Choosing a Tour Operator in Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking Safari
July 6, 2021
Choosing a Tour Operator in Rwanda for Gorilla Trekking
Tips on choosing a tour operator in Rwanda for gorilla trekking. Mountain gorillas are Rwanda’s tourism jewel, and the country it’s flooded with travel companies offering the easiest route to getting to the primates. From luxury offers to budget corners, choosing a knowledgeable tour operator in Rwanda requires careful attention to avoid flimsy service providers.
Rwanda is open for tourism and attracting travelers back into its primate wilderness. Although the pandemic is still taking its toll on the travel industry, travel enthusiasts rely on vaccines availability to gun courage and book Rwanda’s gorilla jungle adventures.
In retrospect, a Rwanda safari is far from simple. The pandemic is forcing destinations worldwide, like Rwanda, to regularly change operating procedures and keep tourism open yet safeguarding the lives of people and wildlife. These ever-changing operating procedures are pushing the “Do-It-Yourself” traveler to book safari with a tour operator in Rwanda in hopes of transferring all the planning stress to an expert that understands the logistics better.
Most Rwanda safari operators offer their safari services free, hoping to profit from commissions on accommodation, transport, and permits. Do-it-yourself travelers are taking advantage of these offers to plan their Rwanda gorilla trekking safari.
Searching through hundreds of available tour operators in Rwanda is going to be challenging for a first-time traveler. Encounter Africa makes it a little less painful with this simple guide to finding a local operator you can trust to give you the best gorilla trekking experience worth your money.
What to consider when choosing a tour operator in Rwanda for your gorilla trekking safari
Do Some Research
By visiting this page, you’ve already begun your research into finding the right operator that suits your travels style. If you’re looking online for inspiration and you’re checking out their website, spend a little more time on their “About Us” page.
The “About Us” page is like the first meeting with a business partner. It shows whether you should trust to initiate a business relationship or not. If they’re too braggy and show little about why they should earn your trust on the page, then that’s your cue to move on to the next one.
Alternatively, if you know of someone who’s been on a gorilla safari in Rwanda, ask them to recommend a company they’ve successfully used. The best travel recommendations are from the people you know; that’s why most travelers trust reviews from other travelers.
Another effective online research is reading a few blogs about Rwanda gorilla safaris. Many of them mention a tour operator you can trust because they’ve previously been offered the experience and wrote about it. Add that name to your list and check out their website.
Check Out Their Licenses and Memberships
A tour operator without a valid local license raises serious red flags. A local license or membership gives you confidence that the operator is genuinely allowed to offer services in that destination. It’s a significant step in trusting the company with your hard-earned money to package your experience in that destination. Someone is responsible for questioning their unexpected or inappropriate behavior so that you can reward them with your trust and money.
The best way to find out is to check their website for any licenses, ask them to provide proof of membership or contact the association or bureau for evidence.
Some of the priority travel memberships and licenses in Rwanda include the Rwanda Tours & Travel Association (RTTA), Rwanda Association of Travel Agents (RATA), Rwanda Community Travel Association (RCTA), Rwanda Safari Guides Association (RSGA), Rwanda Hospitality Association (RHA), Rwanda Development Board (RDB), and Rwanda Chamber of Tourism (RCT).
The Rwanda Government, through the Rwanda Development Board, issues all local tour operator licenses. Regulations and legislation stipulated by RDB govern the tour operator activities in Rwanda. These regulations standardize the activities of all local tour operators in Rwanda.
The Operator's Enviromental Sustainability
Ecotourism and sustainable travel are a growing trend that allows destinations to be mindful of their experiences’ environmental impact and care about the attractions for future generations. More travelers are becoming sustainable travelers, and local operators adopt sustainable and ecological best practices to book more tours. Rwanda is famous for being on top of this trend.
If you’re aware of your ecological footprint during your holiday and are willing to support and contribute to the local communities, your chosen local safari operator of choice should have programs, models, or practices that positively impact the ecosystems of Rwanda.
Where there are tourists, there is always some conflict with the environment and nature. The introduction of green tourism and ecotourism provides relief and initiatives to lessen the friction and reduce the impact on the environment.
There are many instances where operators irresponsibly label their businesses as “green” to tap on this popularity, which is termed ‘greenwashing.’ Under these circumstances, don’t be fooled and disillusioned that the company has any positive impact on the environment.
