How to contact us?
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Get in touch
Send an email to : info@matoketours.com
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Opening hours
Monday to Friday, 9AM – 5PM (EAT)
Send an email to : info@matoketours.com
Monday to Friday, 9AM – 5PM (EAT)
At Matoke Tours Africa, we are at the forefront of responsible tourism, championing initiatives that create meaningful, positive change. We believe travel is a catalyst for human connections, bridging barriers between cultures, and every tour should not only enrich the lives of those who experience it, but also contribute to the wellbeing of the communities and environments that make these journeys unforgettable.
Through initiatives like our Female Tour Guide Training and mentored internships, we empower women in the tourism sector, providing them with valuable skills and career opportunities. We also offer driving courses, leadership bootcamps, and female-only tours, ensuring that women play a leading role in shaping Uganda’s tourism narrative.
As founding members of Adventure Tourism Uganda, we promote tourism beyond the traditional primate-tracking routes, creating new opportunities for communities in less-visited regions. Our Matoke Academy provides essential education on responsible tourism, equipping guides, tour operators, and travelers with the knowledge to maximize their positive impact.
Through our Product Showcase & Trails of Tomorrow as well as partnerships with local, eco-conscious suppliers, we drive sustainable growth in Uganda’s tourism sector.
Recognized internationally for our dedication to innovative sustainable practices, we are building a legacy that inspires others to join us in crafting a future where tourism is both transformative and responsible.
With its incredible diversity of nature, culture and wildlife, Uganda is the perfect destination for authentic adventures. A knowledgeable, experienced tour guide is key to an unforgettable travel experience. In 2019, we formalized our cooperation with partners from the tourism industry to further develop Uganda as an adventure tourism destination. Multi-day hiking and cycling trails and cultural activities have been developed and product trainings conducted. Matoke Tours has introduced a specialist training program for Adventure Travel Guides. In 7 intensive course trainings over the course of 3 years, qualified tour guides gained in-depth knowledge about adventure travel. The trainings as well contributes to further developing the guides’ soft-skills, such as high-level customer service, planning and intercultural communication.
Our annual Product Showcase is an initiative dedicated to spearheading sustainable tourism in Uganda alongside local suppliers who are committed to creating unique experiences with respect for the environment and local communities. Our mission is to foster a more inclusive tourism landscape, where innovation drives responsible exploration in every corner of the destination. At the Product Showcase we nurture a collaborative environment and invite local suppliers to showcase products that stimulate responsible growth for Uganda’s tourism sector.
As part of the Product Showcase, ‘Trails of Tomorrow’ invites individuals with groundbreaking ideas to step onto the stage and pitch their visionary tourism concepts, and we may just transform your dream into reality. Whether it's a pioneering eco-conscious adventure, a community-driven initiative, or technological advancement in travel, ‘Trails of Tomorrow’ provides an opportunity to kickstart your trailblazing concept together with Matoke Tours Africa.
In 2019, Matoke tours developed a Female Tour Guide Training- & Mentored Internship-Program in collaboration with Ukarimu Academy. Societal, cultural and economic barriers often make it difficult or even impossible for women to consider a career in tour guiding in Uganda. To make a step towards a change in perception, this program actively gives women the opportunity to follow their dreams and to reach their full potential as a tour guide, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive tourism industry. The program covered an intense theoretical tour guide skill-set training for a duration of 4 weeks, followed by a practical exposure field trip and an internship program working together with seasoned tour guides and tour operators in Uganda. To date, 31 women successfully graduated after completing our courses. We’re proud to share some success-stories.
Our Matoke Academy provides essential education on responsible tourism, equipping guides, tour operators, and travelers with the knowledge to maximize their positive impact. The Academy takes form through self-paced online courses and resources, physical training sessions and programs, as well as tailored training opportunities designed to meet specific needs.
