UGANDA WILDLIFE SPECTACULAR: Gorillas, Chimps and Shoebills

UGANDA WILDLIFE SPECTACULAR: GORILLAS, CHIMPS AND SHOEBILLS PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS WITH WILD IMAGES

Winston Churchill once described Uganda as a fairy tale land, calling it the ‘Pearl of East Africa’. Here the ancient kingdoms of Buganda, Bunyoro and Ankole flourished long before the first European explorers came in search of the source of the Nile. In colonial times it was regarded as the most beautiful and potentially the richest country in East Africa. Now, after many years of civil turbulence under Idi Amin and Milton Obote, Uganda has settled down once more under the rule of President Museveni and has rebuilt its important wildlife tourism industry.

Uganda is indeed a beautiful country: a green and fertile land of high plateaus, luxuriant forests, papyrus-fringed lakes and great swamps. It is also a land of contrasts. Here one can see the vast inland sea known as Lake Victoria, the source of the White Nile, and papyrus swamps where the bizarre and endangered Shoebill can still be found. In the west, there are great forests which cover huge areas and are home to many Mountain Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Golden Monkeys. Uganda is undoubtedly the friendliest country in East Africa and offers visitors the opportunity to experience unspoilt African wilderness at its finest.

Walking Safari with Wild Rhinos

This wonderful Uganda wildlife photography tour will take us first to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Established in 2005 to re-introduce the threatened Southern White Rhinoceros in the wild, the sanctuary is the only place in the country where one can observe these endangered creatures, thrillingly, up close and on foot. Accompanied by the park rangers for safety, we’ll have two opportunities, one in the afternoon until sunset and the following morning, under special permit, to return at sunrise to take advantage of the soft warm light of dawn.

Ziwa is also home to a number of other amazing creatures including Blue Duiker, Ugandan Kob, Plains Zebra, Waterbuck, Bushbuck and Warthogs so a walking safari here feels like roaming through an African Garden of Eden!

Eye to Eye with Chimpanzees – Our Closest Living Relatives

There’s nothing in the world like spending time on the ground with wild Chimpanzees.  They are, after all, our closest living relatives.  Humans share 98.5% of genes with chimps, and their dexterity in using tools is remarkably human. Several groups in Uganda have been habituated, with the highest concentration of these families living in the the beautiful moist forests of Kibale National Park.

On our three treks here we will be walking with experienced trackers who not only know where to find chimpanzees, they generously share the family stories of these magnificent animals, including how they find their wild food and what their behaviours mean, allowing us to become fully immersed in their world with a greater understanding of Chimpanzee life.

Communing with these creatures, watching their gentle expressions, the way in which they engage with each other in communities, nurse and play with their young, feed and groom is enough to move many guests to tears.

On Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Located in the Kasese district of western Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park lies against the back of the Rwenzori Mountains with stunning and panoramic views that include crater lakes and vast savannas.

During our day of transit here we will be on safari searching for African Elephant, Bushbuck, Waterbuck, Cape Buffalo, Warthog, Ugandan Kob, Olive Baboon, Red-tailed Monkey and a host of beautiful birds.

A highlight of any safari in Queen Elizabeth is the sight of tree climbing lions.  Queen Elizabeth is famous for them and along with a search for these agile lions on safari, we will also seek out leopards that may choose to rest in one of thousands of giant Candelabra Euphorbias in the park.

Mountain Gorillas in Your Midst

The next leg of our journey will take us deep into the heart of the stunning Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

It is here we will make two separate treks with the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda, surely one of the most incredible experiences you can have with wildlife in Africa.

Accompanied by highly knowledgeable tracker guides and porters (if you need one), we will trek into the beautiful mountain forests searching for habituated families of gorillas and hoping to meet a large Silverback to take us into his world.  Our group size is small, allowing us to move with the rhythms of these amazing creatures quietly and gently.

This experience belongs high on your bucket list!

The Echuya Twa – Uganda’s First People of the Forest

The Echuya Twa (formerly known as Pygmies) of Uganda.  They have peacefully lived in Uganda’s forests, co-existing with wildlife for over 60,000 years.

In the early 1990s, with the establishment of nature reserves in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park, the authorities evicted the Twa from their forest existence and now their culture is classified as one of the most endangered in Uganda.

During our tour we will enjoy a short excursion with these tiny, fascinating people of the forest to learn about their medicinal plant use, how they lived, hunted, worshipped and communed with Africa’s great apes.  The Twa consider the gorillas as their ancestors and the chimps as their foraging friends.

We will take a short interpretive walk through the forest to learn Twa ways and, if possible, we will head off on a wild honey hunt with them, searching for ground dwelling stingless bees that produce some of the most delicious honey you will try in your life!

Africa’s Cutest Monkey

Deep in the fiery heart of south western Uganda, in a world of volcanoes, crater lakes and bamboo forests, lives the Golden Monkey, an endangered and adorable monkey that now numbers only between 2000 and 4000 individuals.

