Contact Us
We are here to help you! Please contact us with your query and we will get back to you as soon as we possibly can.
Natural Wonders Photography
Tylwyth Teg
Llanigon
Hay on Wye
Hereford
HR3 5QA
United Kingdom
Natural Wonders Photography
Tylwyth Teg
Llanigon
Hay on Wye
Hereford
HR3 5QA
United Kingdom
You will have an experience of a lifetime visiting Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary where endangered rhinos are protected, Murchison Falls National Park where you will enjoy a river cruise on the Nile in addition to safaris, Kibale National Park for Chimpanzee tracking, Queen Elizabeth National Park for Lion tracking and a Boat Cruise in the Kazinga Channel (the wildlife sightings from the boat are just amazing), Ishasha Plains to see tree-climbing lions and finally, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Mountain Gorilla Trekking.
Uganda has a lot to see and do. It straddles the Equator and lies within the Nile basin on the East African plateau. It is the size of the United Kingdom and mostly well watered and fertile. It is distinguished from other African safari destinations by its closed canopy forest and the accessibility to enable viewings of Gorillas and Chimpanzees, along with a colourful array of birds and butterflies in their natural habitat.
Our trip begins with our overnight flights to Entebbe. Our recommended route is with Emirates airline from Birmingham to Dubai to connect with the onward flight to Entebbe. We arrive at Entebbe where we are met by Peter Hogel who transfers us to the Malakai Eco Lodge for our first evening. Here we will settle in and unwind before meeting for dinner and chatting about our time ahead.
The next day starts with our search for Shoebills in our own private boat tour of Mabamba Swamp near Entebbe before we transfer to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for the first of our 2 night stay.
The next day we head off to spot Rhino in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, a reserve specifically used to protect this endangered species. We will spend the morning and afternoon Rhino tracking. In between we can photograph resident Weaver Birds at the lodge whilst thay nest build. We overnight at Ziwa leaving early the next morning for Murchison Falls National Park.
Murchison Falls is Uganda largest protected area. It is a pleasant wilderness area of rolling grassland and wooded savannah extending from Karuna Falls in the east to Lake Albert in the west. It is bisected by the river Nile. Whilst here we should see an abundance of wildlife including hippos, Nile crocodiles, Elephant, Buffalo, Oribi, Jacksons Hartebeest, Bohur Reedbuck, Waterbuck, Lion and Leopard. There are also 350 species of birds to look out for. We will also take a cruise down the River Nile for an alternative view of the wildlife. The boat trip will take us to the Murchison falls where the Nile is forced to pass through a 9 metre gap. It is an impressive sight.
It supports dense forest, swamps and grassland and is home to the Forest Elephant, Golden Cat, Serval, Duikers and more than 300 bird species. Primates include Bushbabies, Pottos, Grey Cheeked Mangabeys, Colobus Monkeys (Red and Black and White), Red Tailed Monkeys and of course, Chimpanzees.
After Kibale we move to Queen Elizabeth National Park which flanks both Lake Edward and Lake George. We have a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel where you will be blown away by the abundance of wildlife sightings from the boat. We are seated quite low down so the angle of view is also very special for obtaining eye level images. Here we also do our Lion Tracking where we hope to see 3 or 4 groups of Lions. Other wildlife includes Buffalo, Impala, Kobi, Bushbuck and over 542 bird species. There are also large herds of Elephants here.
Still part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, we move to the Ishasha area to see world famous Tree Climbing Lions. Currently there are about 40 individuals split amongst 3 prides. It is suggested that the lions climb the trees to escape the attention of biting flies but this is unproven! This forms part of our journey on to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park where we trek to see Mountain Gorillas.
This is a very special experience. We will have our own guide and protectors who will lead us to one of the four Gorillas groups in the forest. Once they are located we offload our backpacks and leave our trekking poles behind just taking our cameras for the next short journey to the gorillas. We will see a family group usually including a silverback and hopefully, juveniles and even babies if we are really lucky. It is a wonderful experience to spend time with these large but seemingly gentle creatures. It is an experience you will never forget!
