Every day was full on - we saw an amazing variety of birds and wildlife. The knowledge of our local guide and group leader was brilliant. Accommodation and food all much better tan I was expecting. Definitely improved my photography skills and came home with some amazing images. Support from Naturetrek before holiday was also excellent. Comprehensive information provided to ensure we were well prepared for holiday. Communications were regular. Always avialable to answer questions.
S.L. Wiltshire, Sept 22
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Uganda - A Photography Tour
Tour Code: UGA03A 14 day photography tour to Uganda focusing on mammals and birds, including visits to Bwindi Forest for Mountain Gorillas, Queen Elizabeth National Park for savannah species and Kibale Forest for Chimpanzees.
£7,395 (Inc flights)
£6,695
Highlights
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Summary
Uganda is a beautiful country and boasts over 340 mammal species. Beginning our holiday at Lake Victoria, we’ll then head west to Lake Mburo National Park where we’ll look for avian rarities such as African Finfoot, as well as mammals that we are unlikely to encounter elsewhere. From here we’ll travel south on a bumpy, scenic road to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to over 300 Mountain Gorillas, many other primates such as the attractive L’Hoest’s Monkey, and an assortment of unusual birds. Queen Elizabeth National Park is our next stop; ‘QE’, as it is affectionately known, offers Uganda’s best game viewing and a host of waterbirds. Our final stop is Kibale Forest, where we’ll look for up to 11 species of primate, including Chimpanzees.
- Uganda is home to half the world’s population of Mountain Gorillas
- A day spent tracking Mountain Gorilla in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
- Visit Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo & Kibale National Parks
- Herds of Uganda Kob, Elephant, Buffalo & Hippo
- Good chances of seeing Lion & Leopard
- Track Chimpanzee with a ranger in Kibale Forest
- Boat trip on Kazinga Channel for a different perspective
- Small group size
- Led by a photographer leader & expert local naturalists
Grading
Most walks on this tour are relatively short, however chimpanzee trekking will involve walking rough, muddy terrain over several hours and gorilla trekking can be up to 8 hours in hot, humid conditions. Some road journey are long and on rough roads.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
Accommodation will range from basic tourist hotels and tented camps to comfortable lodges. All rooms will have en-suite facilities.
- Food:
All meals from breakfast on day 2 to lunch on day 13 are included in the tour cost. An evening meal on day 13 is not included.
Reviews
Dates & Prices
2026
Tour Leader: Oliver Smart
Following a childhood fascination with the natural world, Oliver went on to study ornithology at the University of Birmingham during his mid-twenties. Alongside an emerging interest in photography, learning the art of bird ringing and volunteering for the Avon Wildlife Trust, BTO and RSPB, Oliver has put time to good use. His main passion is birds and through photography he has built a diverse collection of imagery, which is represented by both RSPB Images and Alamy. Combined with a desire to travel, Oliver has explored many parts of the world; his favourite destinations usually including a seabird colony or two, where the sight, sound, smell and opportunities for a photographer are second to none. His claim to fame to date though is an image he took in the Seychelles which has been used on a bank note!
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Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Wildlife Photography Workshops with Expert Tuition
Our dedicated wildlife photography workshops are aimed at wildlife photographers of varying levels of experience and ability, including beginners with ambitions to learn and improve, keen amateurs looking to hone their skills, and accomplished photographers seeking exceptional photographic opportunities.
Naturetrek Wildlife Photography Holidays
We work with outstanding photographers who share our goals of spending quality, informed time watching – and capturing – once-in-a-lifetime moments. Joining one of our wildlife photography tours will not only improve your technique and sharpen your reflexes, but will also optimise your chances of capturing memorable, high-quality images of some of the world’s most sought-after species. Group sizes on these holidays are strictly limited, not only to allow you plenty of room in which to work, but, just as importantly, to enable you to benefit from the dedicated time of our expert leaders. Our leaders aim to challenge your approach to photography, giving you the chance to pursue new avenues of creativity. They are also expert naturalists, enabling them to provide insight that will help you see your subjects in a new light, and improve your ability to predict and capture interesting behaviour.
Our tours offer:
- Expert advice on how to get the most out of your equipment
- Expert advice on composition and photographic technique
- Photo editing tuition fills time that is unproductive for shooting
- Extended time in hotspots to allow a focus on target species such as Jaguars, Tigers, bears, puffins and otters
- Picturesque landscapes, visited at optimal times
- Limited group size
- Like-minded travelling companions
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
EnquireWhy Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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To see a Gorilla in the wild is the privilege of a lifetime. Many people yearn for the opportunity, but only a few ever manage it. Happily, though, there are places in the world where it is possible to spend time watching Mountain Gorillas, the largest and most magnificent of these apes, and one of those is Uganda.
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