Mountain Gorilla Photography Workshop, Rwanda & Uganda

Our journey through the heart of Rwanda begins in cosmopolitan Kigali. You’ll arrive at Kigali Airport, where you will be picked up an taken to your accommodation. After a basic introduction to your guide and the group, you’ll have time to rest and settle in. Next it will be time to explore the eerie Gunnuhver mud pools, photographing the hot and steaming sky from the geothermal waters under the earth’s surface. They are named after a ghost who supposedly lies there still. We will end the day by visiting the peninsula’s largest lake and gorgeous Krisuvik Cliffs, home to a thousand of sea birds.

After a short exploration of Kigali, we’ll head to Nyungwe Forests, breaking our journey with tours of the Kings Palace and National Museum on the way. One of Africa’s oldest and largest forests, Nyungwe Forest is home to 13 monkey species, including chimpanzees, Angolan Black Colobus, Mona Monkey and Owl Faced Monkeys. We’ll spend two nights here, plenty of time to explore this magical rain forest.

We’ll get up for an early morning of Chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest; an incredibly rich experience with great photographic opportunities. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Angolan Black Colobus monkeys, a unique subspecies of the Black and White Colobus.

Another day exploring the natural wonders of the forest. This day, we will focus on photography many of the tropical bird species that inhabit the area. And in the afternoon, we’ll venture to the famed and impressive canopy walk, which gives bird-eye views forest views.

For those who are keen, there will also be time to do additional walks during our days in Nyungwe Forest, which could include a visit to some impressive waterfalls. These are optional activities that we can set up.

We’ll set off on a stunning drive along the shores of Lake Kivu, passing through some of Rwanda’s most beautiful scenery en route. An overnight stop on the shoreline gives us plenty of opportunity to capture the striking landscape and lakescapes in the best light. For those who are keen, an optional activity is a boat trip on the lake.

We’ll drive from Rwanda and cross over to Uganda in the south western Park of Bwindi National Park. On our way, we’ll pass through interesting villages and have some breathtaking views of the mountains.

With magical misty landscapes, Bwindi is an ancient and incredibly diverse jungle. It’s home to around 350 bird species and 120 species of mammals, and one of only two places in the world with Mountain Gorillas.

Two days of gorilla trekking, undoubtably the highlight of the trip! To make the most of this incredible opportunity, we’ll have early morning departures to search for Mountain Gorillas. The fragile nature of the gorillas’ existence becomes apparent as we trek deep into the forests of the Virunga mountains, one of their few remaining habitats. Once we find them, you’ll get to spend around an hour with them, observing them carefully, enjoying their presence, and photographing them. It’s an awe-inspiring, unforgettable experience.

(Please note that while porters will carry our photography kit and belongings, a reasonably good level of fitness is required to negotiate the steep and rough terrain for several hours.)

We’ll offer an optional trek through the national park in search for Golden Monkeys. Afterwards, we’ll head back to Kigali.

We’ll spend the morning in Kigali, where we will do a fascinating community walk through some of the capital’s most vibrant suburbs, sampling Rwandan hospitality and day to day life. The Genocide Memorial museum puts the whole of our Rwandan experience in context and, although it can be deeply affecting, should not be missed.

In the afternoon, we’ll wrap up the workshop and take you back to the airport for your flight home. Or, if you’re going for a full African adventure, you can join Trai in Botswana for an exciting Wildlife Photography Workshop.