Go To Africa Safaris
Go to Africa Safaris built this 4 day itinerary for families traveling with teenagers aged fifteen and older, the minimum age set for gorilla trekking. Rather than working around that limit, this package is planned specifically for it. You trek gorillas together as a family, stay in family sized lodges with connecting rooms, and take part in ranger talks designed to hold the interest of young adults.
We know that traveling with teenagers takes a different kind of planning than a standard safari. This itinerary balances real adventure with genuine comfort. The pace suits young adults, the activities are engaging and educational, and the accommodation gives every member of the family their own space.
This safari runs four days and three nights, starting and ending in Kampala or Kigali.
A rest day follows the trek, giving the family time to process the experience before heading home. The educational activities are built around young adults, and the schedule leaves room for questions and reflection along the way.
Included in this package: one gorilla trekking permit per family member, one guided nature walk, and one ranger talk.
Your family is collected from your hotel in Kampala or Kigali in a private 4×4, and your guide drives southwest toward Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The journey runs eight to ten hours from Kampala, or four to five hours from Kigali.
A lunch stop along the way is chosen with families in mind, and your guide fills the drive with stories about Ugandan culture and wildlife. It is a long day on the road, but the scenery makes it worthwhile.
You reach your family lodge in the late afternoon, with family rooms or connecting rooms available. Check in, settle in, and enjoy dinner, followed by a full family briefing on tomorrow’s trek, with a separate orientation for the younger members of the group.
This is the heart of your safari. The family wakes early, has breakfast, and drives to park headquarters for registration and briefing by 7:00 AM, with the ranger explaining the rules in a way that speaks directly to young adults.
Your family is assigned to a gorilla family that matches your combined fitness levels, with easier treks given to groups that include younger members. Your ranger led group then drives to the trailhead.
The hike takes the family through the forest together, lasting anywhere from thirty minutes to four hours, with the ranger pointing out plants, birds, and monkey species along the way. It becomes as much a lesson in the forest as a trek through it.
Once you find the gorillas, you get a full hour with them, watching them feed, play, groom, and rest while the silverback looks on calmly. It is a moment your children will carry with them long after the trip ends.
Afterward, the family hikes back to the trailhead and your driver returns everyone to the lodge to rest and swap stories over dinner.
This day is built around rest and learning. After breakfast, the family sets out on a gentle nature walk along the waterfall trail, a well maintained path that takes about two hours and ends at a waterfall thirty meters high, with a pool below that is perfect for a swim.
In the afternoon, a park ranger gives your family a dedicated talk covering gorilla conservation, the importance of the forest, and the work of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, with plenty of room for your children to ask questions. It adds real depth to what the family experienced on the trek.
After the talk, the family heads back to the lodge for dinner and an evening of games, and some lodges offer board games or a movie night to round out the day.
On your final morning, breakfast is at the lodge before your guide drives the family back to Kampala or Kigali, arriving in the afternoon or early evening. You are dropped at your hotel or the airport for your departure flight.
If time allows, a stop at the Equator offers photos and a short science demonstration, and your guide is happy to accommodate other reasonable requests along the way.
What is not included: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, tips for guides and porters, alcoholic drinks, laundry, and personal items.
We recommend comprehensive travel insurance for every member of the family.
Gorilla trekking has a strict minimum age of fifteen years, enforced by the Uganda Wildlife Authority with no exceptions, even for mature children. This itinerary is built around families with teenagers who meet that requirement.
For younger children, nature walks and community visits make a better fit than gorilla trekking. Go to Africa Safaris can arrange alternative activities for siblings who are not yet old enough to trek.
Teenagers should go in physically prepared, since the terrain is steep and can be muddy. It is worth having an honest conversation with your children about the challenge ahead. Most teenagers meet it head on.
Pricing depends on family size and your choice of accommodation. Children aged fifteen to seventeen pay the same permit price as adults. Get in touch for a custom quote based on your family’s needs.
Your gorilla permits are included in the price, billed at the official permit rates with no markup added.
To book, we will need each family member’s full name as it appears on their passport, along with passport numbers, nationalities, and preferred travel dates. A deposit secures your permits.
This safari runs year round. The dry seasons, June through September and December through February, offer the easiest trekking conditions for young adults, and they often line up with school holidays in many countries, which makes them a popular window for family travel.
The wet season brings lower prices and greener landscapes. Whatever the season, planning around your children’s school break tends to matter more than the weather itself.
This itinerary is built specifically for families traveling with teenagers, with a pace that fits, accommodation that gives everyone room to breathe, and educational activities that keep young adults genuinely engaged.
Go to Africa Safaris has real experience guiding families through Uganda, and we know how to keep teenagers interested and excited throughout. We manage the logistics so you can stay focused on your family.
An unforgettable trip for parents and teenagers together, built around the day your children look into the eyes of a mountain gorilla.
