Chimpanzee and Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
$14,450 pps
9 Days
Uganda
September 2027
Gorilla trekking to photograph mountain gorillas is a “huge tick” for most wildlife photography enthusiasts. On this photo safari, you will do two gorilla treks as well as spend a day in the company of a troop of chimpanzees guided by your photo host Nelis Wolmarans.
Add to this the chance to see the amazing Shoebill stork and you have the best Uganda photo safari package on offer!
This Uganda Chimpanzee & Gorilla Trekking photo safari is limited to a maximum of seven photographers plus your photo host. These dates are designed to dovetail with our Masai Mara Migration Photo Safari for 2027.
The Protea is only a 10-minute drive from Entebbe Airport. We have chosen to stay in Entebbe rather than the nearby capital Kampala, not only because it is more convenient but also because it is close to the Mabamba Swamps, where we will be photographing the African Shoebills the next day.
On the first evening, there will be a dinner at the hotel where the group will get to know each other. Your photo host will be available to answer any questions about your upcoming chimp and gorilla trekking adventure.
After breakfast, the group will head to the Mabamba swamps to hopefully see and photograph the fascinating Shoebill Stork – as well as the other 260 bird species that inhabit this corner of Uganda. The Mabamba Swamps are around 2500 hectares in size and are covered in papyrus, gerns, water lilies, and other grasses crisscrossed by waterways that we will explore by boat. The morning is preferred, when the shoebills are most active and hunting.
We will start the trip into the swamp from Banga Beach in a speedboat for the 30 to 40-minute cruise to a point where we transfer to smaller dug-out canoes to access the narrower channels where the shoebills live and hunt.
We will return to The Protea Hotel for a late lunch, and then, after a bit of rest, we will head out to see if we can find more Shoebills (and in case we didn’t get lucky in the morning). Doing both a morning and an afternoon will also offer different light and photo opportunities.
Either way, in the morning or the afternoon, your photo host will arrange an image review session at the hotel and a detailed briefing on what lies ahead for chimpanzee and gorilla trekking in Uganda.
We’ll depart the hotel in the morning and travel to Entebbe Airport to board our flight to Kasese, the nearest airport to Kibale Forest National Park. For the next three nights, our base will be Primate Lodge, located on the edge of the forest. From there, we’ll embark on two treks over the coming days in search of chimpanzees.
We’ve arranged additional luggage allowance for everyone, including your camera gear – giving you 15 kg for general luggage and an extra 10 kg specifically for your camera equipment. If time permits on the first afternoon, we’ll enjoy a guided walk through the Crater Lake Reserve.
This area also offers excellent opportunities to spot primates like Black-and-White Colobus, Red Colobus, Blue Monkeys, and Mangabeys. You may also encounter Sitatunga and Bushbuck along the way. The walk is expected to last about 2–3 hours.
In the evening, we’ll gather at the lodge for dinner and an image review session before turning in early to rest for the next day’s adventures.
It is an early start with a quick breakfast, and then we head off into the forest at first light to locate the chimpanzees. This initial search can take an hour to two, depending on where the chimpanzees “nested” the night before. You will most probably hear them waking up before you see them. As with all wildlife encounters, nothing is guaranteed, but the success rate of finding the chimps during the day is over 90%.
We have opted for two 1-hour encounters as the members of the troop tend to be most relaxed and easy to photograph, as opposed to a “habituation” trek, which is longer with the chimps but they are wilder and more tricky to take photographs of. The clock starts as soon as the chimps are located, and you will have a full hour with these amazing animals. As they move, so do you, and they can move quite quickly as they head off to forage. They do, however, stop to rest, and that is when you will get the best shots of them interacting. The group could vary from a few individuals to a troop of over 20.
With chimps being so closely related to us, it is very easy to start to recognise individuals in the group, and the guides will be able to explain to you how the complex hierarchy works in the family you are with. Chimpanzees are incredibly social animals (expect plenty of grooming, fighting, and mating), and they are super curious, so don’t be surprised if you start wondering who is “visiting” who as they stare deeply at you! It’s an incredible experience!
The afternoon will be spent at the lodge reviewing your images with your photo host before dinner.
The next morning, we will set off on the second of our chimpanzee encounters, having spent the afternoon and evening before going through our images and deciding what shots you are going to seek out at the second opportunity. As we said, photographing in dense jungle can be challenging, so doing two treks on consecutive days is optimal, in our opinion.
Once again, there will be plenty of time to go through your images at the lodge afterwards.
