Mistakes while booking for Uganda safaris are common and sometimes inevitable but most times if taken for granted affect the safari experience. Nothing is worse than having a horrible experience after spending a lot of money during a safari, thus the reason travelers ought to avoid making mistakes that can actually be avoided.
Uganda safaris are always a dream-come-true with several wonders awaiting tourists and some even undertake safaris again and again but there are some common mistakes to avoid when booking for Uganda safaris is a memorable experience is what you are looking forward to.

Not booking during the best season
Uganda safaris are conducted all year round but due to weather, there are some seasons that offer unforgettable experiences while others offer good but not the best. There are various tourist activities to undertake during Uganda safaris and these include gorilla trekking, bird watching, game drives, mountain climbing/hiking, golden monkey tracking, chimpanzee tracking, beach activities, boat cruises, nature/forest walks but different seasons are good for certain activities. Therefore it is important to understand the season and the activities you wish to participate in. Game viewing, for instance, is perfect in the dry season while birding is best enjoyed during the wet/rainy season.

Booking for a safari with numerous smaller trips
Most time tourists fail to understand that a 20 day Uganda and Rwanda safari is made up of numerous mini safaris involving going and leaving the safari at different points along the way. The advantage of such a safari is that you will encounter different kinds of people during the trip but the disadvantage is that such a safari is extremely exhausting if you have activities such as gorilla trekking, golden monkey tracking, Chimpanzee tracking, and mountain climbing, thus a need to have rest between some of these activities. Also, saying goodbye to people you had already formed strong bonds with is also heartbreaking.
Imagine being part of a large group that starts and end a 20-day Uganda and Rwanda safari together. Relationships/bonds will be formed but very heartbreaking to later end the trip. The best way to rekindle the memories is by re-doing the trip some months or years later.

Having a fixed itinerary or not selecting a good itinerary
Choosing a fixed itinerary is another common mistake to avoid while booking for Uganda safaris. It’s the traveler’s duty to choose a flexible itinerary that matches his/her interests and allows ample resting time as well as offering an opportunity to select extra activities throughout the safari. Tourists are always cautioned against congesting a short trip with numerous activities just because you wish to do many activities within a short period because it’s sometimes exhausting. It’s therefore advised to opt for a longer safari if you wish to enjoy numerous activities.

Picking the wrong group
Undertaking Uganda safaris in groups is cost-effective (helps to cut down costs) in addition to being exciting but it becomes challenging if your personal interests and desires vary from those of your group members. It’s for this reason that group members have to be like-minded and within the same age bracket because chances are high that interests will not vary significantly. Therefore, picking the wrong group is a common mistake you have to avoid when booking for Uganda safaris. Choose the right group and you will have a memorable safari where you will make friends for life but choose the wrong group and expect to be lonely in addition to have the most frustrating safari experience.

Selecting unsuitable quotation/package
If a package doesn’t work for you, don’t go for it because it will affect your safari experience. Usually, transport and accommodation are categorized into luxury, mid-range, and budget. If you have less money, opt for the budget package and not luxury or midrange which you may not afford at the time. However, the categorization doesn’t mean that you will receive sub-standard services but you will instead be surprised that even budget packages will meet your desires and surpass your expectations.

Forgetting to pack the essentials of the safari
Understand the kind of safari you are planning to undertake based on the activities on the itinerary and pack the appropriate items for the safari. Leaving out the essentials is a common mistake you must avoid when booking for Uganda safaris. Packing list for most Uganda safaris usually includes long-sleeved shirts, safari pants, backpack, camera, toiletries, pair of binoculars, hat, sunglasses, good waterproof hiking boots, swimsuit, sandals/flip-flops, sweater, rain jacket, insect repellant, and gardening gloves among others.

Booking the Uganda safari with a wrong tour operator
Tour operators are usually master planners for Uganda safaris and make booking easier through organizing the entire trip on your behalf. They book transport, accommodation, and activities but if you book with a wrong one, you are destined for a horrible safari experience. To avoid the mistake of booking with a wrong tour operator, travelers are advised to first confirm with AUTO (Association of Uganda Tour Operators) whether the selected tour operator is certified and genuine. Alternatively, read through the company reviews in addition to confirming whether it is registered with the Government.
Conclusively, undertaking a Uganda safari is the best decision you can make during your vacation but making some mistakes while booking will ruin your safari experience. Make the right decision and have an exciting trip but make some mistakes and the entire trip is ruined.