Uganda Photo Safari
A Trip of a Lifetime
Come join me on an incredible Uganda Photo Safari in East Africa. The truth is that Uganda is one of my favorite countries on the planet. This is not only because of beautiful people, rich culture and diverse landscapes but because it is home to some of the most jaw-dropping wildlife experiences in the world. In Uganda, you will find the endangered Silverback Mountain Gorilla, located on the western edge of the country in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forrest. If you are looking for a profound and impactful photographic experience that you will never forget, look no further than our Wild Uganda adventure!
Trip Dates
December 6th – 16th, 2026
Tuition Costs
$8950
Group Size
8
Difficulty Level
Moderate
Our journey through Uganda begins in the capital city of Kampala, where you will fly into Entebbe International Airport. From there, we will head North to Murchison Falls National Park with a stop at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to see the incredible White Rhino. At Murchison Falls, we will do a game drive and a river cruise to spot the 76 mammal species and over 450 birds known in the region. From there, we head to the Itohya Forest Reserve for a unique 4-hour chimpanzee habituation experience that you can’t get anywhere else on the planet. Next, we head to Kibale National Park, where we will spend a day tracking and photographing troops of wild Chimpanzees. After that, we move to Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we will enjoy a mixture of game drives and boat cruises to see more hippos, elephants, buffalo, and if we are lucky, the famous tree-climbing lions of the region. The workshop ends with two back-to-back days in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, where we will spend our time tracking two different large troops of Silverback Gorillas, which will be an experience you will never forget!
Sony Sponsored Workshop
What is Included?
- All Ground Transportation
- All Accommodations
- All Local Guides & Permits
- All Meals
What is Not Included?
- All Flights To & From Uganda
- Visas to Enter Uganda
- Snacks & Alcohol
- All Tips for Local Guides & Drivers
Uganda Photo Safari
While most of our photography workshops require a deposit of only $1000, Uganda is different: we need to secure permits for both the Silverback Gorillas and Chimpanzees many months in advance. These permits are tied to your passport and are nonrefundable and non-transferable. If the workshop is full and you want to be added to the waiting list, click HERE.
* please read the workshop F.A.Q. section on this page to learn more about visiting Uganda and check out our cancellation policies if you have any questions.
Uganda Photo Safari Adventure
- Kampala
- Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
- Murchison Falls National Park
- Itohya Forest Reserve
- Kibale National Park
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Bwindi National Park
- and much more...
What Other Animals Might You
Encounter on our Uganda Photo Safari?
Join the Workshop Waitlist to learn more about any upcoming adventures...
Join the Workshop Waitlist to learn more about any upcoming adventures...
Sony Sponsored Workshop Details
F.A.Q
A GREAT question! As a professional wildlife, landscape, and travel photographer for the past 22 years, I have been fortunate to work all over the globe, documenting many aspects of this beautiful planet. I have been running Gorilla Workshops in Uganda since 2017, which has given me the experience and access to some of the most amazing photo opportunities in the region. I have extensive experience shooting in nearly every climate you can imagine and even some you can’t 🙂 On top of this, I absolutely love teaching. I have worked for National Geographic as a photography instructor in South America, and currently, I average around 10-15 workshops year after year. I firmly believe in my organic approach to teaching photography, which blends technical, philosophical, and hands-on learning to give you the best chance not only to improve your photography skills but also to retain that knowledge as you grow as an artist long after our time together ends.
The workshop starts on December 6th, 2026, in Kampala, Uganda. This is an arrival day, so you can arrive at any time, and we will pick you up at the airport and take you to our hotel nearby.
The workshop ends on December 16th, 2026, in Kampala, Uganda. We have a charter flight back to Kampala from Bwindi with our camera gear (a 45-minute flight), but because of weight restrictions, we most likely won’t have our checked luggage until later this evening, when our van completes the 10 hr journey back to Kampala from Bwindi. We will drop you off either at a hotel of your choice or at the airport for your flights out that day.
You will fly out of the Entebbe International Airport (EBB) in the capital city of Kamapla, Uganda.
While the Congo has had a recent outbreak of Ebola, currently Uganda has ZERO active cases in the country. Uganda has increased its security presence along the border with the Congo, which is one of the many reasons that you have nothing to worry about when it comes to visiting the amazing country of Uganda.
As we move around Uganda, we stay mostly at 3+ star accommodations. The rooms are comfortable and spacious, the staff is excellent, and the locations are ideal for our photographic priorities in the region.
Our adventure includes access to four major National Parks in Uganda. Bwindi with the Silverback Gorillas, Kibale with the chimpanzees, Murchison Falls for multiple game drives, and Queen Elizabeth with the tree-climbing lions, elephants, hippos, and much more! We will also visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and the Itohya Forest Reserve.
Because this workshop focuses on Wildlife photography, I do recommend that you bring something equivalent to a 100-400mm lens. While wildlife can certainly get closer, we try to avoid those situations as much as possible, for both the animal’s safety and ours. For silverback gorillas specifically, I find a fast 70-200 f/2.8 lens usually works best if you want to just bring a single lens for this particular experience!
Also note that this workshop is sponsored by Sony. While this workshop is open to anyone using any camera brand, you can rent (for FREE) any Sony lens and camera body for this trip. Once you have made your final full payment for this workshop, I will send you a form to fill out to request your free loaner. It will be shipped to your home here in the US, and you can bring it with you to Uganda. When the trip is over, we’ll also provide a free return shipping label. Please let me know if you have any questions!