After Bwindi we travel to Lake Mburu National Park for 1 night to see the Eland and Grevy’s Zebra before the next days journey back to Kampala (near Entebbe) for our last night in the Malakai Eco Lodge with dinner before transferring to Entebbe for our journey home the next day. We will have 2 half day safaris at Lake Mburu. We leave Entebbe at about 3.30pm to arrive home at about 6.30am the next day, again via Dubai.
Please note: Sometimes the itinerary may change but this will not interfere with game viewing and photography opportunities!
What currency will I need?
The local currency is the Ugandan Shilling. At lodges you will be able to use US$. On the way from the airport at Entebbe we will stop at an exchange facility so you can obtain local currency for purchasing drinks and other sundries throughout the tour. We will also at times have access to ATMs.
How long does it take to get there?
We usually fly from Birmingham to Dubai and connect to a flight to Entebbe. It is around 12 hours flying time. We leave on day one (about 8.30pm) and arrive on day two (about 1.30pm). Our return flights are similar, leaving Entebbe at about 3.30pm and arriving back in Birmingham at about 6.30am the next day.
How much are the flight costs?
Return flights, economy class, are in the region of £500.00 – £750.00 per person depending on route and airline chosen. Flights costs will vary from year to year.
How do I get my Visa?
This is done using the online visa service. The process is simple and fast. You will complete an on line form and confirmation of your visa will be sent to you. When you arrive at Entebbe you will be given your visa at immigration.
How much does the Visa cost?
The cost varies from year to year.
What is the weather like?
At this time of the year it is about 30 degrees, hot and dry BUT it can sometimes be cool at night and also in the mornings so you will need to take with you additional layers to keep warm if it is cooler at these times. Sometimes it can rain so a waterproof is required, especially when we are in Bwindi Impentetrable Forest trekking to see Mountain Gorillas. At Bwindi it may be cold and wet so best to be prepared. We are travelling throughout Uganda and temperatures vary from very hot in the North to much cooler and wet in the South!
What is the Accommodation like?
Accommodation is clean and of a good standard. Where possible wifi is available (sometimes it is difficult in Uganda to access wifi)
What is the time difference?
3 hours ahead. Greenwich Mean Time + 3 hours.
Do I need to have any inoculations?
There are no specific requirement but we recommend Tetanus, Polio, Typhoid, Diphtheria and Hepatitis A. Anti Malarial medication is a must. It is best to check with your GP to ensure that you are protected.
What is the transport like?
There are no internal flights! All transfers will be in our own vehicle. We will have the same driver and guide (Peter Hogel) throughout our trip.
What is the language?
The official language is English.
How far is it to the Gorillas?
They are wild animals and so they move around the forest. They are monitored at all times and there is more than 1 group to visit. They may be close or far away so your trek to find them can be a little as 1 hour or as much as 6 hours. Either way you will be rewarded with an experience of a lifetime. There are no guarantees but we do always try to get a shorter trek.
How long do we stay with the Gorillas?
1 hour is permitted to sit with the Gorillas and take photographs or to just watch them behaving naturally in the wild.
How long do we spend with the chimpanzees?
1 hour is allowed to spend with the chimpanzees. We can take photographs or to just watch them behaving naturally in the wild.
Below is a collection of photos our customers have captured whilst on this photography experience
Click a thumbnail to view larger
That said, the locations visited were indeed remote as the itinerary has been well planned and the locations visited remote. The content of the tour for a wildlife photographer was nothing short of superb. The trip provided mammals,birds and all the little creatures in between. At times it felt like being in a Disney set as the sightings were so good.
The treks for gorillas and chimpanzees have provided memories to last forever. We even saw the tree climbing lions. As always Janette was on hand to offer advice and provide wonderful companionship. Peter’s knowledge of his adopted country was spot on. I can not recommend this tour highly enough and I have no doubt that I will be booking it again in the near future.
One of the highlights for me was wading in a swamp in our wellies watching shoebills – which I was really keen to see. It was amazing to be able to walk with rhinos at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, with the rangers making sure we stayed a safe distance from them. On the two walks we did, we managed to see 17 of the 25 rhinos that are there.
