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THE GREAT APES Photographic Expedition
10 Days

There are few wildlife encounters as moving as spending time with mountain gorillas in their forest home. A silverback resting beneath the canopy, a youngster tumbling through the undergrowth, the quiet interaction between a mother and her infant.  These are moments that stay with you long after the camera is put away.

 

Join Mario Moreno on a photographic journey through Rwanda and Uganda, bringing together mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, chimpanzees and the remarkable shoebill stork. From the volcanic landscapes of the Virungas to the forests of Kibale and the papyrus channels of Mabamba wetlands, this safari explores some of East Africa’s most compelling wildlife habitats.

 

Two gorilla treks and two chimpanzee treks are central to the experience. Returning to the forest gives us further opportunities to observe behavior, work with changing light and approach each encounter with a little more understanding.

 

Throughout the journey, Mario will share practical photographic guidance, helping you make the most of the opportunities in front of you while enjoying the experience itself.

Expedition Facts

  • Led by Mario Moreno

  • Max number of participants : 8

  • Private 4x4 Vehicles

Photographic Highlights

  • Gorillas & Chimpanzees

  • Shoebill Stork, Golden Monkeys, Colobus Monkeys, Turacos

  • Incredible Rain Forest sceneryot

  • Landscape photography in Iconic Kibale National Park

  • Landscape photography in Iconic Volcanoes National Park 

Detailed Itinerary
Itinerary Anchor
Day 1 

Kigali

 

On arrival at Kigali International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

 

Settle in and take some time to relax after your journey. Depending on arrival times, we will come together for a safari briefing and dinner, introducing the days ahead and discussing preparations for our first photographic encounters.

 

Overnight: Kigali

Day 2

Kigali · Volcanoes National Park

 

Our journey begins with an introduction to Kigali, a city spread across green hills, with lively markets, contemporary art and a history that deserves time and thoughtful attention.

 

The planned city visit includes the Kigali Genocide Memorial, alongside opportunities to explore the city’s cultural life. Visits will be paced around the time available, with photography guided by local permissions and the nature of each setting.

 

After lunch, we leave the city and travel towards Volcanoes National Park. As the road winds through cultivated hillsides, the landscape gradually opens towards the Virunga mountains.

 

We arrive at the selected lodge with time to settle in and prepare for the following morning.

 

Overnight: Volcanoes National Park area

Day 3 

Volcanoes National Park

 

An early start takes us to the park headquarters for our briefing before we meet the rangers who will lead us into the forest.

 

The trek is part of the experience. We move through mountain vegetation, following the trackers towards a habituated gorilla family. The distance and terrain depend on where the gorillas are that day.

 

Once the family is located, we have an allocated hour in their presence. A glance from beneath a heavy brow, fingers reaching for a stem, a young gorilla sheltering beside its mother … the photographic possibilities are as much about small gestures as dramatic scenes.

 

Mario will help you prepare for the forest conditions and offer guidance as circumstances allow, while the rangers direct the encounter.

 

After the trek, we return to the lodge. If time, conditions and energy permit, an afternoon scenic walk offers further opportunities to photograph the surrounding volcanic landscape.

 

Overnight: Volcanoes National Park area

Day 4

Volcanoes National Park

 

Today we return to the forest for our second gorilla trek.

 

A second encounter allows us to build on the first morning’s experience. You may find yourself looking more closely at relationships within the group, waiting for a cleaner composition or choosing to include more of the forest around your subject.

 

We will request a different gorilla family where possible, although allocations remain with the park authorities. Whatever the allocation, the light, behavior and setting may offer a very different experience.

 

The afternoon is reserved for rest at the lodge, with time to download images and discuss the photographs from our two mornings in the forest.

 

Overnight: Volcanoes National Park area

Day 5

Volcanoes National Park · Mbarara

 

This morning we explore another side of the Virungas as we set out in search of golden monkeys.

 

Their warm coloring and lively movements make them engaging photographic subjects. Working among the bamboo, we watch for moments when a monkey pauses to feed, turns towards the light or emerges against a simple background.

 

Following the trek and lunch, we begin our onward journey to Uganda. After completing the border formalities, we continue to Mbarara for an overnight stop.