This morning, we will head back to the airport at Kasese for the short flight to Kihihi, the closest airport to Bwindi.
And so on to the main event (although guests often say that the Chimpanzee tracking experience was certainly an equal!) gorilla trekking in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
But first, we should address the elephant in the room.
Why do we choose to see mountain gorillas in Bwindi, Uganda, and not the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda?
First, we need to appreciate that Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo share the same mountain range, which is home to the vast majority of the endangered mountain gorillas left in the wild. The gorilla families often disregard these borders and cross freely between the countries!
Over the last few years, Rwanda has adopted a marketing policy for high-end clientele with the development of several 5-star lodges and a massive increase in the price of the gorilla permits to over 3 times what they were only 5 years ago. As we like to go gorilla tracking twice on a safari, the gorilla permits would equate to $3,000. The cost of a gorilla trekking permit in the Democratic Republic of Congo is considerably less. Still, the situation on that side is so volatile that we are not currently running gorilla trekking tours there.
Uganda gorilla trekking also affords us the opportunity to see the other photographic highlights of the region – Chimpanzees and Shoebills and this is why we have chosen to go to Uganda.
In the morning, we will head over to the park gate at either Buhoma or Ruhiji (which is a bit further away, but it all depends on what gorilla permits we are issued with) to allocate our gorilla family for the day and to start the gorilla trek.
We are often asked how long the average gorilla trek takes, and the answer is never simple. It depends on the gorilla family we are allocated on the day and where they spent the night before. The difficulty of gorilla tracking also depends on the above, but the group only moves as fast as the slowest member. There is no rush. The one hour with the mountain gorillas for the encounter starts when we find them.
We always suggest employing a local porter to help with camera gear, but more importantly, this is an important source of income for the local communities.
We have conducted a detailed interview with Nelis, with plenty of advice on what to expect on a gorilla trekking safari. We suggest reading that for all the questions you might have. Here is a link.
When you first encounter mountain gorillas in the wild, it can be a most profound experience. No barriers or boundaries separate you from being in a vehicle. It is you and these gentle giants coexisting for a brief while where the mountain gorillas live. It is so profound that we always do two gorilla trekking excursions on each of our gorilla tours so that when you do the second, the adrenaline has subsided a little, and you can focus on your settings.
Of course, your photo host – Nelis will be right by your side, suggesting shots to take and settings to use throughout the gorilla trek.
After the gorilla trekking on both days, you will return to Buhoma Lodge to review your images and start with some editing. After the first gorilla trek, your photo host will provide valuable feedback and suggestions on how to improve your shots for the next day of gorilla trekking.
As you might have seen from William’s recent video, there is a pangolin rescue centre close to the lodge, and if time allows, your host will try to arrange a visit. We have left this as an optional visit as it depends on how the group feels after the treks and if we have time. The entry fee is around $40, and there may or may not be a pangolin in residence (it’s a rehab centre, not a zoo), but either way, it’s a fascinating place to visit, and your entry fee goes to supporting the centre. If you haven’t seen William’s video, click here.
The last morning of our gorilla trekking adventure sees us heading back to the airport for the short flight back to Entebbe. Of course, Uganda offers other destinations, such as Murchison Falls National Park (a birding hotspot of note) in the north of the country, which is well worth a visit. Should you wish to tack this onto the trip, please let your safari planner know.
We will get back to Entebbe International Airport in time for most connecting flights, but should you need to overnight, we can also arrange this for you, as well as all required airport transfers.
In addition to that East Africa is a hub of activity at this time of year with the Wildebeest Migration in full flow in Kenya’s Masai Mara. This set of dates is in fact designed to be an add-on to our own Migration Safari and you can see details of that here.
Dates & Rates 2027
26 September – 04 October 2027 (Photo Host: Nelis Wolmarans)
Price: $14,450 per person sharing
If you are traveling alone and require your own room, there is a supplement of $2,500
- Entebbe Airport Meet and Greet
- 2 nights at The Protea Hotel Entebbe with meals
- 2 Excursions to Mabamba Swamps (Shoebills)
- Flights from Entebbe to Kasese (+10kgs extra luggage allowance for camera gear)
- 3 nights at Primate Lodge with meals & selected drinks
- Laundry at Primate Lodge
- Crater Lake Reserve Walk
- Two Habituated Chimpanzee Treks in Kibale National Park
- Flight from Kasese to Kihihi
- 3 nights at Buhoma Lodge with meals & selected drinks
- Two Mountain Gorilla Treks in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- One complimentary massage at Buhoma Lodge
- All trekking permits
- Flight from Kihihi to Entebbe
- Private vehicles for transfers & excursions
- Photography Guidance and image review sessions by Nelis Wolmarans
- Visa fees if applicable
- Alcoholic drinks and laundry unless mentioned
- Items of a personal nature
- Optional Gratuities
- Porters to carry your gear during the treks (approximately $25 per guest per day)
- Travel & Health insurance
- Pangolin Rescue Centre Entrance Fee (approximately $40 per person)
Suggested Add on
Why not make this the ultimate safari holiday and join the Great Migration Photo Safari before your trek?