Be compelled to find more information about their sustainable tourism policy. You can quickly get it from the operator’s website or ask them through email on your initial contact.
Time in business and reputation
A local safari operator with at least three years of experience offers the benefit of accumulated lessons and insights of the destination, which will clearly show during the Rwanda gorilla trekking safari trip.
Of course, this is not to say the newer operators can’t deliver excellent services. A more recent operator could show an innovative and enthusiastic edge, especially during the planning process of back and forth communications.
The easiest and most effective way to vet a Rwanda tour operator’s reputation is by looking at the previous travelers’ reviews on a trusted review site. Not only should you look for the good reviews, but also look out for the bad ones too. How they respond to bad reviews is also a great indicator of how much empathy they’ll have in store to accommodate you.
Ensure the reviews you trust to choose a tour operator in Rwanda are verified by a trusted review site like TripAdvisor, Google My Business, Yelp, Safaribookings, Trustpilot, and Facebook. Avoid self-varified testimonials that the operator can easily manufacture.
Responsiveness To Inquiries
How fast the local operator responds to emails, calls, or chats is a good indicator that you may find it easier to plan your Rwanda safari with them. It shows unpreparedness when a tour operator takes a long time to respond to an inquiry.
Rwanda is GMT/UTC + 2h Central African Time (CAT) and does not utilize daylight savings. Therefore, If your inquiry goes out after office working hours of 09:00 to 18:00, you may get a reply 4-10 hours later. Keep that in mind when researching for a tour operator in Rwanda to trust.
The other indicator is how knowledgeable and confident they are in responding to your inquiry. A good operator will know Rwanda’s destination offer too well to confidently provide knowledgeable information about their product as fast as possible.
For instant answers when doing your gorilla safari research, call or use a WhatsApp chat service rather than email. An email has a laid-back response time that may leave you anxious and dissatisfied through your planning process.
Tour Packaging
Most Rwanda tour operators list gorilla safari packages on their websites to make it easy for travelers to see how a typical Rwanda tour package could look. They could include the price range of the package or compel the traveler to inquire for a quote based on their preferences and dates.
Carefully reading through your kind of package could reveal how well the operator can provide accurate information compared to other operators. Look out for the language, style, and pricing of their packages concerning your preferences and budget.
Avoid a tour operator whose tour packages clearly show that you do not fall under the category of travelers they’re targeting. For example, the pricing may target a high-end traveler when you’re a budget backpacker with a budget falling way below what’s shown on their safari packages.
Look out for cues like pricing, accommodation choices, type of cars they use, what’s included and exclude in the price, group size, and package complimentary. See if they match the kind of traveler you are.
The Operator's Booking Terms and Conditions
Flexible terms and conditions are essential in booking a gorilla safari with a tour operator in Rwanda you’ve never traveled with, especially during uncertain times.
Like many other destinations, Rwanda travel restrictions could change anytime, and you should be able to reschedule or cancel your gorilla safari with minimal financial loss. Illness, natural disasters, and family emergencies quickly interrupt travel plans. Flexible terms can easily protect you from such.
Ask for the company’s booking terms and conditions and make sure they match your prevailing conditions before you drive any commitment with the tour operator in Rwanda.
Choosing Encounter Africa as your tour operator in Rwanda
Although we’re based in Uganda, Encounter Africa has an affiliate trusted and licensed local tour operator in Rwanda for gorilla trekking safaris. Encounter Africa has been operating gorilla safaris since 3003 and has the memberships and license to show off. Our tour operator in Rwanda has an RDB, RATA, RCTA, and RSGA.
Our verified reviews on TripAdvisor show off our reputation in providing outstanding services to our customers.
We serve budget travelers, mid-range and high-end luxury travelers. Our partnerships with local guides that understand the destination leave a satisfaction stamp on all our travelers’ minds and keep us in business. Our sustainable programs and policies help preserve nature and cultures for those that will come after us, and we’re proudly sharing them with all our guests.
When you inquire with us, a team of happy, well-traveled, and knowledgeable consultants will be glad to connect and share the information you need to plan your Rwanda safari package.
Encounter Africa is your choice of tour operator in Rwanda. Send us an email at info@gorilla-tracking-uganda.com or use any of our contacts below to reach us. Travel with confidence
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