Best safari activities for children visiting Uganda
Best safari activities for children visiting Uganda : There is a variety of activities that children of different ages visiting Uganda can engage in across the destinations in the country.
Children above the age of 15 years can engage in activities such as;
- Gorilla trekking
In Uganda, gorilla trekking can be done by children above the age of 15 years and the activity takes place in Bwindi national park and in Mgahinga national park.
Gorilla trekking in Uganda is an activity which involves visiting the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat, watching them closely and spending time with them.
Gorilla permits are required for children above the age of 15 years to engage in gorilla trekking and they cost 800 USD for foreign nonresidents, 700 USD for foreign residents and 300,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
- Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is another activity which can be done by children above the age of 15 years visiting Uganda. During this activity, children watch the chimpanzees closely in the forests and spend time with them.
Destinations where chimpanzee trekking can be done by children in Uganda include Kibale forest national park, Budongo forest and the Kyambura gorge. Chimpanzee trekking permits cost 250 USD for Kibale national park, 100 USD for Kyambura gorge and about 130 USD for Budongo forest.
- Golden monkey trekking
Golden monkey trekking is also done by children above the age of 15 years visiting Uganda and it takes place in Mgahinga national park.
During this activity,, the children search for the golden monkeys in their natural habitat which takes about 4 hours and they spend 1 hour in the presence of the golden monkeys and enjoy watching them closely.
- Hiking
Another activity which children above the age of 15 years can engage in during safaris in Uganda is hiking.
The hikes can be done in different destinations in Uganda such as the Rwenzori mountains, Mount Elgon, Sipi falls among others.
Children below the age of 15 years can engage in activities which include the following when visiting Uganda;
- Game drives
Children of different ages visiting Uganda can engage in game drives around different national parks such as Murchison falls national park, Queen Elizabeth national park, Lake Mburo national park, Kidepo valley national park among others.
The game drives can be done in the morning, afternoon and night around Uganda in search of the different wildlife species. Some of the wildlife species which can be seen during game drives include elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos, waterbucks, impalas, zebras, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, cheetahs, warthogs, topi, Uganda kobs, elands, bushbucks among others.
Children can also enjoy a big five safari experience and look out for elephants, lions, leopards and buffalos and visit the Zziwa rhino sanctuary to see the rhinos.
To visit the national parks and engage in game drives in Uganda, children are charged park entrance fees. Children below the age of 5 years do not pay park entrance fees around the national parks.
- Nature walks
Children on safari in Uganda can also enjoy guided nature walks around the different national parks in the country.
During the nature walks, the children get to learn more about their surroundings and get closer to nature and also see different wildlife and bird species. Forest walks can also be done by children and this activity takes place in the morning and in the afternoon.
Ranger guides move with the children during the nature walks in Uganda as they explore the wilderness on foot following different paths and seeing many attractions.
- Boat rides
Children on safari in Uganda can also enjoy boat rides in the morning and afternoon around different locations around the country.
Some of the destinations which children can visit and enjoy boat rides include the source of the Nile in Jinja, Lake Victoria, boat rides to the bottom of Murchison falls, boat tours on the Kazinga channel in Queen Elizabeth national park among others.
In national parks such as Lake Mburo national park, Murchison falls national park and Queen Elizabeth national park where children can enjoy the boat rides, they also get to see different wildlife species by the shores like elephants, buffalos, crocodiles, hippos and also various bird species.
- Birding
Spotting different bird species around Uganda is another exciting experience which children can enjoy during their safaris.
Children can carry their binoculars to see the different bird species as they engage in the birding safaris in Uganda. Some of the birds which can be seen include the Saddle billed Storks, Ostriches, Black-headed Heron, African Finfoot, Black Kite, White backed Night Heron, Yellow Billed Barbet, Eagles, Cormorants, Marabou Storks, Black bee-eater, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Shoebill Stork, Handsome Francolin, African Green Broadbill, African Fish Eagle, Grey Crowned Crane among others.
There are different places for children to engage in bird watching in Uganda and they include forests, national parks, wetlands among others.
- Visiting the Uganda Wildlife Education center
The Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) which is also known as the Entebbe zoo is among the best places for children to visit in Uganda.
At UWEC, children can see the various wildlife species found in Uganda and also see different birds and are accompanied by guides who tell them more about the animals. Children can also enjoy the behind the scenes experience when visiting the zoo.
Schools also organize trips to the Uganda Wildlife Education Center for children to enjoy seeing the animals such as tigers, lions, zebras, elephants, chimpanzees, waterbucks, bushbucks, impalas among others closely.
- Cultural tours
Children can also experience the beautiful and diverse culture of Uganda as they take part in cultural tours during their safaris.
During the cultural experience, children can visit the Kabaka’s palace and learn about the Buganda kingdom, learn about local food and how it is cooked, enjoy traditional dance performances, listen to stories.
The cultural tours can also involve visiting the Uganda museum where different cultural items are displayed and they can learn about the history of Uganda.
