Updated 15 October 2026

A wildlife journal turns a Uganda safari into something children actively notice rather than just watch through a window. All they need is a small notebook, pencils and a simple routine: record what they saw, where and when, what it was doing, a quick sketch, and one question. Game drives, boat trips and nature walks give younger children plenty to record, and teenagers aged 15 and over can add the gorilla trek itself. Here is how to set one up and keep it going through the trip.

What to pack

Choose a notebook of A5 size or smaller, with a hard cover and plain or lightly lined pages so it works for both drawing and writing. Forest mornings in Bwindi and Kibale are damp, so a water-resistant notebook, such as the “all-weather” type used by surveyors, or a zip-lock bag for an ordinary one, saves a lot of frustration. Pencils work better than pens in damp conditions; pack several, a small sharpener, an eraser and a few coloured pencils. A cheap pair of children’s binoculars makes birds and monkeys much more interesting.

A simple page routine

An open instruction to “write about your day” quickly becomes a chore. A fixed routine is easier. At the top of each entry, note the date, place and weather. Then record each sighting: what it was, how many, what it was doing, and anything surprising. Add one sketch, however rough, and one question, such as “Why do elephants flap their ears?” or “Where do the monkeys sleep?” Younger children can draw and dictate while a parent writes; older children can do it all themselves.

Keep a running species list on the back pages, split into mammals, birds, reptiles and plants, and let children tick off new species each day. A good East African bird or mammal field guide helps older children identify things themselves, which is far more satisfying than being told the answer. See our guide to Bwindi’s birds.

Where children can observe

Children under 15 cannot join a gorilla trek, but a family safari offers plenty of material. Game drives in Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls bring elephants, buffalo, antelope and lions; boat trips on the Kazinga Channel or the Nile give close views of hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds. Forest edges, lodge gardens and community walks near Bwindi are full of monkeys, sunbirds, butterflies and chameleons, and the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre in Entebbe is a good first entry. See our guide to gorilla trekking with kids.

Sketching, especially for teenagers

Drawing makes children look properly: the shape of a hornbill’s casque, how a baboon sits, the pattern on a butterfly’s wing. Encourage quick outline sketches of a minute or two, with labels and arrows, rather than finished art. For teenagers on the gorilla trek, a few minutes of sketching during the hour, or a drawing from memory that evening, often fixes the encounter in memory better than another 50 photos. Keep notebooks quiet and close to the body near the gorillas, and follow the ranger’s instructions. See our guide to taking teenagers gorilla trekking.

Making questions count

The question list is the most valuable part of the journal. Guides, rangers and lodge naturalists in Uganda are usually happy to answer, so encourage children to ask one question a day and write down the answer. Unanswered questions become a research list for home. Children with a parent’s help can also upload photos to iNaturalist, a free citizen-science app, where sightings are identified by other users and contribute to wildlife records.

After the trip

Add tickets, a pressed leaf from a lodge garden (never from inside a national park), maps and a few printed photos to finish the journal at home. A short school presentation built from the journal is a natural next step, and keeping a garden or park journal at home keeps the habit going. For more ideas, see our guide to conservation games and activities for children.

Frequently asked questions