The main reason for doing this trip was to see the primates. Our first trek through the forest at Kibale was to see chimpanzees, I was blown away by the experience of being so close to these incredibly noisy and surprisingly large animals. But the outstanding day of the trip started at 04.45 in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. After breakfast we had a two hour drive before starting our trek to meet the gorillas. The trek took an hour and was a bit challenging at times partly due to the fact that we were 7500 ft above sea level, but we were helped along the way by the porters. But the moment we came across the family of gorillas was unforgettable. It was so amazing to spend an hour in their company. I couldn’t believe how close we were, and never thought I would be able to claim that I have been touched by a gorilla. The silverback was very calm and carried on eating his fruit, while a baby climbed on its mother’s back and the 5yr old male rushed about pushing and grabbing people but in a playful way. Unfortunately that hour went much too quickly but it will be an hour that I will never forget.
We stayed in some lovely lodges with opportunities to birdwatch in the grounds, on the whole trip I managed to see 152 species of birds.
We were disappointed not to see the famous tree climbing lions, but that’s wildlife and nothing is ever guaranteed, and it didn’t make the trip any less fantastic.
So thank you Janette for making sure the trip ran smoothly and hopefully we can join you on some more trips.
Our guide Peter Hogel gave a fascinating insight into the culture and people and embellished it with many interesting and amusing anecdotes. The trip involved a number of fairly long road journeys on a variety of surfaces but there was always things of interest along the way. The absolute highlight had to be the time spent in the company of a family of gorillas, it was incredible to be concentrating on what was in front of you only to realise that the gorillas were all around you and above in the trees as well. I felt privileged to be targeted by a rainforest fruit from some considerable height.
Other wildlife highlights were the trek to see chimpanzees, surprisingly large and incredibly noisy, the welly splosh to see shoebills, the attempts to view the ‘mythical’ tree climbing lions of Ishasha and the number of huge Chinese cats to be spotted on most of the road journeys. Bird life was spectacular and varied and was complemented by our driver Abraham’s Wikipedic knowledge of birds, ie not always to be believed.
The accommodation was excellent, each lodge had its own unique character and we stayed at some really beautiful locations. Culinary highlights included gorging ourselves on some delicious tiny bananas bought very cheaply at the roadside, a packed breakfast/lunch of cold fried eggs and fish and chips as well as participating in the apparently traditional Ugandan ‘hard boiled egg festival’. Overall it was a stunning experience and we look forward to travelling with Janette again in the future.
Listening to his experiences living in Uganda and learning so much about life for the Ugandan people was fascinating, not to mention the humour and banter around the dinner table.
This was a full on tour of Uganda with some longer journeys on bumpy, dusty roads crossing the Equator twice but It was all worthwhile as we saw a wide variety of landscapes from hot dry plains to the high altitude rain forests. The birds and animals were plentiful. Amazing to observe and to photograph.
Our walking safaris in the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary are unforgettable. It was great to be so close to so many White Rhinos always under the guidance of the rangers. During an evening walking safari we came upon a large male Rhino, frogs and spiders to name but a few.
In complete contrast were the boat trips down the Nile and the Khanzinga Channel. Cruising close to the banks gave us a wealth of opportunities to observe the wildlife and photograph them in their natural environment. Our safaris in Queen Elizabeth National Park were thrilling too notably when we were close to a Hyena kill.
After a short trek in Kibale we were thrilled to spend an hour with a very noisy group of Chimpanzees. They really do charge around the forest shrieking and calling to each other, bashing undergrowth and trees as they go. The Gorilla trek in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was another story! Although the trek was difficult going for my arthritic knees and foot I was helped along the way by the porters. The reward was to spend an hour with these wonderful primates at very close quarters. So gentle and calm other than the naughty young male who keep whacking us or tugging our clothes as he passed by. It was a great privilege to spend time with the Silverback and his family.
