Rwanda’s International Dialing Code is +250. Calling from Rwanda, you need to dial 0044 for the UK, or 001 for the United States, followed by an area code and local number. Calls can be made with Rwandatel S.A., Rwanda’s largest company for telecommunications.

Food in Rwanda

The food in Rwanda varies from mediocre to good. Fresh fruit and the Belgian-inspired cuisine are usually good; otherwise, whilst hygiene standards are generally high, results can be variable.

The diet for most local Rwandese people consists mainly of sweet potatoes, peas, corn, beans, millet and fresh fruit, including avocados, mangos and papayas. Umutsima (cassava and corn), isombe (cassava leaves with eggplant and spinach) and mizuzu (fried plantains) are some of Rwanda’s traditional dishes. Drinks include local beer and ikigage, a locally brewed beer made from sorghum.

Travelling in Rwanda

With your own 4WD vehicle and driver, travelling in Rwanda is fairly easy. Although major arterial routes are tarred, roads in the more rural areas are not and can be in poor condition.

Health in Rwanda

There are medical facilities of Western standards in Kigali; elsewhere facilities are rudimentary. It is generally wise to you are be up-to-date on vaccinations for typhoid, tetanus, polio and diphtheria. Many travellers also have the Havrix vaccine to guard against infection by hepatitis A and a yellow fever certificate is usually required for entry into Rwanda. Malaria is widespread throughout lowland Rwanda, so malaria precautions are generally essential.

That said, it’s vital that you always check the latest recommendations with your own doctor or travel clinic before you travel. (The Scottish NHS site can also be a useful travel resource for medical information about Rwanda.)

Language in Rwanda

The main language spoken in Rwanda is Kinyarwanda (a Bantu language, also known as ‘Rwanda’ or ‘Ruanda’). French is widespread and English is also spoken by many people who are in contact with visitors.

Visas for Rwanda

Travellers with British passports, as well as American citizens, generally do not need to purchase a visa when travelling to Rwanda; currently (Jan 2011) passports are just stamped on arrival. However, always check with your local Rwandan Embassy for the latest regulations; UK nationals will find details on the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda in London website.

Weather and climate in Rwanda

Rwanda presents visitors with a pleasant tropical highland climate, although rainfall is not uncommon. For more details, see our webpage on the climate and weather in Rwanda.

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• Accommodation Facilities

Ubuntu African Safaris doesn’t own its own Hotels| Lodges or camps, however we only feature hotels, lodge and tented camps that we have personally visited and approved and believe to be the best in the area for our clients. From Mountain camps and forest reserves we’ve selected the very best safari lodges, luxury accommodation and places to stay when travelling in Uganda and Rwanda. If you would like to find out more about any of our luxury accommodation then please you can always contact us for further detail!

UGANDA

• Bwindi Lodge

Located in south-western Uganda, just outside Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Bwindi Lodge is a great value eco-lodge situated within trekking distance of the park’s 4 gorilla families.

A thatch and stone build, Bwindi Lodge consists of a main lodge and 8 sleeping Banda’s. The main area includes a bar, lounge, dining area, small library and an extensive lookout verandah. Open sided, furnished with comfortable armchairs, low tables, lightweight, locally made chairs, the lodge is characterized by polished wooden floors, white walls, open beams and decorated with bright colors, throws and well-chosen local artifacts. Guests repeatedly mention the service, which is efficient, a delight, while the food is considered great – although those with special dietary requirements would do well to let the lodge know well ahead of time, and vegetarians are advised to eat Ugandan, as it’s delicious and it’s what the kitchen knows best.

Activities at Bwindi Lodge include gorilla tracking, guided walks, bird watching, cultural visits and a tour of the Diane Fossey Karisoke Centre.

• Paraa Safari Lodge

A typically weighty mid-twentieth century construct, located overlooking the Nile, in Murchison Falls National Park, north-west Uganda, Paraa Safari Lodge is an old fashioned lodge – as much treasured historical artifact as it is a working piece of accommodation.

