Top 7 Main Recommended Things To Do With Kids On A Uganda Safari : When doing a safari in Africa, especially Uganda, with kids in tow, the schedule needs to be well-planned and include kid-friendly activities. Age restrictions apply to several activities in Uganda, including gorilla trekking (15 years and older), chimpanzee trekking (12 years and older), and many other activities.

Uganda is a popular location for ecotourism, and the nation’s conservation efforts aim to promote sustainable tourism. When you plan a safari in Uganda with children, you’re introducing them to the idea of protecting wildlife in order to promote sustainable tourism. They might witness the wild creatures in the wild that they have studied about in class. It’s a chance for kids to create lifelong memories on their safari vacation.
The majority of safari activities in Uganda are associated with national parks, which may include extended periods of driving. If you’re planning an itinerary upcountry, you should think about whether the kids can handle the long, dusty, bumpy, or slippery roads.
Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Kibale National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Jinja Source of the Nile and white-water rafting, and Sese Island in Lake Victoria, to name a few, are some of the safari locations in Uganda where a family can enjoy a vacation.
HIGHLIGHTS OF 7 THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS ON THE UGANDA SAFARI
- Game drives in Uganda
- Boat trips
- Gorilla Trekking
- Chimpanzee trekking
- Visit Sese Island.
- Whitewater Rafting and the Source of the Nile
- Uganda Wildlife Education Center, Entebbe
Game drives with kids on the Uganda safari
Uganda is home to a diverse range of wild creatures that inhabit its various regions. They are protected by the government in ten national parks in Uganda. You can take a game drive through the park’s tracks in the early morning with your kids.
Herds of elephants, giraffes, waterbucks, bushbucks, and Uganda Kobs, zebras, warthogs, cheetahs, lions, aardwolf leopards, hartebeests, rhinos, and other creatures are among those you might get to see. Certain creatures are common to live in specific parks; however, not all animals may be found in one.
For youngsters, it’s fancy to rent a car with enough window seats for everyone or with a porch or pop-up roof for more viewing. For the protection of the kids, make sure they never extend their arms or legs out of the car window. The presence of predators in the woods may make it impossible to have brief call breaks during game drives.
All safari guests should be instructed to speak quietly to avoid frightening the wild animals and to get the finest viewing experience of the wildlife. Game drives are a chance activity, though, as unfamiliar noise drives some of these creatures into hiding and prevents you from seeing them.
A Boat Trip with Kids Uganda Safari
The boat rides are the most breathtaking parts of Uganda safaris to places like Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. You can observe wildlife feeding from the riverbanks or the shores of the Kazinga Channel while you’re with the kids.
Children may be able to identify a variety of birds that find refuge on the marshy banks if they have any information about them. A rainbow may appear in front of your eyes during the Murchison Falls Nation Park Boat Tour on a clear day as the powerful River Nile squeaks past a small bend, explodes, and cascades over a 43-meter-high rock. Enjoying this wonderful moment as a family is really wonderful.
On a clear day, you might be able to view the snowcapped Rwenzori peak from the Kazinga Channel Boat excursion. Children study many landforms in school, and while on safari at Queen Elizabeth National Park, they can witness the Rwenzori Mountain, the Rift Valley, and other features.
While there are opportunities to rent a private boat during a Uganda safari, the Uganda Wildlife Authority can make arrangements for some public boat trips. There are large Nile crocodiles, hippos, and vipers in the water, so keep an eye on the kids during the boat ride to make sure they don’t fall in.
Gorilla Trekking with Kids on the Uganda Safari
Although gorilla trekking requires participants to be at least 15 years old, children as young as 15 are still regarded as minors in Uganda, where the adult age is 18. For the kids, you need to get a gorilla trekking permit, which presently costs $700 per person per day. The only places in Uganda where one can do gorilla trekking are Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park.
Make sure you get ready for gorilla trekking well in advance by purchasing the appropriate equipment, exercising to stay in shape for the hikes and lengthy forest excursions, and providing participants with instructions on what to do and anticipate throughout the experience to get their brains ready for an exciting safari that includes gorilla trekking.
It takes an undetermined amount of time to undertake gorilla trekking; therefore, perseverance and patience are needed, especially when you have to go up the slopes in order to find the mountain gorillas. Even the discipline for trekking with gorillas is different; to avoid appearing suspicious, you must maintain your composure in front of the gorillas.
Children are fascinated by the various endearing primates in the environment, such as the grey-cheeked mangabey, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and black-and-white colobus, but they must learn impulse control.
Give the entire strategy to 15-year-olds since they have strong opinions on what should be done. Make them feel included in the planning process by including them in the preparations for this African adventure vacation.
Chimpanzee Trekking with Kids in Uganda
In Uganda, chimpanzee trekking is restricted to those who are 12 years of age or older. Should you want to go chimpanzee trekking with children, keep in mind that they will require a chimpanzee trekking permit.
