Gorilla & Chimpanzee photography safaris in Uganda-Rwanda

Gorilla & Chimpanzee photography safaris in Uganda-Rwanda – Tips on photographing Gorillas and Chimpanzees in the wild

Gorilla & Chimpanzee photography safaris – if you are a leading photo lover and you would like to have some unforgettable moments with mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild?,  Uganda and Rwanda are one of the best places for Photography safaris to photograph the Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees, and a wealth of other African wildlife. Great Adventure Safaris offer fantastic photographic trips.

Enjoy a Mountain Gorilla and Chimpanzee photography safari in Uganda-Rwanda and take a chance to encounter these magnificent animals in the wild, spend time observing them, and photograph them from up close for a truly unique and thrilling experience. Not only that, but you will enjoy many other wildlife photography opportunities across different habitats in Uganda.

You will visit the lush Kibale Forest National Park to photograph our closest relative, the Chimpanzees, as well as a variety of other primates and a wealth of bird species. You will also visit Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park or Volcanoes National park for a true African safari experience as you photograph the endangered Mountain Gorillas.

Due to the nature of the Gorilla treks which can vary from an easy walk on the flat to a few hours of quite a strenuous exercise through rough terrain, a certain amount of fitness will help. understand more about how hard is gorilla trekking.

Highlights

Photograph the endangered Mountain Gorillas from up close: a true once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Encounter the Chimpanzees in the stunning Kibale Forest National Park, as well as many monkey species and a wealth of bird species.

Enjoy a fully inclusive trip, where luxury accommodation, meals, and transport are all provided.

The Photography

Our Gorillas and Chimpanzees photography safari is fully focused on wildlife photography and giving you the best possible opportunities for encountering an array of exciting Ugandan wildlife.

Undoubtedly a highlight will be photographing the endangered Mountain Gorillas a truly thrilling experience and an absolute privilege. You do have to work a bit for it though: we will be trekking through the hilly jungles of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and a trek can take anything from 2 to 6 hours. Once we find a Gorilla family, the photographic opportunities make the effort so worthwhile. Whilst we have to keep a respectful distance and can’t use flash photography, the Gorillas, with their inquisitive nature, might choose to approach you, which offer incredible photographic opportunities. We will be trekking exclusively with our group, and Great Adventure Safaris will be there to help you make the most of the experience.

In Kibale Forest National Park, you can expect to photograph plenty of wildlife at quite a close distance too. A dense tropical rainforest with an incredibly rich ecosystem, the park is home to an enormous number of primates. Get ready to encounter Chimpanzees, as well as monkeys like the rare red colobus and handsome L’Hoest’s monkeys. On top of this, Kibale Forest National Park has over 340 bird species and plenty of small mammals. You will hike through a network of shady forest trails, where the photographic opportunities will be plenty and varied.

The Destinations

Uganda has an incredible richness of diversity in wildlife and habitats; from dense jungles to open savannahs. Our main two destinations are Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Kibale Forest Park.

On the edge of the African Western Rift Valley, Bwindi’s magnificent misty tropical rainforest is one of Africa’s most ancient forests. It has produced incredible biodiversity, with 120 mammal species and over 350 bird species. Most famously, Bwindi Forest is one of the only three places in the world where you can find the endangered Mountain Gorilla. Almost half of the remaining population makes Bwindi Forest their home. Another lush forest you will be visiting is Kibale Forest, National Park. This 795-square-kilometer National Park is made up of dense tropical rainforest, home to a huge number and variety of primates and bird species.

Recommended Equipment

Great Adventure Safaris recommends the following equipment:

DSLR / mirrorless camera that allows you to take creative control of the settings (not just point-and-shoot)

Range of lenses (keeping in mind that you are likely to get quite close to certain wildlife, like the Gorillas, but that you might be photographing from a bit of a distance during the hike)

Tripod or bean bag

Sturdy camera bag (preferably waterproof or with removable rain cover)

Plenty of spare, cleared memory cards and spare camera batteries

Camera battery charger

Please note it is not permitted to use flash photography anywhere around the Gorillas. Flash must be switched off altogether.

Tripods and monopods can be useful during some parts of the trips, but they are forbidden during the Gorilla treks, as unfortunately some of the Gorillas have memories of poachers with spears, sticks, and other weaponry, and can’t distinguish these from tripods.

A waterproof cover for your camera and lens

A laptop with a memory card reader if you’re keen to improve your post-production skills, and/or if you’d like to review your images with me. A laptop is also useful to store backups of your photos. You can now contact Great Adventure safaris to your slot on Gorilla & chimpanzee photography safaris either in Uganda or Rwanda.