Things to do in Entebbe

Entebbe is the main gateway of Uganda to the world, set in a lush green environment along the northern lakeshores of Africa’s biggest inland sea – Lake Victoria. This historic town hosts Uganda’s only international airport, boasts a serene tropical environment, quiet streets, variety of hotels and guesthouses making it a perfect base for tourists and visitors set to explore Uganda’s attractions far inland and beyond. Entebbe town lies only 40 km south of the capital city Kampala and a home to Uganda’s international airport.

Entebbe is a destination in its own right offering a wide range of adventures activities and attraction that can be easily explored from just 2-hrs to full-day tours.

Read on…

Things to do and Attractions in Entebbe

Often overlooked and treated as a base to explore Uganda’s mega attractions in the countryside, Entebbe offers a variety of day to multi day tours where one can explore a diversity of attractions within and around this historic town. These include;

  • Shoebill birding at Mabamba Wetlands

Only lying 1hr drive rast of Entebbe, Mabamba wetlands is a perfect outing where you explore these vast mashes for the prehistoric Shoebill. To birders and enthusiasts, Mabamba wetlands offers a reliable chances to encounter the Shoebill in its native habitat. Mabamba wetland is a popular birding hotspot set along the shallow marshy bay on the northern shores of Lake Victoria just an hour and half drive east of Entebbe. A quicker alternative to day travelers from Entebbe is a 40 min boat ride that lead you straight into the marshland of Mabamba where you meet the community guides to begin the Shoebill birding excursion.

The 2-3 hour Shoebill birding experience is carried out on motorized canoes across a maze of channels to the interior of the vast marshland of Mabamba. The Shoebill occurs in the secluded sections of this marsh where individuals and sometimes pairs are encountered stalking almost motionless for lungfish and other crustaceans abundant here. It’s this motionless stalking hunting technique that has earned this species a name “statue”.

Dedicated birdwatchers coming here, will also look out for wetland specialists including the beautiful Papyrus Gonolek, the dashing and quick Lesser Jacana, Carruthers’ Cisticola, the skulking White-winged Swamp Warbler, the Northern Brown-throated Weaver, the Blue-breasted Bee-eater and other good species.

  • Go birding at Lutembe Bay

Even closer to the town Entebbe is the Ramsar Site and an Important Bird Area of Lutembe. This extensive marsh, lies some 20km north of Entebbe and the best place to see visiting Palearctic migrants between September-April including up to a million White-winged Terns, thousands of Whiskered Terns, Slender-billed Gulls, several Sandpipers species while local waders include Grey-headed Gull, Grey Heron, Spur-winged Goose, African Marsh Harrier and more.

Knob-billed Duck at Lutembe Ramsar Site

  • Explore the Entebbe Botanical Gardens

Established in 1898 as the first agricultural research unit, the excellent botanical gardens provides a quick exposure tour to not only Uganda’s rich botanical diversity but also a seed bank with over 5000 seed specimens preserved here. Of interest to visitors is a wide variety of local herbs and medicinal varieties that are used by the locals across Uganda.

The layout of these gardens reflects and portrays the rich Ugandan biodiversity of habitats consisting of rainforests, savanna woodlands, tropical forests,open water and  wetlands.

Entebbe botanical gardens are Uganda’s prime birding spot with a stunning checklist of over 200 species, a mere fraction of the country’s rich avian biodiversity. The 1.5km Lake Victoria shore line is patrolled by various migrant and local waders plus pairs of Nile Monitor while resident primates in the gardens include Guereza, Vervet and Red-tailed Monkeys. Knowledgeable site guides are available at the reception and share extensive knowledge on medicinal plants and avian biodiversity here.

  • Visit the Chimpanzee Island of Ngamba

For visitors in Entebbe with short time to travel to the far western Uganda to trek along the chimpanzee in their tropical forest homes, a day trip to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary Island offers an incredible expereince. Ngamba Island sits some 23km off Entebbe mainland and reached by speed boat for 45-60 mins. Ngamba hosts a chimpanzee population of up to 52 individuals composed mainly of rescued individuals from pet traders across the region.

Booked tours to the islandfall on either half/full day program that coincide with supplementary feeding schedules of chimpanzee at the sanctuary. On these schedules, visitors are able to watch and observe various social behavior and human-like traits as chimpanzee come to the feeding ground. Transport from the mainland is by boat and takes up to 45 minutes. With lots of time, take overnights at the on-ground lovely eco lodge overlooking the expansive Lake Victoria.

  • Take a Visit to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC)

While in Entebbe, visit the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) formerly called the Zoo, an animal sanctuary set for educational purposes on Uganda’s rich fauna. Sitting on the shores of Lake Victoria, the education centre offers interpretive tours and up-close experience to several mammals here. Residents wildlife include 4 of the famous Big 5 list, dozens of Chimps, Lions, Leopard, Cheater and a great collection of foreign species the latest being a pair of Tigers.

  • Take a Sunset Cruise to the Equator Crossing on Lake Victoria

With an afternoon to spare while in Entebbe, take a boat cruise to the equator crossing located just an hour off Nakiwogo ferry landing. At latitude 0 disembark from your boat for photographs. Take it slow while here to enjoy the incredible sunset and watch merchant and fishermen boats heading out for night expeditions on this Africa’s biggest inland sea.

Other Day-Trips from Entebbe include;

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