Entebbe: Your Gateway to Uganda

Entebbe sits on the shore of Lake Victoria and is where most visitors land in Uganda. It is quieter and greener than Kampala, and many travellers spend a night here at the start or end of their trip rather than going into the capital. There are also things to see, particularly for wildlife lovers on a layover.

This page covers Entebbe as a base and what to do with a few spare hours or a day. For practical arrival details, see getting to Uganda; for the capital, see the Kampala city tour.

Things to Do in Entebbe

• Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. A wildlife education centre and zoo-style visit on the lake shore, good for families; see family tours.
• Botanical Gardens. Shady lakeside gardens with birds and monkeys.
• Mabamba Swamp. A canoe trip into the wetland, a well-known place to look for the shoebill; see birding tours.
• Lake Victoria boat trips and relaxed lakeside dining.

Using Entebbe on a Layover

If you have a long layover, we can arrange a short tour with airport pick-up and drop-off so you are never worried about timing. See day tours and short tours.

Flights From Entebbe

Entebbe is also a base for domestic flights to the national parks; see fly-in safari packages.

Things to Do in Entebbe

• Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC): a rescue and education centre for rescued animals, popular on arrival or departure days.
• Entebbe Botanical Gardens: peaceful lakeside gardens with trees, monkeys and a good variety of birds.
• Lake Victoria: boat trips, sunset drinks and short excursions to nearby islands such as Ngamba Island, a chimpanzee sanctuary, arranged in advance.
• Craft markets and restaurants: a relaxed way to ease into Uganda.

Why Many Safaris Start in Entebbe

Entebbe is home to Entebbe International Airport, the country's main gateway, about 40 kilometres from Kampala. Staying the first or last night in Entebbe saves hours in traffic, avoids stress before a flight and gives you time to recover after a long journey. We often pair an arrival night in Entebbe with an early start for fly-in safaris or road trips.

See our airport guide: getting to Uganda and Entebbe airport. For city sights, compare it with the Kampala city tour.

A Half-Day Plan

Start with the botanical gardens in the morning, have lunch by the lake and visit the wildlife centre in the afternoon. Ask your driver to time your return to the airport with traffic in mind.

Where Entebbe Fits

Entebbe works as the first or last stop of almost any itinerary. See fly-in safaris and short tours.