Entebbe

A green town on the shore of Lake Victoria, where you can paddle through the Mabamba Wetland to spot shoebills, visit a botanical garden and wildlife centre, or relax on lakeside beaches. It is the first stop for many visiting Uganda.

Entebbe lies in south-central Uganda on a peninsula jutting into Lake Victoria, about 40 km from the capital, Kampala. During the colonial period, it was the administrative capital of British Uganda. Today the presidential office and Uganda's only international airport are here. The town is small, shaded by trees and cooled by lake breezes, and it feels much more relaxed than Kampala. Many visitors treat it as their first stop on entering Uganda and their last night before leaving.

The main activities fall into three categories. The first is birdlife and wetlands. About an hour's drive west of town, the Mabamba Wetland offers canoe trips to spot the rare shoebill stork. To the northeast, Lutembe Bay is a Ramsar wetland that hosts large numbers of migratory birds in winter. The second is wildlife and plants in town. The National Botanical Gardens, founded in 1898, are home to colobus monkeys and hornbills. The Wildlife Education Centre by the lake allows close-up views of lions, chimpanzees and shoebills. To the north, there is also a reptile village. The third is lakeside recreation. Lido Beach and Aero Beach are lively on weekends, and sunsets over the lake can be enjoyed. Boats to the Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary also depart from Entebbe, though that attraction is listed under the Kampala entry.

Uganda sits near the equator, so the weather is warm year-round. December to February and June to August are the dry seasons, best for birdwatching and lake activities. March to May and September to November are the rainy seasons, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and the wetland paths turn muddy.

Getting there: from Kampala, the Entebbe Expressway takes about 40 minutes. In town, you can use a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) or hire a car with a driver. A stay of 1 to 2 days is recommended.

Notes: entry requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Lake water carries a risk of schistosomiasis, so swimming in the lake is not recommended.

Top sights

• Mabamba Bay Wetland – A Ramsar wetland where you paddle a canoe through papyrus channels to search for the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork. A must-visit for b…
• National Botanical Gardens (Entebbe) – A lakeside botanical garden founded in 1898, home to tropical plants, monkeys, and birds, and a location used in early Tarzan films.
• Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre – A lakeside wildlife rescue and education centre in Entebbe where you can see lions, shoebills, giraffes, and chimpanzees up close.
• Lido Beach – Entebbe’s liveliest Lake Victoria beach, where weekends bring live music, grilled fish, and sunsets over the lake.
• Lutembe Bay – A Ramsar-listed wetland on the north shore of Lake Victoria, where winter migratory birds gather and birdwatching by small boat is wonderfu…
• Uganda Reptiles Village – A small reptile conservation centre north of Entebbe where you can see Gabon vipers, cobras, and Nile crocodiles up close.
• Zika Forest – A small tropical forest where the Zika virus was first identified in 1947, now a research reserve where visitors can arrange birdwatching i…
• Kigungu Landing Site (Catholic Missionaries' Landing) – The lakeshore where the first Catholic missionaries landed in Uganda in 1879, now marked by a memorial, statues, and a small chapel.

Where to eat

• Goretti's Beachside Pizzeria – A wood-fired pizzeria on a small beach on Lake Victoria. Eat pizza under the palm trees with a view of the lake, close…
• Faze 3 Lakeside Restaurant – A lakeside restaurant on Circular Road with a terrace view of the islands of Lake Victoria and planes taking off. India…

Itineraries

• Uganda Waterfalls, Primates & Lakes Classic Loop – A classic loop connecting Murchison Falls, Kibale, Queen Elizabeth, Bwindi, and Lake Bunyonyi from north to south.
• Nile River, Sipi Falls & Kidepo Northeast Loop – From rafting in Jinja and hiking in Sipi, head deep into the Kidepo Valley, returning to Entebbe via Murchison Falls.