A safari that’s closer than close

Lions rest in the shade atop rocks in the Namiri Plains area of the Serengeti. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago Tribune

July 23, 2015 11:25 AM PT

Safari in Uganda and Tanzania brings the animals up close and personal, including a visit with a gorilla family that was closer than close.

The silverback member of the Nkuringo family keeps his distance. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

A staff member at Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge in Uganda gets friendly with a chameleon. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

A bush buck and a black-faced monkey pass at Rubondo Island Camp in Lake Victoria. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

Rubondo Island National Park in Tanzania’s Lake Victoria is home to a variety of wildlife, including giraffes. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

A Nile crocodile heads into the waters of Lake Victoria near Rubondo Island. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

A hippo enjoys the waters off the beach at Rubondo Island Camp. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

An acacia is silhouetted by the rising sun near Namiri Plains Camp in the Serengeti. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

A mother lion moves one of her cubs to a more secure place. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)

Here come the elephants. (Phil Marty / Chicago Tribune)