Uganda Safari activities to do with children
Uganda safari activities to do with children
The pearl Africa provides a list of Uganda safari activities to do with children and families. Traveling on safari with children is a time for making memories while learning and appreciating the role of nature in the world. In Uganda, you can be part of various activities with children, but you must know where the children are all the time. In Uganda, a child is someone below the age of 18 years.
Although some safari activities in Uganda safari activities have an age limit onto them, even some children may have the chance to participate in these activities with the help of a parent or guardian.
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Below are some of The Activities You Can Do With Children In Uganda
Game Drives
Uganda is endowed with many wild animals living in its National Parks and reserves. Some Uganda National parks where you can do game drives with children include Kidepo valley National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Mburo National Park.
With an early morning or late afternoon game drive, you may have the chance to spot some of these animals, like lions, leopards, hyenas, giraffes, zebras, impalas, waterbucks, bushbucks, sitatungas, Uganda kobs, warthogs, Oribi, elands, elephants, cape buffaloes, cheetahs, and others.
Although all these wild animals are not found in one National Park, you may have the chance to spot some of them while on a game drive. Since most game parks have dangerous wild animals whose way about may not be known to you, expect short calls only if with clearance from the ranger guide.
Launch Trips
In Uganda, launch trips are mainly known to two National Parks that is in Murchison Falls National park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. Ensure that your children are close to you during these trips because the water has wild animals like crocodiles, hippos, vipers, and others that may not favor the survival of the child when they slip and fall into the water.
Looking at the backs of either the River Nile in Murchison falls National park or the Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National park, you get to enjoy great features and wildlife. These banks are magnets to several Riverine birds too. Enjoy these relaxing moments with your family.
Chimpanzee trekking
The age limit for chimpanzee trekking is not for children below 12 years. This is because the nature of the adventure that requires some patience to get to the chimpanzee that keeps meandering in the forest. In addition, the chimpanzees tease at times which may not go well with a child below this age.
Pack the right chimpanzee trekking gears that even the participating children have to wear or apply. Take them through what to expect with chimpanzee trekking so that they are not so shocked on the ground.
Kibale National park has activities for children 12v years and below, so you do not have to worry about what they are to do while you are away. A professional ranger guide leads these with experience in how to take care of children.
Chimpanzee trekking in Uganda also happens in Kyambura gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kaniyo Pabidi Forest in Murchison falls National park, Ngamba chimpanzee Sanctuary Island, Uganda Wildlife Education Center, and others.
Gorilla trekking
The age limit for gorilla trekking in Uganda is 15 years and above, so your children can be part of this adventure as long as they are at this age.
You need to obtain gorilla permits for them and take them through what happened during gorilla trekking in case you have ever participated. Although the experience of gorilla trekking differs with different gorilla families you visit, there are some similarities that you can brief them about.
In Uganda, gorilla trekking is done from Bwindi impenetrable National park and Mgahinga National park. These are located in the southwestern corner of Uganda.
You need to either travel by road for about 8 to 9 hours, but the way is very scenic though the roads are dirty and bumpy as you proceed into the remote areas.
Birding in Uganda.
Birding may be a tricky adventure for children, but the grown-up children may enjoy this African safari. Uganda is one of the renowned African birding destinations hosting over 1000 bird species. So when you plan the best birding adventure in Uganda, you may have the chance to spot birds like kingfisher, shoe bill, robins, saddle bill storks, and others.
Some commonly known birding Uganda destinations include Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National park, Mpanga forest, Bwindi Impenetrable National park, Mgahinga National Park, Lake Bunyonyi, Mabamba swamp, botanical gardens in Entebbe, and others.
White water Rafting
You do not have to have the experience to participate in white water rafting in Uganda. However, with grown-up children, you can peddle through the tides of the River Nile on Itanda falls. There are experienced instructors to take you through all that you need to enjoy this adventure. Although there are different tides levels, you can select which ones are your most preferred with your family.
Others who do not participate can do kayaking, tubing, sightseeing on River Nile Banks, and much more.
Visit the Source Of the river Nile.
River Nile is the world’s longest river, but only some people can locate its source. You can visit the source of the River Nile, where all the drama of the course starts from. How River Nile water separates from Lake Victoria water leaves you wondering what may be happening beneath.
The calm lake Victoria water takes its one-way, whereas River Nile water violently starts its course. This incredible phenomenon is worth watching with children.
Nature Walks
Uganda is one of the still possible destinations where you can do nature walks because of its different vegetation zones and various forest dwellers. Children may spot monkeys, birds, various butterflies, plants, and others in this forest. They learn more about the ecosystems in the wilderness with your company. Some of the places where you can do nature walks with children in Uganda include the Mabira forest, Mpanga forest, Kibale forest, Maramagambo forest, and others.