In the animal kingdom, chimpanzees are the closest cousins to humans. Their DNA is almost 98% identical to that of humans. They are governed by an alpha male community leader. Although they usually eat just vegetables, they occasionally eat monkeys when food is scarce.
In contrast to gorilla trekking, which may involve hiking up steep terrain, chimpanzee habitats are primarily flat in topography. You must be aware of contagious illnesses like the flu and the Corona virus, which can infect chimpanzees.
Kibale National Park, Kaniyo Pavi in Murchison Falls National Park, Kyambura Gorge in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Lake Victoria, and other locations are among the places in Uganda where one may go chimpanzee trekking.
While their parents go chimpanzee trekking in Kibale National Park, children under the age of twelve can participate in children’s environmental activities there. They identify monkeys, birds, trees, butterflies, and other forest creatures by going on little treks in the forest. They do games, such as cyanotype photography, batik making, and pond dipping, that teach students about nature.

Children get a peek at what chimps do in the wild, where they might not be permitted to go due to age, when they visit Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary Island in Koome. You need a boat to travel to the island. As soon as you arrive, you can assist with caring for the chimpanzee, feeding it from the visiting platform, and much more.
These chimpanzees were freed from captivity; many had been taken from poachers and traffickers, while others had been left behind by their families and were unable to rejoin their communities.
Sese Island family visit to Uganda
Sese Island is a peaceful place within Lake Victoria where your family can spend quality time together without too much interruption. You must reserve a ferry, private boat, or charter in order to travel there.
Activities available on this island includes: swimming in the crystal-clear water, strolling along the beach, going on a guided nature walk through the forest, visiting the fishing village, and touring the palm tour gardens and factories to name a few.
Whitewater Rafting and the Source of the Nile
Family whitewater rafting on the Nile is an exciting experience. Since there are teachers on hand to walk you through every step, prior expertise is not required. There are devices available to keep you from falling. All you have to do is keep selling and have fun throughout. This is a fun family outing.
If that’s not your thing, you can float or kayak the Nile River. For those with courage, it’s an adventure worth taking on despite its high level of adrenaline.
See the point at which the water of the Nile abruptly splits from the water of Lake Victoria to continue its journey through Egypt and into the Mediterranean Sea. It is up to you to decide as a family where to halt because different portions of Itanda Falls have varied tide levels.
Uganda Wildlife Education Center, Entebbe
Uganda’s fauna is summed up in the Uganda Fauna Education Center (UWEC), formerly known as the Entebbe Zoo. Instead of being kept in cages, wild animals are housed in displays that closely resemble the natural habitat in which they reside.
There are two options for exploring the center: taking a guided tour or using the designated paths. Youngsters can witness chimpanzees that they might not have been permitted to view in the wild. As suggested by the center’s administrators, family members can schedule close time with the chimpanzees or provide care for them during the day.
Animals in the facility include chimpanzees, lions, cheetahs, water bucks, elephants, rhinos, and leopards. There are also many different kinds of birds, such as shoebills, parrots, zebras, vipers, crocodiles, ostriches, and giraffes.
WHAT TO PACK FOR A UGANDA SAFARI WITH KIDS?
Make sure you bring only essential items, especially if you’re going on a safari with kids. Traveling with children may often be difficult for parents due to their unpredictable mood swings. When preparing the bags for use in the wilderness, away from their normal surroundings, only remember to be exact and accurate. Here are some of the packing lists for your Uganda safari with kids:
- Safari attire in natural hues that blend well with the environment, such as brown or khaki, stinging insects like Tsetse flies may bite you if you wear hues like blue, white, or black.
- To keep stinging insects away in the wild, use insect repellent.
- First aid supplies in case someone becomes ill or is hurt while on safari
- Energy bits are a great snack, especially when the kids are involved, because they get hungry quickly, get agitated, and might bother you.
- Use sunblock to protect your body from sunburns, especially when lounging by the pool.
- Foldable safari hats to cover your hair and shield your head from flying insects in the outdoors.
- a camera to record unforgettable safari moments that the family might look back on when they return home. On safari, making family memories is an experience of a lifetime.
- Wear pajamas at night because it gets really chilly at night and in the morning when you’re at the park.
- A small amount of cash to buy personal goods.
- Put on flip-flops and safari boots to shield your feet from invading insects.
- a poncho or sweatshirt to keep you warm on late-night or early-morning game drives.
- Even though most lodges have toiletries, it’s recommended to use what you and your group find most comfortable to prevent skin irritations.
- A lightweight bag to store your stuff, especially any items the kids might need when exploring nature beyond the resort.
- In case you need to recharge your devices, bring along a travel adaptor and charger.
- a computer or tablet loaded with safari games to occupy the kids while you attend to things in which they are not permitted.
- a set of binoculars to see some of the far-off sights in the forest, such as birds, monkeys, and chimpanzees that hide up in the treetops during particularly rainy seasons.
- Safari boots which are developed in particular for activities such as excursions in the forest, trekking with chimpanzees, and gorillas in Uganda. They ought to be cozy enough to sustain you in the backcountry.
