Photographing mountain gorillas can be a challenge, even though you can get extremely close. You can only be with the gorillas for an hour once you find them and there’s no guarantee on the setting or the light. On our last trip, the thick vegetation and bright sunshine definitely presented some difficulties, but every now and again a gorilla turned to a favorable angle to the sun and I was able to get a handful of shots that I liked. A polarizing filter also came in handy to take the bright spots off the leaves. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 135mm), ISO 1000, f/5 at 1/640th of a second.

One surprise sighting on our recent trip was a three-horned chameleon. We had just finished our hike to see the golden monkeys in Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park when a local villager called us over to show us what he had found in the low-lying forest. Also known as Jackson’s chameleon, they are native to the forests of East Africa and are easily recognized by the three horns on the males’ heads — resembling a bit of a mini triceratops. The horns are used in sparring matches during competition for mates. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 180mm) ISO 900, f/5 at 1/640th of a second.

Silverback mountain gorillas are the powerful, mature male leaders of gorilla families, easily recognized by the distinctive patch of silver hair across their backs. They’re responsible for protection, making decisions about movement, and maintaining peace. Despite their massive size and strength, silverbacks are often gentle, especially with infants, and show deep emotional bonds with the entire family. Their expressions can be so very human, like this guy who was relaxing in the forest, but keeping a watchful eye on all the goings on. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 99mm) ISO 5000, f/2.8 at 1/640th of a second.

We add Uganda to our classic Crane Wildlife Tours trips in order to see critically endangered mountain gorillas. But that’s not the only endangered primate we have the opportunity to see. We also include an optional hike to visit golden monkeys in their bamboo forest habitat. This little guy kept getting closer and closer to me and then eventually reached out and tapped the front of my lens. This image was taken just before the tap. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 1800, f/2.8 at 1/1250th of a second.

Looking forward to getting back to the Ugandan jungle to visit a mountain gorilla family. The last two times we’ve been there, we visited the Nyakagezi family in Mgahinga National Park. This time we’ll be in the much larger Bwindi National Park where they have more than just one family. There’s no telling which family we’ll be trekking, or how many individuals, silverbacks or babies we’ll see. Here’s hoping for a large, diverse group. And cooperative weather, as we only get one hour once we catch up with the family. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 2000, f/2.8 at 1/320th of a second.

As Karen and I ramp up planning for the trips we’ll be leading to Africa later this year and into 2026, I’ve been thinking about the golden monkeys we visit while in Uganda and Rwanda. We go to those countries primarily for the mountain gorillas, but on our off day, we have the option to trek to the bamboo forest where the endangered golden monkeys live. There’s something about all that green bamboo that can be very photogenic. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.

The red-chested sunbird was one of the brightly-colored birds I photographed on my first trip to Uganda. This is the male. The females are more uniformly brown and lack the bright colors. This one was hanging out in the bushes just inside the entrance to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the southwestern corner of the country. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/100th of a second.

We’ve just had a spot open up on our next Kenya/Uganda safari in June of this year. Let me know if you’d like to join us and I’ll get you the information. We’ll be doing our usual national parks in Kenya before heading to Uganda for gorillas — we can accommodate either a single person or two people sharing a tent. This silverback was photographed on our trip to Uganda in June of 2023. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 175mm) ISO 5000, f/2.8 at 1/640th of a second.

We will be visiting mountain gorillas in Uganda again in June of 2025. Here’s one from our 2023 trip to Mgahinga National Park. The family of nine had three silverback males, which is unusual for such a small family. This guy was relaxing, while keeping a close eye on the rest of the family. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 155mm) ISO 3200, f/2.8 at 1/320th of a second.