A Family Safari with Children means enriching cultural encounters that will never be forgotten
An African Family Safari is more than Wildlife, Adventure, Excitement – it can be a time of cultural interaction that will enhance your time in Uganda
Family Safaris with Children – Cultural Encounters in Uganda -When one thinks of an African Safari – images of wildlife, exotic scenery, starlit nights, equatorial sun come to the mind of most. An African Family Safari with Kabiza Wilderness Safaris is more than a wildlife safari, more rafting on a family float down the River Nile, or learning how to fish on a sandy beach island on Lake Victoria. A family safari with children is also a time of teaching, cultural encounters, learning the ways, thoughts, stories, traditions of other cultures found in Uganda – the Pearl of Africa.
Into most Family Safaris with children we blend those enriching cultural encounters where you or your children learn ways, traditions unknown. Those encounters prove to be some of the most exciting times on a safari visit to Uganda.
The very word Safari means journey. A safari is not only an outer journey but an inner journey and your children will learn the ways of traditions of the people Uganda’s various people groups. Uganda can teach your children and your children can teach Ugandan children. Below you will find some ways and places where you can children can interact, learn, grow, become and certainly remember for years to come. There are many more places the below is sample a cross-country sample. Some of the activities may not be just right for your children due to their age.
Family Safaris with Children – Cultural Encounters in Uganda:
Sosolya Undungu Dance Academy in Kampala: A time with Sosolya Undungu Dance group – simply amazing children who are attempting to improve their lives and ways by keeping the African cultural ways alive. Most are kids born into slums, poor villages and they giving their all to break the cycle of poverty. The children have been featured in the local press and on local TV, some of them even won a trip to the Toronto Drumming Festival in 2012. Here at Sosolya Undungu Dance Academy your children will not only meet Ugandan Children, but your children can learn how to dance and drum African style, or even the large, wooden xylophone. It is an amazing half-day that will not be forgotten soon.
A visit to the Sosolya Children Dance and Music Academy can be easily added into your safari itinerary especially during your first or last day on Safari
Boomu Women’s Group Village near Murchison Falls Park: Here your children and you learn the ways and what life is like in and African Village without running water, without electricity, no TV, no Internet…just the ways of old where life is an everyday struggle to survive. Meet the children in a school, learn how to tend an African Garden, prepare food over an open fire, listen to the storyteller tell the ancient tales of old. You and your children will learn how to work a loom, make baskets by hand, fetch water. You can actually stay overnight in an African Banda (hut) that is covered with thatched grass, water is brought to you for a bucket shower, and you help cook the meals. Now that is an experience to write home about.
The Village Walk or Stay can be added as you visit Murchison Falls National Park – it can be added on first or last day of time in Murchison Falls National Park.
Ruboni Village in the Foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon:
Ruboni Village is a most amazing place and here there will be lots of interaction-you can stay with your family in a cottage or a nearby up-market lodge – either way there will be lots of interaction with the local community – the Bakonzo People – the keepers of the Mountains of the Moon – here you and your children can explore the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon along with some great cultural interactions such as forest walk in the shadows of the tallest mountain Range in Africa, mountains taller than the majestic Alps of Europe – the Rwenzori Mountain. Here you children and you can learn how to fish with their hands, walk in a forest with monkeys and birds and visit the village where they will meet a storyteller, a traditional healer, craft-making, can take dancing and drumming lesson, traditional cooking, meet the children and be entertained by a children’s dance group that your children can join.
The Ruboni Community Village is best visited while on the way to or from Queen Elizabeth Park. You can stay overnight either in the Village or in up-market accommodation.
The Batwa People Of Uganda: The original people of the Forest: You will find Batwa Communities in South-Western Uganda around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest –The Batwa people were the original people of the forest – they are pygmy communities and take you and your family on walks into their beloved forests where they used to hunt and gather leaving a small imprint of their presence. Your children will learn how to gather honey, medicine, food, fruits and even give the bow and arrow a try. See how they lived in grass-huts and tree-houses, caves. At the end of the walk you are greeted by a celebratory dance by the community. This is not only an interactive learning time for children but for the whole family. Times of the walk are between three and five hours depending on the location you have chosen or are near.
A Forest Walk with the Batwa people for your family can be taken in Buhoma, in Buniga Forest and at Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Another Family Safaris with Children – Cultural Encounters in Uganda.
Buhoma Village Walk or Family Bike Ride: Take a guided village walk and visit a school and meet the children and teachers when school is in session. See a traditional healer at work preparing various medications from herbs, roots, berries. Observe beer-making, blacksmith at Nkuringo if you are taking a village walk there. See how gardening is done in an African Village, arts and crafts being prepared for sale. You and your children see what village-life is like in Africa. Instead of a guided walk, you can take a village bike-ride with guide and travel to the various spots in the village on a bike. Smaller bikes are available for children. The bike ride village visit is also about two hours plus in the length and like the walk a time of cultural interaction. When you meet people on this walk or any other cultural encounters have some pictures from home with you, Ugandans will always enjoy to see where you come from.
Village Walks while at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest can be taken in Buhoma, Bwindi and also in the Ruhija area of the park.
If you have questions about Family Safaris with Children – Cultural Encounters in Uganda – please contact us.