 

This is a substantial travel day, linking the mountain forests of Rwanda with the next stage of our safari.

 

Overnight: Emburara Farm Lodge, Mbarara

Day 6

Mbarara · Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary

 

After breakfast, we continue towards Kibale, travelling through the countryside of western Uganda.

 

On arrival, we settle into our lodge before an afternoon guided walk at Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary. This community conservation area offers a change of pace, with opportunities to look for monkeys and photograph birds around the forest and wetland edges.

 

We will keep watch for colobus monkeys and the striking great blue turaco, while allowing time to appreciate the smaller details of the habitat.

 

The walk provides a rewarding introduction to the area before our first chimpanzee trek.

 

Overnight: Kibale Forest area

Day 7

Kibale Forest National Park

 

This morning we enter Kibale Forest with the park’s guides and trackers in search of chimpanzees.

 

Their calls may announce their presence before we see them. Following those sounds through the trees adds to the anticipation of an encounter that can be energetic, absorbing and unpredictable.

 

Once the chimpanzees are located, our allocated one hour viewing time offers the chance to observe feeding, grooming, movement and social interaction. Some moments may unfold high in the canopy; others may bring subjects onto the forest floor.

 

Photographically, this is an exercise in anticipation and adaptability. Mario will help you prepare for changing light and moving subjects, making the most of opportunities as they arise.

 

We return to the lodge after the trek, with the afternoon available for relaxation and informal image discussion.

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Overnight: Kibale Forest area

Day 8

Kibale Forest National Park

 

Our second chimpanzee trek gives us another opportunity to experience the forest and its inhabitants.

 

With the first encounter behind us, we can return with a clearer sense of the conditions and the photographs we would like to pursue. Perhaps today’s focus will be a quieter portrait, a grooming interaction or an image that places a chimpanzee within the forest.

 

There is no fixed script. The animals’ movements and the rangers’ guidance will shape our time in the field.

 

Back at the lodge, the afternoon is free to rest, organize photographs review them and enjoy our final evening in the Kibale area.

 

Overnight: Kibale Forest area

Day 9

Kibale · Kasese · Entebbe

 

After breakfast, we leave the lodge and transfer to Kasese Airstrip for our planned domestic flight to Entebbe.

 

The flight provides a welcome alternative to the long onward road journey and brings us to the final stage of our safari.

 

On arrival, we transfer to our hotel for a relaxed evening, with time to prepare for the following morning’s wetland excursion.

 

Overnight: Entebbe

Day 10

Mabamba Wetlands · Departure

 

Our final morning takes us into the papyrus channels of Mabamba in search of one of Africa’s most distinctive birds.

 

Travelling by canoe with a local guide, we explore the wetland quietly, watching for the unmistakable shape of a shoebill standing among the vegetation. Its imposing bill and patient hunting behavior make it a memorable subject.

 

The surrounding channels also offer opportunities to observe and photograph other wetland birds, bringing a different setting and atmosphere to our final outing.

 

After the excursion, we return for our onward transfer to Entebbe International Airport.

 

International departures must be scheduled to allow sufficient time for the morning excursion and airport check-in.

Dates & Prices
Dates & Prices Anchor
11 - 20 March 2027
USD 9,875.00 per person sharing
USD 1,100.00 single supplement
AVAILABLE
11 - 20 March 2028
USD 10,500.00 per person sharing
USD 1,100.00 single supplement
AVAILABLE
Included
Not Included
Included Anchor

  • 1 night at selected hotel in Kigali ( Rwanda )

  • 3 nights at selected Lodge in Volcanoes NP ( Rwanda )

  • 1 night on route from Volcanoes NP to Kibale NP

  • 3 nights at selected lodge in Kibale NP ( Uganda )

  • 1 night in selected hotel in Entebbe ( Uganda )

  • Domestic flight from Kasese to Entebbe ( Uganda )

  • All airport and road transfers 

  • All meals and non-alcoholic drinks  

  • All photo activities described in itinerary

  • Use of private vehicles 

  • Photographic guidance and workshops

  • International flights to Kigali ( KGL )

  • International flights from Entebbe ( EBB )

  • Travel Insurance

  • Medical Insurance

  • Visa fees if applicable

  • Extra hotel nights before or after safari

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