East Africa is a fantastic destination for a vacation, offering so many activities, places to explore, things to learn. Although you may feel that East Africa may not be a family-friendly destination, it has unique activities, and places for you to take your kids. 15 places you should see in East Africa before your kids are all grown up include:
- Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Nairobi, Kenya – This non-profit elephant sanctuary began operations in 1977. It is home to orphaned elephants that have been rescued. The sanctuary allows you to engage and interact with the elephants. Your kids will love feeding the baby elephants.
- Nairobi National Park, Nairobi, Kenya – The park is the heart and soul of Nairobi. Home to over 400 different bird species, you will also get to see the black rhino here. It is a great place to take your kids to explore nature and see exotic wildlife.
- Giraffe Center, Nairobi, Kenya – The Giraffe Center is another excellent place to encourage positive interactions between your kids and animals. The center provides a unique and thrilling opportunity to feed magnificent giraffes.
- Karura Forest, Nairobi, Kenya – The Karura Forest is a breathtaking place to take a nature walk with your kids. You can also go bird-watching or attend events happening in designated areas. You can also take your kids’ horse riding.
- Nairobi National Museum, Nairobi, Kenya – If you want to provide your kids with an educational experience about local culture, the Nairobi National Museum is perfect.
- Hell’s Gate National Park, Kenya – Although the name may not sound family-friendly, this is an amazing place to visit. The park has an abundant collection of wildlife and tracks where you can go cycling with your kids, and the activity is both engaging and fun.
- Nairobi Arboretum, Nairobi, Kenya – This is a massive park you can stroll through with your kids, and it is also home to many different species, including monkeys. There are also several spots where you can stop for picnics.
- Mto Wa Mbu, Tanzania – Mto Wa Mbu is a farming community where you can experience the local life of the residents with your kids. It is a cultural experience and an opportunity to teach your kids about diversity. You can go bike ride through the plantations.
- Arusha National Park, Tanzania – The Arusha National Park is an iconic place to visit for a fun-filled and safe safari with your kids.
- Zanzibar, Tanzania – Zanzibar is one of the most well-known islands in this region. The beaches in Zanzibar have many fun-filled water sports and activities you can do with your kids.
- Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania – Stone Town is a cultural and exotic journey of appreciating the unique history and beautiful colors of the locals. It is also a good place for your kids to shop for souvenirs to take back home.
- Flying Fox Sanctuary, Pemba, Tanzania – The Flying Fox Sanctuary is home to the indigenous Pemba Flying Fox, a large bat species only found in this region. The sanctuary is home to over 35,000 bats.
- Jozani Sea Turtle Sanctuary, Zanzibar, Tanzania – If your family loves turtles, this will be an experience of a lifetime. The sanctuary
- Mnarani Marine Turtles Conservation Pond, Nungwi, Zanzibar, Tanzania – Located at a natural tidal pool, this organization is dedicated to helping and saving turtles that are accidentally caught in fishermen’s nets. They are raised here until they are ready to be returned to their natural habitats. Your kids will love feeding and interacting with the varity of turtles at the conservation.
- Zanzibar Butterfly Center, Zanzibar, Tanzania – This beautiful center is home to various indigenious butterfly species. You can walk through the center and be mesmerized by the beautiful collection of butterflies. Furthermore, you can also see the butterflies in different stages of their lifecycle as well.
These are only 15 of the many unique activities you can do with your kids in East Africa. Dodoma, Tanzania’s national capital, is a great city to explore with your kids as well. To learn more about this majestic city, read 5 Best Things to do in Dodoma.