The truth is that you never know. There have been times where my permitted group has found Gorillas within 30 minutes of light trekking while other times it took multiple hours. A good way to support the local communities is to hire porters to not only help you carry your bag/camera gear but also help you along the paths as we move through the jungle to find the Silverbacks. A porter costs $20 USD per trek.
Additionally, we must keep a distance of 7m from the Silverback Gorillas & Chimpanzees, but both tend to get curious, which often breaks this rule. To keep these incredible species safe, everyone must wear a mask (cloth or medical) when in close proximity.
Depending on your passport, you may need an eVisa to enter Uganda. Be sure to check with your government’s embassy to confirm. All US and Canadian citizens must get an eVisa before they arrive. HERE is a link to the official website to sign up and pay for your eVisa.
To learn more about Colby Brown Photography workshops in general, please visit our FAQ page…
Meet Your Instructors & Guides
Colby Brown
Owner/Photographer/Author
Colby Brown is a photographer, photo educator and author based out of Eastern Pennsylvania. Specializing in landscape, travel and humanitarian photography, his photographic portfolio spans the four corners of the globe and all 7 continents. Not too long after picking up his first digital camera in 2006, Colby was leading workshops for National Geographic in South America, further spurring his love for both travel and photo education. In 2011, he founded The Giving Lens, an organization that blends photo education with support for various non-governmental organizations (NGO) and causes around the world, such as child education, clean drinking water projects, and women’s rights.
Testimonials
Having just returned from a workshop with Colby in Uganda, I am still absorbing the impact of our extraordinary experience in Africa. Colby orchestrated an intense itinerary for our group. Along with our local guide, we were comprised five Americans and two Australians. Although we each came from different backgrounds and ages, all were incredibly supportive and helpful to one another whether we had(...)
This was my second workshop with Colby, and the adventure exceeded my expectations again!
We had an amazing journey searching for chimpanzees at Kibale Naitonal Park and enjoyed both a land and river safari where we captured incredible images of all types of Ugandan wildlife at Queen Elizabeth National Park. Of course, the highlight of the trip was our trek to find and photograph the Silverback Gorillas(...)
My trip to Uganda with Colby was a life-changing experience. The wildlife and landscapes of East Africa are unique and spectacular. As a brand new photographer, this trip has sparked in me a life-long interest in wildlife photography. Not only did we have spectacular wildlife sightings and great photographic opportunities, our group was immersed in the culture of Uganda and its beautiful people. This was due(...)
Other Workshops Worth Checking Out!
Wildlife Photography Workshop in Brazil Jaguars of the Pantanal
The Pantanal region of Brazil is known as the land of the Jaguar. Nowhere else on Earth is there a higher concentration of these elusive big cats than this remote region of Southern Brazil, close to the Southern Amazon Basin. In addition to Jaguars, you will see Caimen, Capybara and a wide assortment of birds.
Iceland Summer Photography Workshop
Visiting Iceland in the Summer is one of the best times to explore this amazing country. Not only are lupines in bloom and waterfalls at peak flow, but the midnight sun provides endless hours of soft beautiful light as sunset and sunrise converge, often providing up to 6 hrs of golden light each evening!
Dolomites Photography Workshop
Come join us on an adventure of a lifetime to the amazing Italian Dolomites. We will photograph and explore incredible mountain peaks, beautiful reflected lakes and gorgeous fall colors as we move throughout one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the world.
Norway Photo Workshop – Lofoten Islands
Join us this February as we explore this impressive series of Islands located above the Arctic Circle. While we will work hard to get you in the right spot for both sunrise and sunset, with over half the day steeped in darkness, we will make sure to chase any and all Aurora activity that presents itself throughout our time in the Lofoten Islands.
Namibia Photography Workshop
Namibia is home to some of the most incredible desert landscapes and wildlife on the planet. From the great sand dunes of Sossusvlei to the remote Himba tribes of Northern Namibia to the amazing mixture of wildlife found in the country, Namibia is a photographers paradise. Here you will find large populations of cheetahs, lions, rhino, elephants, buffalo and much more!
Costa Rica Wildlife Photography Workshop
Join me next January in one of the most biologically diverse countries on the planet, Costa Rica, where we will spend 9 days photographing toucans, macaws, rare frogs, snakes, sloths, anteaters and much more.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
No one wants to miss out on a trip of a life time…but things do happen. In those situations, the following applies…
Uganda is unique in that it requires a permit to see the Gorillas. Unfortunately, the $1700 deposit for this adventure is 100% non-refundable or transferable because it is used to secure your permits to see those amazing animals. Those permits are tied to your passport #s and therefore are not refundable or transferable. Outside of that, all cancellations are subject to a minimum of a $150 service charge to cover PayPal transaction fees. In most situations, we ask for the remaining balance of a workshop to be paid 120 days from the start of the workshop in question. If you wish to cancel within 120 days from the start of a workshop and we find someone to fill your spot, you would be entitled to receive a refund (minus your deposit and the $150 processing fee) or transfer to another workshop with no penalties or fees.
If we don’t find someone to fill your spot, what does your refund window actually look like?
120 Days or More...
Your deposit will be transferable to another Colby Brown Photography Workshop without issue.
90 to 120 Days
You will receive a refund of 50% of the full tuition fees minus the non-refundable deposit.
Less Than 90 Days...
If you wish to cancel within 90 days of your workshop starting, you are not entitled to a refund.
