Are you looking for places to visit and tour in Entebbe town? Many Ugandans only visit Entebbe when going to one of the beaches or on their way too or from Entebbe international airport. These shouldn’t be the only reasons because Entebbe city has a lot to offer. Entebbe town is one of the clean natural beautiful cities in Uganda. Entebbe district is located on the northern shores of Lake Victoria in Wakiso district and its located 34km away from Kampala city. The town is in the middle of Lake Victoria, green savannah vegetation and amazing landscape giving one a cool temperature and a natural charm. Entebbe city is a small town with important historical roles. Entebbe was the capital city of Uganda before the role shifted to Kampala city after independence in 1962. It’s for this reason that Entebbe city is well organized with great attractions considering its size. In Entebbe city you find one of the largest UN logistics bases in the world, official state house, government offices, beaches, hotels and Entebbe international airport.

For anyone planning to visit Uganda, Entebbe city is a place you shouldn’t miss to visit and tour because you can never be bored while in Entebbe city. That city has so many attractions that can never make a person bored even those who have lived there for so many years. In Entebbe city you will find amazing wildlife, visit some of the best beaches and hotels in Uganda. Entebbe city is potentially the best place to stay in than Kampala city because it’s clean for those who love clean places, clean air, cool temperature and serene atmosphere.

This article is helpful for those that visiting Entebbe city for the first time or for those who still have days to free in town with nothing to do. By the time you finish reading all, you have knowledge about the best places to visit when you go to Entebbe. You will discover places you never knew that existed. We hope this article guides you to get to know the popular places in the city so that you plan accordingly.

Key facts about Entebbe Town

Entebbe city sits on the northern shores of Lake Victoria which is the largest lake in Africa.

Entebbe has an estimated population of about 75,000 people.

In local language the word ’’Entebbe’’ means chair and the city way named Entebbe because it’s where the Buganda chefs sat to resolve their legal problems.

Entebbe has the largest international airport in Uganda

Entebbe has the official residents of the president of Uganda at state house

Entebbe botanical gardens is where the Tarzan jungle movies was short

Entebbe city has one of the best birding cities in Uganda such as botanical gardens and Mabamba swamp.

Entebbe has the oldest golf course in Uganda and east Africa open up in 1900

Entebbe has the best beaches in Uganda and about 84 islands on Ssese

In July 1976, Entebbe city became famous when Israel commanders stormed Entebbe international airport and rescued more than 100 Jews who had been kidnaped by hijackers supported by Uganda’s dictator Idi Amin while on board on Air France Jet.

The best things to do in Entebbe city.

Visit Lake Victoria:

Lake Victoria is the second largest water lake in the world after Lake Baikal found in Siberia. The lake is the largest fresh water lake in Africa located in Uganda. Lake Victoria is one of the leading tourist sites in Uganda making Entebbe the best place to visit. Lake Victoria surrounds Entebbe town on almost all sides. A lot of activities can be done on Lake Victoria such as swimming, fishing, sport fishing, canoeing, boat cruise and island hopping

Visit the beaches:

Entebbe city is almost surrounded by water, Entebbe city has the most popular and best beaches in Uganda. Some of the beaches in Entebbe include Speena beach Entebbe, Banga beach, waterfront beach, lido beach, Imperial beach, Lutembe beach, one love beach, Serena beach, Munyonyo beach and Nabinonya resort beach among others. Some of the hotels and resorts have their own beaches such as Munonyo, Anderita and botanical beach hotels. Swimming in these because is not fully safe because there is a possibility of catching bilharzia but it’s the best way to join with the locals and knowing how they go about their daily lives. Ugandans are very friendly people and you will discover this when you visit one of the beaches. If you fear swimming you can go relax on the beach side getting some fresh air from the water bodies.