From our stunning lakeside lodge, we will travel to Mgahinga to trek with these charismatic creatures, following their movements through moss covered forests, stands of bamboo and soft mountain grasses as they play, groom and search for food.

These beautiful small monkeys, with their golden mantles and elfin faces are a true highlight of our time in this stunning corner of the country.

The Primate Capital of Africa

Along with our treks to see Gorillas, Chimpanzees and Golden Monkeys, we will take you on walks to search for around seven other species of primates including Red Colobus, Black and White (Guereza) Colobus, L’Hoest’s Monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, Grey-cheeked (Ugandan) Mangabey, Vervet Monkeys and Olive Baboons.

The World’s Whackiest Chameleon

One of the more obscure highlights of travel in this part of Uganda is an encounter with the curious Three-horned Chameleon.  Looking more like something off the pages of a children’s storybook, Three-horned Chameleon males have a trident style nose with three unicorn-like horns protruding from it.  These fantastic chameleons are endemic to the Albertine Rift and in Uganda we will be searching for them to photograph during our time in Bwindi.

Grey Crowned Crane – the Ballerinas of Uganda’s fields

The spectacular Grey Crowned Crane is not only Uganda’s national bird, it is perhaps one of the most beautiful birds in all of Africa.  Our tour operates at a time when these incredible birds are doing their courtship which involves dancing, leaping, calling and greeting each other.  Photographing them engaging in this behaviour is one of the most beautiful bird photography situations you can have anywhere on the continent.

Shoebill – Africa’s Flying Dinosaur

Last but not least, we’ll head to the swamps of Mabamba looking for perhaps one the most charismatic and prehistoric-looking birds in the world, the Shoebill. We’ll head out very early in the morning in wooden boats to search for these charismatic birds who feed on the fish from the moving water in the swamp. Some other birds of interest in the swamp include African Jacana, Long-toed Lapwing, Black Crake, African Swamphen, Reed Cormorant, Purple Heron, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Western Cattle Egret, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers.

We’ll have the time to freshen up and enjoy a final celebratory lunch before we return to Entebbe to catch an evening flight back home.

What makes the Wild Images Uganda Wildlife Photography tour Special

Our tour is the most comprehensive Uganda primate and wildlife photography tour available. While we focus on excursions to photograph Mountain Gorillas and Chimpanzees, we will also visit a reserve for the endangered Golden Monkey who have made a stunning stretch of bamboo forest their charismatic home.  While we are travelling we will search for around seven other species of primates, a host of birds, tree-climbing lions, chameleons and mammals throughout our trip.

We limit the group size in Uganda to just five participants, which is smaller than many other tours, allowing guests to enjoy a more comfortable experience.

We visit the fascinating Echuya Twa people whose lives have been intertwined with the forests of Uganda for over 60,000 years.

Our company started operating tours in Uganda in 1994.

Accommodation

Our Uganda Gorillas, Chimps & Shoebills wildlife photography tour uses comfortable hotels/lodges throughout.

Transport

Road transport will be by extended 4×4 Landcruiser. Main roads are mostly good, but can occasionally be rough.

Climate

Uganda’s climate is largely tropical with two rainy seasons per year, March to May and September to December. May is a very good time to avoid the crowds. We’ll move from the grassland habitat in Ziwa to a more humid environment for chimps, gorillas and golden monkey, to then return to a swampy area for the shoebill.

Photographic Equipment

The most useful telephoto is normally a 100-400mm lens for a full-frame DSLR or mirrorless. If you use a prime lens, 200mm, 300mm or even 400mm might be very handy. 400mm or more is often needed for Shoebill and other birds.

Also, highly recommended a wide-angle lens, often gorillas, chimps and Golden Monkeys can come close. Something like 24-70mm or 24-120 would be ideal. Although all lodges have recharging capabilities we recommend extra batteries, and a rain-proof cover for the camera/lens in case of rain.

All the focal lengths mentioned above relate to full-frame cameras. Please adjust as appropriate for crop-sensor and micro four-thirds cameras.

A tripod can be a heavy burden on this particular tour, owing to the amount of walking, but a monopod can be helpful if you use a heavy telephoto.

If you have questions about what equipment you ought to bring, please contact us.

VIEW OUR GUEST’S PHOTOS

MIKA RUTZ

Our Uganda tour took place in May, this season was chosen to have good light for photography. Looking at the photos now brings back all the nice memories of the many people and animals we encountered on the trip.

At Ziwa, we spent inspiring and peaceful moments with the white rhinos. In Kibale National Park, a sudden rain shower prompted the head chimp to perform a wild and dramatic rain dance! The lion cubs we saw in Queen Elizabeth National Park were simply adorable! And the close, intimate time we spent with two mountain gorilla families has become one of my greatest treasures. Equally unforgettable was the warm interaction with the Echuya Twa people. The forest of golden monkeys in Mgahinga National Park felt like stepping into a fairytale world.

The Wild Images tour leader Inger, our local guide Paul, the rangers at the excursions, the  hotel staff, everyone involved gave us great support to get this wonderful experiences in Uganda. To view some of Mika’s beautiful photos from our tour please click here