February 21st, 2018 | Updated on April 22nd, 2024
Family vacations are no longer about loading the kids in the car and heading to the nearest beach. Today’s families are looking to stretch their imaginations, sharing their passion for travel with their loved ones.
Many travelers taking safaris in Uganda travel with their families! Here are some destinations that will create lasting memories and some destinations are even fit for young kids of all ages that will as well be exciting to them and the parents, either a single or both parents.
1. Uganda wildlife education Centre
This is also known as the Entebbe zoo and is located along the Lake Victoria shoreline in Entebbe. This is a good place to visit for a family trip more so if the family has kids. You will be talk about different animals, their behaviors and how they live their lives while in the wild. You will also learn about conservation and its benefits of which this makes it so beneficial for kids learning. You will see some animals in cages like lions, giraffes, chimpanzee, snakes among others.
2. Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary
The island is located in Lake Victoria and to reach there, you will have to take a boat from Entebbe. The sanctuary is managed by Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust which is an NGO. The sanctuary is a home for 49 orphaned chimps that have been rescued from all over the country.
Children below 12 years are not allowed to trek chimps in forests and national parks. But in Ngamba Island they are able to see chimpanzees. A family with kids below 12 years in Uganda can take a trip to Ngamba islands where they are able to see these great apes together.
3. Kalangala islands
These islands are in Lake Victoria and you can reach the island from Entebbe by ferry or else by road from Masaka. The islands have beautiful beaches where you can relax and play. The islands also have good resorts and hotels that offer good services and atmosphere for clients who travel with their children. It’s a spectacular and beautiful place to get away to.
4. Murchison falls national park
Murchison falls national falls offers a lot for those taking a family trip. You will be able to either take a morning or evening game drive in the park where you will expect to sport various animal species like elephants, lions, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests, giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, kobs, among others. Bird species like secretary birds. You will also take a boat cruise on the victoria Nile to the bottom or top of the Murchison falls, this ride will take you around 3 hours and this will give you chance to see some hippos, buffaloes and various species of water birds. It also has various accommodation facilities that provide services to clients on family trips.
5. Queen Elizabeth national park
Queen Elizabeth national park has attractions and activities that can be done by tourists on a family trip. You will do a game drive around the park where by you will expect to see animals like buffaloes, elephants, lions, kobs, waterbucks, lions among others. You will also take a boat cruise on the Kazinga channel where you will see buffaloes on the shores, hippos, and various water birds. You will also visit the Katwe salt late and you will be lectured about the salt mining process. There are accommodation facilities that offer better services to their clients.
6. Lake Mburo national park
This park is also a good get away for a family trip; it has various big land mammals like elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, some antelopes, hippos and birds species. You will be able to take a boat trip on Lake Mburo where the park derives its name.
You might as well take a horse ride around the park, the activity that is managed by Mihingo lodge which is located within the park. This activity can also be done by kids which makes it a good destination for a family trip that includes kids below 10 years.
7. Entebbe botanical gardens
Entebbe botanical gardens are a place for birders since it has various bird species to see. But it has a cool environment for a family picnic, camping, mind relaxing since the place is far from the noise in town. It also has a wide and safe environment for kids to play.
8. Boat cruise on river Nile
A river cruise is the perfect way to enjoy a few relaxing hours on river Nile. There are various service providers in Jinja who provide a variety of cruises depending on your choice and explore the beginning of the longest river in the world. They offer services ranging from small to large groups as well as family boat trips. A boat trip on the longest river with your family is so exciting and fun. This is one of the activities tourists on their Ugandan family trip do.
9. Camping along river Nile in Jinja
This is the most exciting of all with the beautiful surrounding of the vegetation and the Nile waters. Camping with your family is along river Nile is one of the best activities for a family to engage in. the Jinja section of river Nile is one of the safer water bodies areas with no hippos or crocodiles. With this you will get a chance to fish and eat your catch and you can as well swim in the Nile water.
10. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
This sanctuary is located a short distance from Murchison falls national park. You can drive to Ziwa rhino sanctuary with your family and track these endangered species of mammals. The activity will take you around 4 hours and you will be accompanied by an armed guide so, in case the family has young children, they will be safe.
You can also take a nature walk. It is possible to spend the day hiking in the wilderness of the sanctuary. You might get to see animals such as the grey duiker, bushbuck, Oribi, waterbuck, reedbuck, vervet monkeys, black and white Colobus, hartebeest, mongoose, ground squirrels and various reptiles such as large monitor lizards, butterflies and some very interesting insects.
11. Bigodi Wetlands Sanctuary
This is located in Kibale Forest National Park (home of chimps) in Kamwenge district. Since kids below 12 years are not allowed to track chimps, they can as well take a simple walk to Bigodi wetlands sanctuary where you will see some bird species like the shoe bill, papyrus gonolek. Along the walk, you will expect to see some monkeys.
Under taking this activity is a way of giving back to the community because the money got from the project is used to create some infrastructure for the community.
