About Phy Travellers
People who live here, planning it for people who don’t.
Our Story
Started with one question from a friend
Phy Travellers began the way a lot of the best local operators do — with a friend asking for help planning a trip, and that trip going well enough that more friends started asking too. What started as informal planning for visiting relatives and colleagues grew into a full operation: a small, dedicated team based in Kampala, a network of trusted driver-guides across every major park, and direct working relationships with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and Rwanda Development Board.
What hasn’t changed is the approach. We still plan every trip like we’re sending someone we know — asking about fitness levels before recommending a gorilla sector, building in rest days instead of packing every hour, and being honest when a shorter, simpler itinerary will serve you better than a longer one.
Local Expertise
Ground knowledge you can’t get from a brochure
Every driver-guide on our team grew up near the parks they now guide in — many started as trackers or porters before training as guides. That means real answers to real questions: which Bwindi sector suits an unfit knee, which Kibale trail is quietest before 8am, where to actually see the shoebill stork at Murchison. It’s the difference between a route on a map and a route someone has walked a hundred times.
We also stay close to Uganda’s wildlife authorities, so when regulations shift — permit pricing, sector openings, seasonal road closures — your itinerary reflects it before you land, not after.
Responsible Tourism
Conservation and community, not as a slogan
Mountain gorillas and chimpanzees are endangered, and the parks that protect them depend on tourism revenue and the people who work inside them. We try to make sure our trips give back on both fronts.
Families
Ranger & Porter Support
A portion of every trekking booking goes toward a community fund supporting ranger and porter families around Bwindi and Kibale.
Hire First
Local Employment
Every driver-guide, office staff member, and most of our lodge partners are Ugandan — tourism revenue that stays close to the parks it depends on.
Impact
Low-Impact Trekking
We follow UWA distancing and group-size rules strictly on every gorilla and chimp encounter, no exceptions for a better photo.
Let’s plan something real
Tell us a little about the trip you’re picturing, and we’ll take it from there.