As such, Paraa’s stone, wood and thatch build, a fine example of the first wave of post-war tourist-specific lodges, consists of a main lodge and 54 sleeping rooms. The main lodge includes a bar and lounge, restaurant, veranda, pool and gardens. More African Queen meets last century Miami Beach hotel than prized location for Vogue or W, Paraa is not an uber-luxury destination. However, it is a wonderfully positioned lodge, and solidly managed to boot. The buffet-style cuisine is good, the service lovely and, while clearly subjected to periodic renovations, retains – in its dark wood flooring, cashier point and veranda – features that mark its original Upcountry design.

• Emin Pasha Boutique Hotel

A flagship member of Wildplaces Africa’s portfolio (which includes the newly opened Clouds and Semliki Lodge), named after a charismatic nineteenth century doctor and explorer, located in southern Uganda, on the outskirts of Kampala, and set in a 2 acre mature garden, Emin Pasha is Uganda’s first boutique hotel. An upcountry house design, Emin Pasha consists of the main hotel and 20 rooms of varying sizes and styles. The shared areas include reception, a restaurant and lounge area, bar, upstairs and downstairs terraces, swimming pool, spa and a variety of garden patios. Plush, comfortable, the restaurant, bar and lounge complex opens out onto the garden, and the menu is a fusion of European, African and Asian cuisines – all a la carte. While very occasionally traveller feedback expresses some concern with either the food or the service, the response to Emin Pasha has been overwhelmingly good. Much is made by guests of the hotel’s ambience, which together with the garden, architecture and largely fine service, makes for a very pleasant stay.

RWANDA

• Akagera Game Lodge

Located in eastern Rwanda, the only accommodation in Akagera National Park, and situated overlooking Lake Ihema, Akagera Game Lodge is more a hotel than it is a safari lodge proper.

Rebuilt in 2003, a personable 3 star property, Akagera is a brick; tile and thatch build, a mix of traditional and modern buildings, and consists of a main lodge and 60 sleeping rooms. The shared areas include a lounge and bar, reception, restaurant, pool, various business facilities and a verandah. Characterised by a reasonably generic exterior – tiled roofing, white walls, courtyard, balcony – and by an attractive block pattern wood floor, the main lodge is simple and welcoming, its spiral staircase an unexpected flourish, the lake views stunning. At the time of writing the service is not, say returning guests, at its best, a situation possibly aggravated by an archaic ordering system (lots of slips to fill in, lots of layers for said slips to pass through), and by the lack of competition, but it is genuine, friendly and helpful.

• Mountain Gorilla View Lodge

The Mountain Gorilla View Lodge is a new, mid-range lodge, perfectly situated for gorilla tracking in Rwanda. The 30 individual stone and thatch cottages have been built on 4 acres of land on the slopes of Mt. Sabinyo and each have en-suite facilities, a small lounge with a fire place and a private veranda. The cottages are of a good size and are well positioned to give them privacy from one another. There is a separate restaurant and bar area where meals served to the guests.

Located very close, about 15 minutes, from the main headquarters of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park (Parc National de Volcano’s), this is a very handy base from which to explore the area and organize treks to see the golden monkeys and the mountain gorillas.

Mountain Gorilla View Lodge provides good value for money at the same time as great views and easy access to Volcanoes National Park

• Nyungwe Forest Lodge

Blending, with its natural structural appearance, into the local environment the lodge overlooks the tea plantation and rainforest, a unique view and spectacular area to stay. Aimed at the Western market, lodges have contemporary fittings and interiors, with traditional touches and large windows.

Fantastic for tracking chimpanzees, there are a total of 13 primates in the area, as well as 275 bird species, including the striking giant hornbills, great blue turacos and red-breasted sparrow-hawks.

With a tea plantation on the one side and the Nyungwe Canopy Rainforest on the other, access is via a drive from Kigali which will take about 7 hours, or the hour drive from the airport close by. There is a heli-pad here also.

Rooms are all forest facing for fascinating views; there are 24 luxurious rooms and 2 extra-amazing suites. Each room has its very own private deck for wonderful views over the forest terrain and fire places make the areas ultra cozy. Rooms are air-conditioned with tea & coffee making facilities and a mini bar as well as a wonderful en-suite bathroom, with indoor shower, and free Wi-Fi (laptops can be stored away in the safe).

Outside you will find a heated pool, and there is a relaxation retreat for massages and numerous spa treatments. The dining area is made up of a boma, great for outdoor dining and sundowners; there is also a restaurant with a terrace, a tea lounge and a bar.