Sport Fishing
Although fishing is limited to certain locations, you can still do it with your children; however, you must obtain a fishing permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority. Carrying your lures and fishing equipment is the best option. Some renowned fishing spots include Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda, Lake Victoria, and others.
You can still go fishing in the company of your children, but you have to hire a fishing boat and a boat captain.
Visit the Uganda Wildlife Education center.
Uganda Wildlife Education center is the former Entebbe Zoo. It is the summary of almost all wild animals living in the parks of Uganda. The animals in this park are kept in exhibits with an environment similar to that they live in a while in the wilderness. This center is home to animals like zebras, elephants, lions, leopards, ostriches, waterbucks, impalas, bushbucks, chimpanzees, cheetahs, and others.
Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to rescued chimpanzees that cannot return to their communities. Here some of the orphaned, saved from snares, homeless, abandoned chimpanzees find a home. You can feed the chimpanzee with your children from the visitor platform.
You must reserve a seat on the boat that departs Entebbe pia everyday, early morning shift and afternoon shift.
Uganda Cultural tour
Uganda is a multicultural country, and when you take a cultural tour with your children, they get to appreciate the life of other people outside their usual environment. For example, you can tour the Bulange Mengo administrative center for the Buganda Kingdom, Twekobe Mengo Palace, Kabaka’s artificial lake in Ndeeba, Karambi tombs for the fallen royals of the Tooro Kingdom, Bugembe Palace for the Busoga kingdom, and others.
When Is The Best Time To Do Uganda Safari With Children
Uganda is open for tourism year round, but the dry season is the most exciting. The weather in most Uganda destinations is favorable in the dry season, between June to September and December to January.
Most of the Uganda safari activities are done in the wilderness and open spaces, so weather factors must be considered if you travel with children.
Since most animals are in the wilderness, they get more visible during the dry seasons, and the grass is shorter too.
Even other national Park dwellers, like birds, butterflies, and others, are living a great to see.
The low seasons, however, come with a few people booking, so you have less stress reserving the services that makeup Uganda safaris.
Sometimes the low seasons come with discounted prices on services like accommodation, vehicle hire, driver guide fees, and much more. You can use these low prices to stay in an upgraded facility other than what you may have budgeted for.
How Safe Are Uganda Safaris with children
For some time, Uganda has enjoyed peace, so you can travel on Uganda safari with children. Most of the Uganda safari destinations have ranger guides who control activities and security details of these places. The rangers work with other Uganda security agencies to provide the best security to tourists and people around these destinations.
You also have to consider personal security and the children’s well-being during safari like
Please do not leave children unattended from your watch while on Uganda safari because they may get lost. In addition, most of Uganda’s destinations may be challenging to access, even on google.
There may be better ideas than eating street food if you wish to taste street food. In Case you want to taste Uganda’s local cuisine, ask your driver’s guide for the best spots. This is to prevent food poisoning.
Carry the right gear for your Uganda safari, especially those with specifications like gorilla and chimpanzee trekking, so the children are in the right place.
Never enter the forest without an escorting ranger guide or let children out in the park alone without an escorting ranger guide. In case you are in the game parks, some predators may cause them harm.
What Is The Cost of Uganda Safaris With Children
Some Uganda safari activities include buying gorilla trekking permits and chimpanzee permits, which are compulsory expenditures in the general safari costing. These costs, however, do not discriminate whether children or adults.
Other factors that also make up the total safari costs include
The number of people on safari.
The more people added to the Uganda Safari, the higher the universal cost but, the lower the price per person because, as a family, you can share some expenses like car hire, driver guide fees, and so much more.
The number of days on safari.
The more days you spend on safari, the higher the safari cost.
Most of the service providers charge per-day expenses. The cost of safari increases with the number of days you spend on your Uganda safari with your children
The more activities included in the Uganda safari, the higher the expenses. When you combine different activities, you need a well-tailored itinerary covering all you wish to do during your Uganda safari with the children.
Timing of Uganda safari with the children whereby the peak season may not favor children’s prices. Everyone is charged one cost for most services. The low season for Uganda safaris may sometimes attract discounted prices, including children’s fees.
What to pack for Uganda safari with children
Packing light but relevantly prevents you from having unnecessary bags that may inconvenience you and the people you travel with because of limited leg room.
A camera is necessary to take photographs of different features of Uganda’s safari activities.
Sunscreen because of the scorching sun sometimes, especially in the dry seasons.
Warm wear because it gets cold in the early mornings and late afternoons
Insect repellant
Encounter Africa Safaris
A team at Encounter Africa safaris is ready to customize your safari with children and family any time of the year. Kindly contact us via Whatsapp or email; we will send you detailed information and guidelines on proceeding.