Our Women Leadership Bootcamps are designed to inspire and empower participants—whether as guides, entrepreneurs, or community leaders. These intensive programs combine practical skills training, mentorship, and leadership development to equip women with the tools they need to succeed and make a lasting impact. From building confidence to developing business strategies and creating sustainable tourism initiatives, our bootcamps provide a supportive environment where women can grow and thrive. By fostering leadership and amplifying female voices, we are not just transforming the lives of participants—we are driving positive change within communities and across the tourism industry.
Our specialized driving courses for female tour guides are designed to build confidence and technical skills behind the wheel, enabling women to excel in the tourism industry. These courses go beyond basic driving, focusing on off-road navigation, vehicle maintenance, and safety protocols essential for handling the diverse terrains of Uganda and Rwanda. Participants receive hands-on training in a supportive environment, equipping them to become confident, capable guides who can deliver exceptional travel experiences.
Our Traveling Sisterhood Safaris - a concept for women-only itineraries, led and developed by women, for women - is designed to create a space for women to explore together, build community, spark inspiration, and leave us with a much-needed reminder that the world is a place of beauty and abundance if we make it so. We invite partners who champion this idea, to tailor their own version of a Traveling Sisterhood Safari with us.
At Matoke Tours Africa, we take pride in being recognized internationally for our dedication to sustainable tourism practices, innovation, and the positive impact we create within the tourism industry. Our awards, recognitions and endorsements reflect the values that drive us and the partnerships that inspire us to continuously raise the bar.
Highlights include being named “One to Watch” at the 2024 WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards for Employing & Upskilling Local Communities and winning the prestigious Columbus Travel “Tour Operator of the Year” award in The Netherlands in 2023. We are also honored to have been recognized by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in 2023 for our support of wildlife conservation and to have received the Ekkula Tourism Award as the ‘Most Sustainable Tour Operator’ in Uganda in December 2022.
Additionally, Matoke Tours Africa has been featured as a best practice in the CBI’s 2024 report on sustainable tour operators and highlighted in webinars and panel discussions on solo tourism, our efforts for Women in Tourism, and other emerging trends. These endorsements underscore our commitment to responsible tourism and our continuous efforts to create meaningful and transformative travel experiences.
“I joined Matoke tours as a trainee back in October 2021, where I was given the opportunity to do an internship as an (assistent) guide during their tours. Even before finishing my first trip, I was overjoyed in receiving a 5 star review!
Currently I’m leading big tour groups across Uganda. During a trip, I’m making sure everything runs smoothly and be a source of information, so our clients can fully enjoy all the great things that Uganda has to offer; beautiful nature, great wildlife and last, but definitely not least, it’s interesting culture.
One of my personal goals in life is to inspire women who would love to be a guide, but feel nervous stepping into a typically male dominated industry. I’m happy to say that Matoke shares my believes and therefore organises bootcamps for aspiring female tour guides. During one of these bootcamps, I was given the opportunity to give a speech about my experience being a female tour guide in the industry. I shared my journey thru life with a group of about 15 young ladies and it made a big impact! After the speech, they were inspired and motivated, some even started sharing their own stories and experiences! This is exactly why I did it; inspire, motivate and help. A succes in my book!
So with all this being said, I’d like to close this story by thanking Matoke tours for placing trust in me and giving me the opportunity in becoming a guide in your company.”
“What a great few days it’s been, from mammal watching in the dead of night, to exploring a beautiful cycad sanctuary, surrounded by a gorge with some of the best waterfalls off the beaten path, to a taste of the hiker’s high of the Rwenzoris. Our imagination, so beautifully stretched, will not shrink back anytime soon.
And like they say, what one learns is most influenced by those one learns it with. From the guidance of some of the most senior guides in the country, to being shown around by the most accomplished site guides anywhere. It’s amazing, how this amazing team was put together.
I personally, like everyone else, look forward to putting into practice what has been learnt. I’m a fuller guide than I came, more adventurous, and definitely more wholesome. Thanks again, Matoke, for your visionary leadership. Blessings all yours, and ten thousand beside..”
We have a dedicated team that is passionate about making a difference within the tourism industry.
Read testimonials from our partners and guides, reviews from our travelers, and more information about our awards and impact.
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