Here Are the Top Tourist Activities in Entebbe City, Uganda

Entebbe City is the first town that you will pass through when visiting Uganda as it is the site of the country’s international airport and offers a number of tourist attractions.

If you are planning a trip to Uganda, chances are that your flight will arrive at Entebbe International Airport. Entebbe City is the first town that you will pass through in Uganda since the city is home to the country’s international airport and offers a lot of tourist activities for the curious.

First-time visitors usually don’t know that Entebbe offers many tourist activities. It’s the ideal place to start your Ugandan Safari, then you can visit other tourist attractions in Uganda.

Entebbe offers something for everyone, whether it be the opportunity to observe chimpanzees, taste local cuisine, purchase handicrafts, play golf, or see birds and swim at the beach.

Here are some good tourist activities in Entebbe that you can look up to should you decide to make a stopover. 

Entebbe City’s Top Tourist Activities

Visiting the Beaches in Entebbe

There are several stretches of beach that can be found all over Lake Victoria, on whose banks you can find Entebbe. Small beach regions vary in texture from sandy to stony. 

From the airport area to the Botanical Garden and beyond, these beach sites may be found all along the lakefront.

Some of the beaches are on hotel or restaurant grounds, so only patrons have access to them. The amount of beach that is available can vary depending on the lake’s level. Many of the old beach sites are now inaccessible due to erosion and rising lake water levels in recent years. 

Popular beaches in Entebbe include Aero beach, Lutembe beach, White sand beach, Spennah, and Lido beach among others. Along the shore, it’s common to spot marabou storks, tiny egrets, cattle egrets, and pied kingfishers. 

Play golf or Join the Entebbe Gold Club

Entebbe Golf Club should unquestionably be included in the program of any golf enthusiast visiting Uganda. This golf course is the oldest in East Africa and was established in 1901.

A Par 71, 18-hole golf course can be found here among the thick woods. The program is accessible to non-members and members 

Visit the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee 

Seeing chimpanzees in the wild is a common reason for visitors visiting Uganda, usually as part of a chimpanzee trekking excursion. There are no trekking destinations within a short drive of Entebbe or Kampala, thus it may not always be practical to go on a trek if you are only in Uganda for a short time.

Visit the chimpanzees at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Entebbe as an alternative. Many orphaned chimpanzees reside on the island of Ngamba in Lake Victoria. 

Other natural bird and animal species can be found on the island. A visit offers the chance to see chimpanzees and the assurance that you will see them. There are no age limitations here, which is advantageous if you’re traveling to Uganda with little kids as they can’t go on a chimpanzee trek. At Ngamba you won’t have to hike.

From Entebbe, there are a variety of cruises that take you to Ngamba Island by powered canoe or speedboat. If you have more time, you can stay overnight on the island or visit for a full or half day.

Spend a day fishing on Lake Victoria

One of the Great Lakes of Africa, Lake Victoria, is directly adjacent to Entebbe. This lake is the largest tropical lake in the world and the biggest lake in Africa. 

Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania are the three nations that border Lake Victoria. There are numerous local names for the lake, but the British explorer John Hanning Speke gave it the name Queen Victoria.

Many inhabitants rely on the lake for their livelihood, largely through fishing. You can take a trip on the lake using a boat cruise, which offers the chance to see wildlife or the sunset, which is another popular activity. Or stick to the fishing activities on Lake Victoria. 

See another Equator Sign

The equator sign that can be seen as you travel to the southwest of Uganda is well known to most people. What most people don’t know is that Entebbe also has an equator sign.

To see the “other” equator sign, board a motorized boat and travel to Lwaji Island on Lake Victoria.

Taste Ugandan cuisines 

There are many mouthwatering foods to sample in Uganda, but the most well-known and well-liked street snack that tourists must try is probably a Rolex.

Surprisingly, this cuisine has nothing to do with the watch by the same name, despite its name. The preparation gives rise to the name. It is made by layering a fried chapati on top of an egg omelet (often with sliced veggies) and folding it up. The outcome is “rolled eggs,” often known as “Rolex.”

Kikomando is another well-liked variety of street cuisine. This delicacy, which combines fried beans and chapati slices, is not pricey. Additionally, it could have extra toppings like meat, gravy, or avocado.

We also advise you to sample the regional fish and seafood from Lake Victoria while you are in Entebbe. Many local restaurants have perch and tilapia on their menus. You can get your fresh seafood from the small roadside fish markets if you are self-catering.

Visit the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center 

Over 250 animals call the 72-acre Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center, often known as Entebbe Zoo, home. These include the rare and unusual-looking shoebill stork, as well as chimpanzees, giraffes, lions, and rhinos.

The center concentrates on the treatment and rehabilitation of these creatures, many of which have been saved from poaching or illegal trafficking. 

They put a lot of effort into creating a setting that is as natural-looking as they can, often using larger enclosures that closely resemble the animals’ actual homes.

Visit craft shops for some souvenirs 

A great spot to buy souvenirs is the Entebbe Juakali Center, also known as the Entebbe Crafts Village, which is almost just across from Victoria Mall. 

There are several booths here that sell a wide range of goods, including trinkets, handicrafts, jewelry, works of art, apparel, sculptures, dinnerware, scarves, and purses.

Visit the best shopping malls in Entebbe 

There are quite a few shopping malls in Entebbe but the best is Victoria Shopping Mall.

Victoria Mall is one of the best places to visit in Entebbe. It was inaugurated in 2013 and is a fantastic spot to go if you need to buy anything during your trip to Uganda.

A sizable supermarket, numerous stores providing apparel, footwear, outdoor gear, and gifts, a café, a fast-food joint, a pharmacy, an eye clinic, and a movie theater are all located in the shopping center. There is an ATM, an Airtel SIM card shop, and a Forex exchange bureau.

It’s also the perfect spot to buy food or snacks, a SIM card, cash, change money, or any last-minute clothes, camping, or trekking necessities. You can explore the mall on foot or park on-site, and it has strong security.

Visit the Uganda Reptile Village

Reptile Village is the place to go if you want to see some of the most amazing animals in Entebbe, Uganda. Reptiles from all around Uganda are housed here. Most injured ones are rescued and brought here as well. 

At the reptile village, visitors can learn about the Management’s effort to inform communities about wildlife preservation while getting up close and personal with snakes, chameleons, tortoises, turtles, lizards, and crocodiles. 

You’ll undoubtedly leave feeling more sympathetic toward these often misunderstood creatures.

Conclusion

Entebbe town is one of those places in Uganda that you’re bound to like from the get-go. This beautiful town situated on the shores of lake Victoria offers almost everything that Kampala City, Uganda’s capital offers and more. 

The malls, craft shops, tasty street food, animals, and more can be found within Entebbe. What’s even more, is that it’s right next to the main airport in Uganda. 

For all these perks, it’s only best that you visit and participate in the tourist activities in Entebbe that we’ve shared. After that, you may proceed to Kampala and explore more or even move further into other Ugandan districts.