- So now you know that Ranger Safari Tours provide tours and placements in Uganda and Tanzania.
- If you would like to know a little more about our ethos, click on the mission button.
- If you would like to know about the people behind the company, click on the profile button.
- If you would would like to know why you should book your holiday with us, click the why button.
- If you’d like to know anything else about us, please get in touch.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT US?
PROFILE
Charles Etoru – Director and Founder
Born and raised in Eastern Uganda, Charles caught the conservation bug at an early age and has spent over 11 years in various roles and fields of conservation. He studied at the Kenya Wildlife Institute, majoring in Tourism Management and later moved to the famous College of African Wildlife Management; Mweka, in Moshi Tanzania.
Charles is a respected primatologist and tourism specialist, who has spent over a decade in Kibale Forest, seeing it transform from a forest reserve to a national park. He was a key player in habituating chimpanzees, and developing chimp related tourism. Charles has managed the Kyambura Gorge and the Jane Goodall Institute Collaborative Primate Habituation Project, both under the Uganda Wildlife Authority.
Following senior positions in national parks and chimpanzee tourism management, he decided to take a MSc. in Natural Resource Management at Leicester University, U.K., with an emphasis on the bushmeat trade. His knowledge of East African wildlife and protected areas will give you a clear insight into sustainable conservation in this region. His experience in ornithology and great apes is also second to none!
Charles is now advisor to a charity working with schools adjacent to protected areas in Uganda (A.C.E) and to various tourism consultancies.
Harriet Kemigisa – Driver/Guide
Brought up on the periphery of Kibale National Park, Harriet is one of the leading bird watching tour guides in East Africa. She has been working with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority and leading tours for over 5 years in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. We are delighted that Harriet has agreed to bring her expertise to Ranger Safari Tours.
Fred Kiyimba – Driver/Guide
Fred is a native of the Buganda region, famous for its rich cultural heritage. He has worked with the Uganda Institute of Ecology and the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and specializes in wildlife ecology, visitor management and tourism planning. He is at his happiest exploring the historical perspective of the famous Buganda kingdom.
Justine Nabakabya – Marketing / Admin
A graduate of Tourism from Makerere University, Justine worked as a wildlife warden for tourism and marketing in various protected areas/ national parks. She is in charge of marketing and planning, where we are grateful of her skills and expertise.
MISSION
Ranger Safari Tours was founded in response to the increasing concern in nature conservation and responsible tourism in Uganda. The potential growth of this sector and the damage that it could inflict on local communities and ecologies inspired former guide and park ranger, Charles Etoru, to develop his own tours – tours that would support local communities and conservation projects.
We aim to provide safe and environmentally responsible tours that benefit both our clients and the beautiful areas in which we operate.
To you, we offer an insight into the delicate eco and social systems of East Africa and the assurance of experienced, specialized and ultimately passionate staff. There is also the satisfaction that comes from knowing that you are giving a little back as you enjoy the adventure and beauty of these countries.
To East Africa, we offer to support local economies, a commitment to preserving these fragile environments and our backing of conservation and environmentally responsible development projects.
WHY CHOOSE US?
Travel companies come in all shapes and sizes and it can be exhausting trying to find the right one. Many offer similar tours, similar prices and similar marketing. In the end, it comes down to the service.
If you want a cheap, run of the mill and somewhat flat trip, we suggest a larger company. But if you want a fun, specialized and real African trip, we are ideal.
Our local, expert guides are, we believe, the best in their fields. It’s not just the extent of their knowledge, but their experience in tourism and their passion that make us believe in them.
Our close ties with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, ACE charity (Aid Conservation through Education) and KAFRED (Kibale Association for Rural and Environmental Development) allow us to offer genuine placements that will put you right at the heart of Ugandan conservation and development.
If you want more than the standard sight seeing tour, want to give a little back and want to travel with an operator that is genuinely concerned about conservation, you have found the right people.
We are passionate and serious about what we do, but we do it with an infectious smile. After all, if you don’t enjoy it, what’s the point?