UGANDA WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

£ 7990

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Enter the world of the great apes.

Join us for an exclusive Mountain Gorilla photography workshop in Uganda; a chance to encounter these magnificent animals in the wild, spend time observing them, and photograph them from up close. A truly unique and thrilling experience! But while photographing gorillas is undoubtably a highlight of the trip, you’ll enjoy many other wildlife photography opportunities; we’ll take you to Kibale Forest Park, a lush forest that offers encounters chimpanzees, a variety of small monkeys, and a wealth of birds. On top of this, we’ll have a true African safari experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park. In a setting of rolling hills, you can see four of the Big Five – lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo – as well as many small mammal and bird species. Get ready for some incredible wildlife photography opportunities! During this Uganda photo tour, you’ll be guided by professional photographer Emil von Maltitz, who will offer personal tutoring throughout the trip.

QUICK FACTS
Uganda
July 18 – 29, 2025
Wildlife Photography
Photography Guide: Emil von Maltitz
Group Size: Max. 6
All Photography Levels
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Map of Uganda
1
Photograph the endangered Mountain Gorillas

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

2
Encounter chimpanzees in the Kibale Forest Park

Encounter chimpanzees in the stunning Kibale Forest Park, as well as many monkey species and a wealth of birds

3
Queen Elizabeth National Park

Enjoy a true African safari experience in Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its tree-climbing lions

4
Tutoring by Kaleel Zibe

Receive photographic tutoring by wildlife photographer Kaleel Zibe

5
Inclusive Trip

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

  1. Photograph Mountain Gorillas
  2. Encounter Chimpanzees in Kibale Forest
  3. Queen Elizabeth National Park
  4. Personal Photographic Tutoring 
  5. Inclusive Trip
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THE DESTINATION

Uganda offers an incredibly rich wildlife experience in hugely varying natural settings; from dense jungles to open savannahs. Our main three destinations are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Kibale Forest Park, and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Situated on the edge of the Rift Valley, Bwindi is a magnificent misty rainforest. Given its antiquity – it’s one of Africa’s oldest forests – it has produced an incredible biodiversity, with some 120 mammal species and over 350 bird species. Most famously, Bwindi is home to an estimated 300 to 400 Mountain Gorillas, and it’s one of three parks in Africa where these highly endangered primates still live. Another lush forest we’ll be visiting is Kibale Forest National Park. This 795-sq-km national park is made up of dense tropical rainforest, home to an enormous number of primates and birds.

In contrast with Bwindi and Kibale, Queen Elizabeth National Park offers wide vistas of savannah and wetlands, mixed with shady forests and large lakes. The park provides a stunning backdrop for its abundance of wildlife, which includes 95 mammal species, 20 predators and over 610 bird species, making the park a birder’s paradise. Four of the Big Five can be spotted; lions, leopards, buffalos, and elephants. And don’t forget to point your camera up, as famously, some of the lion prides spend most of their time in trees.

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THE PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographing Mountain Gorillas is an awe-inspiring experience. While the encounters obviously can’t be planned or predicted, you’re likely to come pretty close to these incredible creatures. It’s humbling, exciting, and – needless to say – amazing for photography. It’s worth the trek, which can be long, depending on where the gorillas are. (Note that a good level of fitness is required!) We’ve scheduled two days of gorilla trekking, so that there’s plenty of opportunity for amazing gorilla photography. This Uganda photo safari also offers great opportunities for photographing chimpanzees and a great number of monkey species, including Columbus Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, and L’Hoest Monkeys. They are great fun to observe and to photograph.

On top of primate photography, we’ll also take you on a more traditional African safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, where you can expect to encounter large herds of elephants, the famous tree-climbing lions, buffalos, various antelope species, and birds of prey. And during a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, we should have excellent opportunities for photographing hippos and crocodiles.

Throughout this photo safari, Emil will provide photographic guidance. Since we’ll be traveling in a small group, there will be plenty of time for individual tutoring, so you can expect to learn a huge amount, regardless of your level and experience. Emil will help you sharpen your skills and make the very most of this trip. Expect to return home with some stunning images!

*Images above and in the gallery are by William Archer, Linda Webster, and Kaleel Zibe.

Penda Itinerary icon
YOUR 12-DAY ITINERARY

Day 1 : Arrival at Entebbe Airport

Arrival at Entebbe airport, where we’ll meet you and drive you to our first accommodation, Two Friends Beach Hotel, a hotel situated on the banks of Lake Victoria. With stunning views, a relaxing pool, and lovely rooms, this hotel is the perfect stopover.

Day 2: Travel to Kibale Forest

After breakfast, we’ll make our way to Kibale Forest, which is a 6 to 7-hour drive. Kibale Forest is a spectacular jungle that is home to chimps, baboons, colobus monkeys, grey-cheeked mangabey, L’Hoest monkeys, and a wealth of stunning birds. We’ll have two days to explore the park and photograph its inhabitants.