Thank you Janette and Peter for sharing your passion for wildlife. Uganda was a unique and unforgettable experience. Can’t wait for the next adventure with Natural Wonders Photography.
These were amazing experiences providing the opportunity for close contact with these incredible animals in their own environment but with the safety of trained and experienced guides. And, of course, the chance of some excellent wildlife images. We tried to keep the regulation seven metres away from the gorillas but one young gorilla had other ideas and rushed toward us to give us some playful shoves – an experience not to be forgotten!
We also had the opportunity of visiting other reserves where we saw a wide range of other wildlife including topi, Ugandan kob, impala, giraffes, zebra, hippos, warthogs and much more including a vast array of birds. We also did some river trips, including the Nile, to see the birds and animals from a different perspective.
There were some long drives and the gorilla trekking in steep rainforest was a bit of a challenge – but well worth while
Looking forward to our next trip!
It was totally different to my usual ‘safari’ in that we only had a couple sightings of lions and no leopards BUT we found a wonderful group of gorillas ranging from a huge silverback (who walked within 18 inches of me) to tiny babies learning how to climb trees. There is a vast array of wildlife, including rhino, hippo, elephant, giraffe, chimpanzees and other primates, lots of birdlife (including Shoebills!) and so the list goes on.
We had wonderful trips on the rivers both during the day and at sunset. Although Uganda is a fairly basic country, it is a beautiful one, with lakes, mountains and rivers and the scenery blew me away. I would say this was a real adventure with some long drives (well worthwhile). I would add that if you are worried about trekking for the gorillas, I am 69, have a replacement hip and knee and still managed – so don’t let anything hold you back. I am definitely hoping to go again. I have travelled with Janette before but it was my first time meeting Peter – I can only say we had a real laugh and would like to thank “Ellie” and “Chicken” for some of it!
We were in a small group and were lucky to find a family of gorillas with 2 very small babies. Everyone took some amazing pictures with some special guidance from Janette. We went on several day and evening safaris and a boat trip where we saw so many different animals and birds. These included lions, leopards, hippos, giraffe, zebra, warthogs, crocodiles and a vast selection of antelope.
Janette had arranged everything to run very smoothly and safely and with her great sense of humour and expertise we all had a wonderful time and came back with literally hundreds of great photos. I would highly recommend this trip with Janette to everyone. Thank you to everyone involved in this trip of a lifetime.
Lots of driving on unmade roads gave the opportunity to observe the ‘real’ Uganda. The sightings on the game drives in Queen Elizabeth park were superb – tracking the lion prides & being informed on the families, spotting a leopard camouflaged in a tree, watching the elephants walking down to the river, seeing hippos out of the water grazing during the day, being surrounded by warthogs & marabou storks whilst eating breakfast, observing the birds & wildlife from a boat & a bush dinner were just some of the highlights in this park.
Next stop was Bwindi forest, staying in a tent with an outdoor shower room! The short 45 minute trek to see the gorilla family certainly lived up to expectations – an hour standing about 10 feet away watching the family interact together, in between the females & youngsters with the silverback sleeping up on a ridge just above us. Also an opportunity to walk into the local village to understand how the local people live & their enthusiasm for protecting the gorillas & the tourism that enables them to support their families.
Final stop Lake Mburo with tented accommodation high on a ridge overlooking the park & the local villages – awesome views. Sightings of giraffe, zebra, numerous antelope species & a honey badger.
Whilst the trip was not for the faint hearted – lots of driving, lots of bumpy unmade roads, basic accommodation (although always clean & well presented) & basic food – the beer is good – the experience was brilliant. I would recommend travelling with Natural Wonders to really ‘get under the skin’ of Uganda.
Many thanks for a great trip
Hopefully I will be able to come on another of your trips in the not too distant future.
A very full and interesting trip with excellent guidance by Janette and Peter.
If you are unsure about any part of this form, or prefer to make a booking over the phone, please feel free to give us a call by using the telephone number below
We're here to help and are happy to answer any questions you may have, any time!
+44 (0)7913-415-701
We're here to help and are happy to answer any questions you may have, any time!