Explore Kenya’s Masai Mara during the world-renowned great migration with The Pangolin Photo Hosts! Not only will you get the chance to photograph iconic scenes but you’ll also take in the vast wilderness of rolling plains during a hot air balloon ride. Sounds like the perfect start to your safari in Africa, doesn’t it? Learn more about this expedition here!
If you are looking for extensive advice on what to expect gorilla trek to Uganda then please take a moment to read this article. We did an extensive interview with Nelis about his experiences over nearly 100 gorilla treks. He talks about the trek, the encounter, what gear you should consider taking and some ideas on how to capture the essence of these magnificent creatures. You can find the article here.
EXCELLENTVerified Pangolin provided a "one of a kind" India experience beyond just tigers I just returned from the Pangolin India Tiger Safari. It was an amazing experience. Before the trip Daniella at the office was very helpful and answered any email question promptly. The tour Hosts, Sabine and Charls, are very knowledgable regarding wildlife photography, both how to properly photograph the animal and then processing techniques. This old curmudgeon was able to learn and retain a couple of new techniques from them. The lodges are some of the nicest that I have stayed in. They were Bagh Tola, Pench Tree Lodge, and the Bori Safari Lodge. The were Bandhavgarh NP, Pench NP, and the Bori Wildlife Sanctuary at Stapura NP. I liked the first and last parks the best, but had incredible Wile Dog sitings at Pench. One important items that I learned is that unlike some lodges in other locations that allow you to include gratuities on your credit card in India that was not possible and currency exchange outside of the airport or ATM use was not convenient. The local "handler", and lodge owner of Bagh Tola, Jason Fernandes, was an extremely gracious and made the trip one of a kind by providing a life altering experience during the "Holi" holiday. Almost all of the naturalists/drivers were great, but my personal favorite was TK at Bori Safari Lodge.Posted onVerified Professional, Luxurious, Safe High quality experience that left me wanting to experience Botswana again. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable about both the wildlife and photography. Hands on experience was next level as they guided us on how to use camera equipment properly and capture the best shots. I’m profoundly grateful for my time there and will return with more friends/family. We were treated with respect, and our group felt very safe.Posted onVerified Experience of a Lifetime for everyone - Must do for Photographers Booking: My wife and I went on the Pangolin Chobe, Delta, Kalahari (CDK) photo safari in September 2025. The best way to describe the experience is SURREAL! I am a nature photographer and visiting Africa and photographing the wildlife was a bucket list trip for me and my wife. I have followed Pangolin photo safaris through their YouTube channel and website for a few years. When we decided to go on this trip, I filled out the form and Samantha McDonald, a lovely agent contacted me via email. After several weeks of email & phone conversations wit Sam, I booked us for the 10 day CDK safari experience a full year in advance! Sam was an amazing resource of knowledge, tips and patiently answered all our questions for the next whole year and throughout the trip! I highly recommend her! Experience: Pangolin is a first class operation. It is run by photographers for photographers. If you are a photographer, don't think twice - Book this trip now before they fill out for 2027. If you are not a photographer, don't worry. Just simply watching these animals and birds in their natural habitat is breathtaking. Their goal is to send us home with world class wildlife photos which your family and friends will think are worthy of being in magazines! To that end, they have an experienced Canon photographer with us offering excellent coaching on exposure, shutter speed and angles to get the best shots for that particular scenario. They give everyone interested a professional camera (Canon R6 MKII in 2025) and a great lens (Canon RF 100-500 in 2025) and abundant training. Our coach Sara Jenner was amazing and her energy and enthusiasm was infectious. Accommodations: The places where we stayed were 5*! The new Pangolin Voyager houseboat, The luxurious and spacious tents at Shinde Footsteps and Dinaka camp were incredibly well appointed for a place in the middle of wilderness! The food was amazing with a lot of local fare and it catered to everyone's needs, which included some Indian curry for me and many dishes for the guests who were vegetarians. Wildlife: The guides at Chobe, Delta and Kalahari were amazing! They knew where the animals and birds were and what the best locations for getting the best photos! They are expert trackers and follow footprints to locate the wildlife! We got to see so many varieties of birds and mammal species. Every day we did two game drives that were 4 hours in duration. The day starts with