Uganda. Where primates and wilderness meet.
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Zambia. Two ecosystems. One expedition.
Zambia offers an authentic, slow-paced safari focused on natural wildlife encounters rather than curated experiences. Over nine days, the journey spans two ecosystems: South Luangwa, known for its rich habitat and frequent leopard sightings, and the Lower Zambezi, where open landscapes, river scenes, and elephant herds create a शांत, immersive experience.
- Day 1 - Arrival in Lusaka
- Day 2 - Lusaka to South Luangwa
- Day 3, 4 & 5 - South Luangwa
- Day 6 - South Luangwa
- Day 7 & 8 - Lower Zambezi
- Day 9 - Final morning & departure
- South Luangwa
- Lower Zambezi
- All accommodation (8 nights)
- Domestic flights between regions
- Airport and camp transfers
- All game drives and safari activities
- Beanbags and dedicated vehicle space
- Park fees and conservation levies
Uganda does not announce itself. It reveals itself slowly — in the mist, in the silence, in the moment a mountain gorilla turns and holds your gaze.
Africa's oldest forest. Its most intimate encounter.
Uganda is not a destination that impresses with scale. It impresses with depth. The forests here are ancient — dense, layered, alive with sound and movement before you see a single animal. The light falls differently under the canopy. The air smells of earth and rain. Everything feels closer than it should.
This expedition moves through three of Uganda's most extraordinary wildlife areas. In Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, you trek on foot to encounter mountain gorillas in their natural habitat — one of the rarest and most powerful wildlife experiences on earth. In Kibale Forest, you track chimpanzees through dense vegetation, listening before you look. In Queen Elizabeth National Park, the landscape opens to savannah, waterways, and the tree-climbing lions of Ishasha.
Uganda is unspoilt. It is unhurried. It is the Africa that most travellers never find.
The Solara Conservation Foundation (in formation) is an independent initiative dedicated to wildlife protection and community-based conservation in the regions where we travel. Uganda's forests and the communities living alongside them are exactly the kind of place this work is for.
Three regions. One expedition into the wild.
Photography on foot. In silence. At the pace of the forest.
01
One hour that changes everything
Gorilla trekking requires moderate fitness — expect two to four hours of hiking through dense forest, sometimes steep, always rewarding. Porters are available to carry equipment and support the trek, and their involvement directly benefits the local communities living alongside the park.
02
Prepared for every environment
This expedition covers three fundamentally different photographic environments — dense forest, open savannah, and water. Each requires a different approach. The photography and editing sessions on Day 2 and throughout the expedition prepare you for each one.
03
Uganda between the parks
Some of the most powerful images from this expedition will not come from inside a national park. The drive from Kibale to Queen Elizabeth passes through Uganda's countryside — roadside markets, children, highland landscapes, light on hillsides that no safari vehicle usually stops for.
03
Into the dark
Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of the few places in Uganda where night game drives are permitted. On the evening of Day 7, the afternoon game drive continues after sunset into the Kasenyi Plains — from 19:00 until 21:00–22:00.
Day by day.
The pace is always led by wildlife, light, and landscape — not by a fixed schedule.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.
Included
- All accommodation (8 nights)
- All meals — Day 2 breakfast through Day 9 departure
- Domestic flights (Entebbe → Kisoro · Kasese → Entebbe)
- Airport and lodge transfers
- Private vehicle and dedicated chauffeur throughout (9 days)
- Mountain gorilla trekking permit
- Chimpanzee tracking permit
- Kazinga Channel private boat safari
- All game drives
- Night game drive in Kasenyi Plains, Queen Elizabeth (Day 7, 19:00–21:00/22:00)
- In-field photography guidance and editing sessions
- Park fees and conservation levies
- Porters for gorilla trekking
Not Included
- International flights to and from Entebbe
- Dinner in Entebbe on arrival (Day 1)
- Travel insurance (required — see FAQ)
- Uganda visa fees
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Optional nature walk or community story session (costs payable locally)
- Booking fee (€35) and GGTO/AVR levy (€9)
Pricing & Availability
This expedition is from 5-13 June 2027.
Minimum 3 travellers · Maximum 6. Once the group is full, the departure is closed.
Solara Conservation Foundation
The Solara Conservation Foundation (in formation) is an independent non-profit initiative dedicated to wildlife protection, habitat preservation, and community-based conservation in the regions where wildlife photography takes place.
In Uganda, the communities living alongside Bwindi and Kibale are central to the long-term protection of these forests. The Foundation's focus is on building relationships with the people and organisations doing this work.
The Solara Conservation Foundation is currently in formation and will be applying for ANBI status in the Netherlands.
The gorilla did not move. It simply looked.
I have photographed wildlife on every continent. I have sat in vehicles waiting for the light. I have crawled through grass and stood in rivers. But nothing prepared me for the moment a mountain gorilla in Bwindi turned, looked directly at me, and held my gaze for what felt like a very long time.
There is no vehicle between you and that moment. No engine running, no other photographers jostling for position. You are standing in an ancient forest, on the same ground, breathing the same air. The camera almost feels beside the point.
I designed this expedition because Uganda deserves to be experienced this way — slowly, on foot, without the infrastructure of mass tourism between you and what is wild.Come prepared to be changed by it.
— Your host photographer, Solara Safaris
Every Solara journey begins with a conversation
We don't take bookings through a checkout. Before any reservation is made, we have a short call to make sure this expedition is right for you. No obligation. Just an honest conversation.
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Questions
Everything you need to know before booking your next adventure.
Gorilla trekking requires moderate fitness. The trek takes between two and four hours on foot through dense forest. Porters are available.
A versatile zoom lens (70–200mm or 100–400mm) works well for both gorillas and chimpanzees. A wide-angle lens is useful for forest landscapes.
One hour. This is a fixed regulation designed to protect the gorillas from extended human contact.
Yes. On the evening of Day 7, the game drive continues after sunset into the Kasenyi Plains in Queen Elizabeth National Park — from 19:00 until 21:00–22:00.
Yes. The expedition is equally rewarding for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts who simply want to be present in these landscapes.
Yes. The Uganda Primates expedition (5–13 June) runs directly before the Uganda Wildlife Safari (15–23 June). Contact us to discuss the combined itinerary.
Yes. Comprehensive travel insurance — including emergency medical evacuation cover — is required for all Solara expeditions.
We begin every reservation with a short personal conversation. There is no obligation at that stage. Use the form below and we will be in touch within 24 hours.
Uganda through the lens
Captured light and wild places from the field
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Dispatches and lessons from the landscape