Visit the Entebbe sailing club or engage in sunset boat cruise:

In Entebbe city, you find one of the sailing clubs in Uganda. The club is always busy on weekends and you will see several dhow boat floating out of Lake Victoria with a number of revelers. Entebbe sailing club organizes sporting competitions and rewards the fastest boats. The sailing club is the best place to visit with your friends and family on the weekend. The place organizes sunset boat cruises with foods and drinks beginning from Uganda wildlife education center formerly known as the zoo all the way to Ssese islands.

Visit Entebbe international airport:

Entebbe city has the only international airport we spot far have in Uganda. Entebbe airport is built close to the shores of Lake Victoria about 25 miles away from the main city. Entebbe international airport hosts one of the largest UN logistics bases in the whole world. While at Entebbe international airport, you will find many UN and other humanitarian aircraft stationed here and ready for any missions in DR Congo or Somalia.

Visit the UN base in Entebbe:

UN uses the old entebbe4 airport to keep its heavy military and human equipment when they are not taken for use in peacekeeping missions around Africa such as Kenya, DR Congo and Somalia. Visiting the UN offices is easy with appointments. The security at the place is tight because they have their own customs and immigration procedures.

Visit the Entebbe botanical gardens:

These are old gardens in Entebbe. It’s believed that the Tarzan jungle movie was short here. These gardens are popular in Entebbe and most locals and tourists who prefer a quiet place for relaxation and experiencing nature visit this place. When you take about diversity it’s one of the best places with in Entebbe city. The botanical gardens can be visited for plant identification and bird watching activities because it’s a home to a number of birds. Expect to find colobus monkeys and vervet monkeys. Entering botanical gardens in Entebbe requires you to pay an entrance fee. Guides are always there to well come you to the gardens and they will tour you around showing you different plants, birds, animals and they will even take you to the shores of Lake Victoria. The bird species to look out for here are African Open-billed Stork, Black headed Gonolek, orange weaver, Black-headed herons, red=chested sunbird, Common Squacco, Grey headed gull, swamp flycatcher, yellow billed duck, Hammerkop, verreaux’s eagle owls, Long tailed Cormorant and giant pied kingfishers among others.

Visit the Uganda wildlife authority:

Formerly known as the Entebbe zoo, the place has become of the best educational centers for wildlife in Uganda. Uganda wildlife education center was opened up in 1952 for rescued animals but it was later turned into a zoo. The center is a rehabilitation center for animals that have been rescued from poachers. The center has a large number of different animals and beautiful scenery. The wildlife center is the best place to go see animals if you are not ready to go to national parks. The center has animals such as lions, elephants, leopards, giraffes, chimpanzees, baboons, pythons, antelopes and ostriches among others. When you visit Uganda wildlife education center, you will not only see but also interact with animals, see them play, feed, communicate and live together. Seeing animals can take you about 2 hours and after you can go down to the beach swim and relax as you enjoy camel and donkey rides. Uganda wildlife education center is among the visited places in Uganda and it’s mostly visited by the student’s researchers. The center receives funding’s from donors, institutions and some wildlife agencies from around the world which enable it to expand and hire well trained caretakers. Accessing the center is USD 15 for foreign nonresidents, USD 10 for foreign residents, 10,000 UGX Uganda and Ugandan children pay 5000.

Visit the reptile sanctuary:

Visiting the Uganda reptile villa is amazing for those that love reptiles. The sanctuary is a home of all types of reptiles among which include the turtles, lizards, crocodiles, tortoises, chameleons and snakes such as vipers, cobras, puff adders and mamba. Most of the reptiles are were rehabilitated after find them in people’s homes and gardens. The center always receives calls from people about any reptile they see so they send some of their stuff to go and pick it. When the number of reptiles here increase, some are sent back to the wild. Entrance fee to the sanctuary is 15,000 UGX which includes guide fee and these well trained guides educate you about different reptiles here. The reptile village is located short drive from Entebbe town, you drop off from Abaita Ababiri and drive for 4km to get to the reptile village.

Visit the Uganda virus research institute:

if you are staying in Entebbe waiting for one or two days for your flight, Uganda virus research institute is a good place to visit, this institute was constructed to help in researching about communicable diseases among humans and animals. This institute is a leading center for research in east Africa and has been able to come up with some findings on communicable diseases.

Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary:

Ngamba sanctuary is a home to over 50 chimpanzee orphans that have been rescued within and outside Uganda and are being habituated here. The young chimpanzees are being habituated here to start a new life in gazzated forested island. The chimpanzees here acre looked after by well-trained caretakers who cook for them, feed them and clean their sleeping areas. For anyone to go to Ngamba island they need to use a boat or a ferry to the island or they can used a flight from Entebbe international airport to the island. When you reach the island, you will have an opportunity to see chimpanzees feed, play, play and live with each other. Accessing Ngamba island chimpanzee sanctuary needs a permit and that permit costs USD 115 per person with a speed boat and USD 80 per person with a motorized boat.

Entebbe gold club:

This is the oldest and the largest golf club in Uganda. The gold club was opened up in 1901 near the shores of Lake Victoria. This golf club gives you privacy. The grass here remains green throughout the year because of the fresh cool weather from Lake Victoria and rainfall throughout the year. The sign post shows that members only are allowed inside but visitors too after paying a certain amount of fee.

Visit Entebbe’s main markets:

The best water to know what the local people eat or wear is by visiting the local markets. Entebbe city has a lot of markets such as Kitoro, Nakiwogo and Manyago among others. Nakiwogo is a good market where you can go watch vendors sell of their products such as banana, onions, cassava, potatoes, sugarcanes, clothes among others.

Visit Kitubulu forest and beach:

This places if found just as you enter Entebbe city from Kampala. The forest is good for nature walks at the end of the beach or at the shores of Lake Victoria. The beach is open to anyone at no cost and there is no security so avoid having nature walks in the evening.

Visit Zika forest:

Zika forest is where Zika virus was forest discovered by scientists’ way back in 1947 although this c=virus is no longer in the place. In the forest there you will find a group of researchers who are studying about the insects trapped in the Zika forest. Zika forest is good place for birders and those who love to explore a tropical forest.  In the forest you should expect to see monkeys, butterflies, birds and some insects.

Mabamba swamp:

Mabamba swamp is found on the shores of the lake. The swamp covers an area of 16,498 hectares with papyrus towards the clear water of Lake Victoria. There is a narrow water channel which extends inside the swamp creating space for birders to use the swamp. The most common seen bird here is the Shoebill stork but there are other bird such as papyrus yellow warbler, blue swallow, winding cistocola, white-winged warbler, yellow-billed tinker bird, white-faced whistling-duck and white-browed coucal among others

Sport fishing on Lake Victoria:

Lake Victoria is the largest fresh water lake in Uganda and Africa. It’s a home to the Nile perch. Ssese islands in Entebbe provide one of the best and most organized fishing areas in Uganda. The islands are about 84 and they offer amazing fishing opportunities. Sport fishing on Lake Victoria is done throughout the year with the best months being October and March. You can go with your fishing equipment or you can get ones from the islands. Sport fishing is done at 9am or at 5pm on catch and release method, you expect to catch fish such as Nile perch, tilapia and silver fish. Sport fishing on Lake Victoria commences from Munyonyo here in Kampala or t the Uganda wildlife center formerly called the Entebbe zoo.

The Entebbe craft village:

This craft village was constructed in 2002 and it’s among the largest craft villages in Africa. When you visit this place, you can buy wood carvings, sandals, bags, African fabrics, batiks, paintings, local mats, clothing’s and jewelry. You can also buy African Kitengi and go have it made if you are staying in town for a while.

Eat out, drink and club:

If you want to taste Ugandan local foods as well as international dishes. You can go the best hotels and restaurants in Entebbe such as Bologna or Hotel Anderita for pizza, 4 Points Bar and Restaurant, Serena hotel among others. You can go clubbing in Entebbe at 4 Turkeys Pub located along Kampala road, Red Rooster Sports bar, Street Club, Entebbe Gold Club, club Knight Riders or O’s bar located near the golf course.