Entebbe Uganda : Things to do in Entebbe

Located in Uganda, Entebbe is one of the major cities in Uganda and is the first place you encounter when you arrive in Uganda at Entebbe International Airport. The quiet yet beautiful city offers one chance to explore as the city is dotted with a number of attractions that one can visit. From 1 day tours to short excursions to interesting site visits, there is so much that you can see and do in Entebbe.

Below are the things you can do while visiting Entebbe;

Visit Entebbe Botanical Gardens

Entebbe Botanical Gardens are an accessible site located 5 minutes away from Entebbe International Airport. This makes the gardens a perfect first stop on arrival for your safari. The gardens cover an area of 40 acres consisting of plants, trees both exotic and indigenous, flowers and lush compound. The gardens are rich in bird life hence mostly visited by birders.This makes birding Entebbe Botanical Gardens a popular activity however other activities like nature walks are available. You can spend a morning or afternoon at Entebbe Botanical Gardens enjoying the outdoors.

If coming here for birding you can expect to look out for species like;

The Woodland Kingfisher, Ruppell’s Starling, Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, Hamerkop, Eastern-Plantain Eater, Ruppell’s Starling, Yellow-billed Stork, African Jacana, Malachite Kingfisher, Reed Cormorant, Blue-checked Bee-eater, Pied Kingfisher, African Open-billed Stork, Viellot’s Black Weaver, Hadada Ibis, Village Weaver and Little Stint among others.

Entebbe Botanical Gardens

Boat ride on Lake Victoria

A section of Lake Victoria is situated in Entebbe making it a prime location for boat rides on Uganda’s largest fresh water body. Lake Victoria is the ninth largest continental lake in the world and is shared by 3 countries Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The lake in Luganda local dialect is named “Nnalubaale” but the lake was renamed in 1858 after Queen Victoria by John Hanning Speke the British explorer. The lake has an area of 26,828 square miles and the lake’s basin covers 92, 240 square miles. Lake Victoria hosts more than 200 species of fishes with tilapia being the most sought after specie economically. It also has a number of small islands but the most visited are the 62 islands of the Sese archipelago with beauty and distinctive off beaten aura.

You can choose to do a day boat cruise or a sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria. The boat cruise takes you along the lake as you learn more about the lake and enjoy gorgeous views of the lake and its surroundings. The boat ride usually comes with drinks, wines, snacks and cheese to enjoy while on the cruise, this is a perfect activity if you have a day or some hours to spare while in Entebbe.

Photos taken while on a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC)

Formerly known as Entebbe Zoo, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is great for a day visit while in Entebbe. The centre offers day visits and a “behind the scenes” experience which allows you to spend the day with researchers at the centre and also spend more time with the animals.

While at the UWEC you can expect to see animals such as Chimpanzee, Lion, Leopard, Zebras, Tigers, Monkeys, African Elephant, Cheetah, Tortoise, Giraffes, Crocodiles, Spotted hyenas, and Rhino. Birds that you can expect to see at the Uganda Wildlife and Education Centre include Shoebill, Ostriches and Gray Parrots.

Visit to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

At Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

The Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees located on Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria. A visit to the sanctuary is one of the top day trips from Entebbe as it offers an opportunity to spend the day with the chimps, watching them feed and exist on the sanctuary. Visiting Ngamba Island is also a way to contribute to the protection of these orphaned chimpanzees. The day starts off in Entebbe where you get on a motorized boat/canoe, you arrive at the island where you are taken through a briefing by one of the site guides and then start the tour around the sanctuary. The entire tour can take about 1-2 hours depending on your interests, after the tour you head to the main area and have lunch overlooking the stunning Lake Victoria.

Shopping in Entebbe

You can also spend time shopping in Entebbe as there are a number of places to shop in Entebbe. You can start by visiting Entebbe Juakali Craft Centre for some souvenirs or gifts. The craft centre has several small shops that sell items which include beaded scarfs, Ankara dresses, “Kitenge” cloths, beaded jewellery, handmade baskets, art pieces drawn by local artists, handmade shoes, earrings, wooden cutlery and handmade bags among others. You can also head to Victoria mall if you want to shop things from the supermarket, Carrefour supermarket is available at the mall. The malls has other shops include a traveling gear shop, a perfume shop, LC Waikiki shopping centre for clothes and a phone shop.

Shopping at a craft centre in Entebbe

Eat out in Entebbe

You can also spend time trying out the best restaurants in Entebbe, Entebbe has a number of restaurants that you can try out. For a food lover you have some great choices to try while in Entebbe. The top restaurants that we recommend to try include Tides restaurant at Protea Hotel by Marriott Entebbe, Café Javas, KFC restaurant at Victoria mall, Hilton Hotel restaurant, and Middle East restaurant. Most of these offer fast food and other meals that you would expect from a chain restaurant. If you are looking for fine dining then you definitely should go for the restaurant at No.5 boutique hotel (advance booking is advised).

Spend time at the beach

Another great way to spend time in Entebbe is by relaxing at the beach. The beaches in Entebbe do not have clear pristine beaches like the ones in areas like Zanzibar but they offer an experience of beach life in Uganda. The beaches are spread out in Entebbe and each of the beaches have individual entry points. Beaches that you can consider visiting include Coco beach, Imperial beach and Waterfront beach.

Beach in Entebbe

Entebbe Nightlife 

You can also choose to experience the night life in Uganda by visiting some local bars in the area. Ugandans generally like to party so if you enjoy going out to the bar, you can enjoy the night and make some friends. Some of the bars in Entebbe that you can visit include Riders lounge, Momo’s bar and Tipsy cow bar.

Nightlife in Uganda