a 5:30 am breakfast, 6:30 am game drive for 4 hours, 11:30 lunch, a short break, 3:30 tea, 4 pm game drive, 8 pm dinner. The days are jam packed with opportunities to see wildlife. We saw a leopard, cheetahs, a rhino, so many hippos, lions & cubs, Hyenas, the endangered wild dog, wildebeest, elephants, elephants and elephants, giraffe, baboons, and hippos to name a few. Cost: This Chobe, Delta, Kalahari trip is not inexpensive. At $13,500/person for this and the round trip airfare from the US costs a good chunk and required a lot of planning and saving. I thought that it was expensive. Having completed this trip, I will confidently say that the experience was worth every penny and you'll end up with amazing memories and so many awesome pictures. I am an extremely value conscious, comparison shopper and I highly recommend that you do your own research about these safaris. I did mine. There is NO ONE that provides such an exclusive small group 5* experience at this price. I found that even those through Costco (We travel a lot through them) were almost twice the cost for a similar length and those did not include such intensive game drives. We are looking forward to booking our next Pangolin Safari in 2027. Hope to see you there!Posted onVerified I cannot recommend more highly this wonderful week - immersed in the wildlife of Botswana. We had an incredible week on the Chobe river with Pangolin Photo Safari. The wildlife was astounding and we were given excellent instruction and detailed description of all the birds and animals we were seeing. The Riverboat was wonderful - so comfortable and quiet (all electric). We then moved to the Chobe Hotel, which was first class with excellent food and delightful staff. In fact the staff throughout the whole week were amazing - so friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Thank you all for making my holiday such a happy and memorable one.Posted onVerified Pangolin Photo Safaris - the very best! An unforgettable experience. I recently completed the Chobe River/Okavango Delta/Kalahari with Pangolin. The trip exceeded my hopes and expectations. Excellent accommodations at every step. 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They had people to help us at every stage on the tour, to ensure we had the best possible experience. Our trip host, Karolina, was fantastic - her friendly and positive approach contributed greatly to the group experience, and she gave all of the guests, regardless of experience level, really useful photography pointers. I can’t recommend Pangolin highly enough. If you are looking for a photo safari outfit, look no further!Posted onVerified Best Trip We've Ever Taken This trip, by far, was the best trip my wife and I have been on. Everything was top notch. From planning our trip with our Pangolin Safari Planner, to the photo host, guides, and staff on the Pangolin Voyager II and the Pangolin Hotel, everyone was friendly, courteous and helpful. We felt that an African Safari would be a once in a lifetime experience, but I'm already thinking about a return trip. Our photo host and guide worked to position us to get the best positioning for photo's, offered suggestions on composition, and assisted in whatever questions we had. Back at the Voyager II and hotel the food was great, and accommodations very comfortable. I highly recommend Pangolin Photo Safaris!Posted onVerified Fantastic Chobe, Delta and Kalahari Photo Safari Tour My husband and I utilized the services from Pangolin Photo Safaris who arranged the details for a pre-excursion visit to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwa and then joined our fabulous tour leader, Janine, and spent 10 days on their Chobe, Delta and Kalahari Photo Safari tour. Their attention to detail was fantastic. And Janine's guidance to hobbyist photographers on taking wildlife pictures was phenomenal. I know her voice will be in my mind whenever I look to take any fast action pictures to note the lighting, adjusting your exposure, and always remembering to check my ISO. Thanks Janine! 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Up early for morning river trips or game drives with our wonderful photo host Will, for whom nothing was trouble, we were astounded by the wildlife and the skill of our driver/guides. Their placement of vehicles to get good shots, and Will's technical guidance helped us come home with memorable good photos. Afternoon brought another trip out for photographs and sundowners as the magical African sunsets coloured the sky. All arrangements booked through Pangolin were well planned and communication with our consultant was always timely. I have no hesitation in recommending Pangolin Photo Safaris and hope I can return one day.Posted onVerified Great Safari Product. Already booked my trip for next year. Pangolin has a great photo safari product. I had a group of 17 at the Pangolin Hotel. We were at Pangolin before starting our main safari in the Okavango Delta. The set ups in the boat with the gimbals and the swivel seats was brilliant! 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