We’ll have the pleasure of staying at Turaco Treetops, a gorgeous and relaxing lodge that effortlessly blends into the forest.

Day 3 & 4: Chimpanzee trekking

We’ll head out into the forest on both days for chimpanzee trekking. While it’s not guaranteed that we’ll see chimpanzees, the chances are good, and the experience is thrilling.

We’ll also visit Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, a wetland swamp with a hugely rich biodiversity. Bigodi was established by a local development organisation to protect the swamp area, which is home to around 200 species of birds. It’s also good for spotting and photographing butterflies and small primates.

Day 5: Travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park

We’ll head to Queen Elizabeth National Park for an exciting African safari experience, where we’ll settle into Enganzi Lodge, an authentic and comfortable lodge in the heart of the national park that offers us en-suite rooms, communal spaces with wildlife viewing opportunities, and a pool.

Late afternoon, we’ll head out for our first game drive late afternoon, in that perfect warm light. Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the best places in Uganda to see lions. You can also expect to photograph elephants, buffaloes, hippos, and crocodiles – as well as smaller mammals and birds.

Day 6: Game Drives in Queen Elizabeth National Park

Early in the morning, we’ll head out for a game drive in search of lions, elephants, and much more wildlife. We’ll make the most of the warm glow of the African light during and just after sunrise.

In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a boat cruise on the Kazinga Channel, which is an opportunity to photograph hippos and crocodiles – as well as a range of animals that come to drink.

Day 7: Travel to Ishasha, Queen Elizabeth National Park

After breakfast, we’ll take a 2- to 3-hour drive to Ishasha, the southern part of the National Park, where we’ll settle into Enjojo Lodge. This authentic safari lodge offers relaxed accommodation in this unspoilt remote sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, famous for its tree climbing lions that can sometimes be spotted resting in the branches of the large fig trees in the area.

We’ll enjoy late afternoon sundowners beside the Ntungwe River or from a scenic viewing point along the ridge overlooking Ishasha.

Day 8: Game Drive in Ishasha & community visit

We’ll start the day with an early-morning game drive; the best time of day for wildlife photography.

In the afternoon, we’ll head out for a community visit in one of the local villages surrounding Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

Day 9: Drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park

In the morning, we’ll drive to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which will take 2 to 3 hours. On our way, we’ll also pass through interesting villages and have some breath taking views of the mountains. We’ll arrive at Ichumbi Gorilla Lodge by lunch time; a comfortable lodge overlooking the forest.

We’ll settle in and prepare for our upcoming gorilla adventures. In the afternoon, a community visit is an optional activity.

Day 10 & 11: Gorilla trekking

Two days of gorilla trekking! We’ll have an early morning departure to search for the highly endangered Mountain Gorillas. The hike, guided by knowledgable local rangers, will be worth it once we find these magnificent animals. We’ll be able to spend about an hour observing and photographing the gorillas.

You may wish to only do one day of gorilla trekking; this is up to you. If you decide to just join the first day, you’ll have the opportunity to do village tours, shorter forest walks, or to just rest.

Day 12: Internal flight to Entebbe

In the morning, we will head to Kihihi Airstrip, where we’ll fly to Entebbe. This is where we’ll say our goodbyes, and where you can catch a flight home.

QUICK FACTS
Uganda
July 18 – 29, 2025
Wildlife Photography
Workshop Guide: Emil von Maltitz
Group Size: Max. 6
All Photography Levels

Fee £7990

pp sharing

INCLUDES
  • All accommodation at comfortable lodges and hotels (on a sharing basis)
  • All meals, except for dinner on the first day
  • All game drives, forest walks, and other activities as per the itinerary
  • Internal flights from Bwindi to Entebbe
  • Park entrance fees
  • Chimpanzee trekking permits
  • Photographic tutoring throughout the trip
  • Guidance by a local guide
EXCLUDES
  • Gorilla trekking permits ($800 per trek)
  • International flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Drinks
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RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

We recommend the following equipment:

  • SLR camera
  • Range of lenses
  • Tripod or bean bag
  • Sturdy camera bag
  • Plenty of spare cleared memory cards
  • 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 if you’re keen to improve your post-production skills, and/or if you’d like to review your images with Emil
photography guide

WORKSHOP LEADER: Emil von Maltitz

photographer Emil von Maltitz

Emil von Maltitz is an internationally recognized South African photographer and member of the International Environmental Photographers Association. He has been involved in photography for the better part of the last two decades. After completing his post-graduate degree in anthropology, he opted to pursue his dream and turn his passion for photography into his career. Along with freelance commercial and assignment photography, Emil spends time running a number of photographic workshops. Well-versed and knowledgeable in the Adobe suites, Emil will be able to help and guide in photo-editing and several advanced photographic techniques during the workshop.

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