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Looking for some fun things to do in Entebbe to kill some time before your flight home? You’ve come to the right place!
For most tourists, Entebbe is nothing more than Uganda’s international airport, and it’s a destination that many people leave soon after arriving.
For others, it’s the site of Operation Entebbe, an infamous 1976 event involving Idi Amin and a plane full of hostages.
Regardless of how you regard Entebbe before you visit, the reality is that you are likely to be impressed by this quaint town on the banks of Lake Victoria when you visit it for the first time.
So, whether you visit Entebbe at the start or the end of your trip, here are five budget-friendly activities that will help you make the most of your time in this interesting and often overlooked destination in central Uganda.
5 Things to do in Entebbe without breaking the bank
No matter why you find yourself with some time to kill in Entebbe, there’s a lot to see and do, without spending a great deal of money! Here are five things to do in Entebbe that won’t cost you a fortune and will offer some nice snaps as you start or end your vacation in Uganda:
Visit Entebbe Botanical Gardens
One of my favorite places in Entebbe is the Botanical Gardens. While the gardens might be a little rough around the edges and unkempt when compared to botanical gardens in different parts of the world, this green oasis on the shores of Lake Victoria is perfect for exploring.
Initially sculpted toward the end of the nineteenth century, Entebbe Botanical Gardens have stood the test of time and endured, in spite of the problems that Uganda faced with instability for large parts of the twentieth century.
It’s not amiss to say that the Botanical Gardens are the jewel in Entebbe’s crown, and you will see a huge variety of flora and fauna around the site, as well as a troop of monkeys that are equal parts friendly and mischievous.
For the film buffs among you, part of the first Tarzan movie was filmed here, and it’s a great opportunity to get some snaps for Instagram in a super interesting location!
While you can simply pay to enter the Botanical Gardens and walk around at your leisure, I would highly recommend hiring a local guide to take you around. You can enter the gardens and hire a guide for less than $10, and the guide adds a lot to the experience, particularly as there aren’t many signs or information posts within the park.
Enjoy a sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria
Entebbe is blessed to be on the shores of Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake. Although Uganda is landlocked, Lake Victoria is more like a sea than a lake, bordering Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania and supporting millions of livelihoods in each of the countries.
From a tourist’s perspective, Lake Victoria isn’t safe for swimming, but it is an excellent source of other activities. For instance, you can take a fishing trip out onto the lake to catch some tilapia, or you can arrange a boat trip with a number of local guides.
In 2016, my best friend visited me in Uganda, and we took a sunset boat cruise on Lake Victoria, with a few cold beers in the canoe, to make the experience that little bit more special. It was a wonderful experience, and the fact that our guide stood up to sing the Ugandan national anthem as the sunset was as surreal as it was memorable!
While you can go to town with an expensive boat cruise (inclusive of meal/drinks/guide, etc.), you can also do a boat cruise on the cheap. Most local guides charge less than $20 to take you out on a canoe at sunset, providing you with stunning photo opportunities and a look at Uganda from the surface of the lake. A must when you’re in Entebbe.
To book a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria, simply ask the staff at your hotel or guesthouse, and they will be more than happy to make the arrangements on your behalf.
Go swimming at Lake Victoria Hotel
The vast majority of guesthouses in Entebbe don’t have a swimming pool, but that’s not a problem thanks to the presence of the Lake Victoria Hotel. LVH is on the main road and is unmissable as you travel from the airport to the center of Entebbe.
The hotel itself predates independence, and it’s a charming, colonial-style hotel that is part of the fabric of Entebbe town. The problem with LVH is that it’s expensive to stay at, with rooms anywhere between $150 and $250. But the good news is that you don’t need to stay there to take advantage of the hotel’s star attraction – the swimming pool.
You can pay 25,000 UGX (around $7) for a day-guest pass at Lake Victoria Hotel, which provides you with a towel and unlimited access to what is undoubtedly the best swimming pool in Entebbe.
There are three diving boards and a kids’ pool, as well as a poolside bar and restaurant that serves up delicious international fayre. Every time I’ve been to LVH for swimming, there’s been a nice mixture of locals and tourists, as well as kids enjoying the outdoor swimming pool.
The bottom line is that spending an afternoon at the Lake Victoria Hotel’s poolside is an incredible way to start your holiday or round things off as you prepare to fly home. It’s a truly excellent way to spend your time in Entebbe while getting some respite from the Ugandan sun.
Shop for souvenirs at the Craft Market
While I’m not a huge fan of shopping, my wife loves spending time at Entebbe’s craft market. There are lots of places to buy crafts in Uganda, but leaving your shopping until the end of your trip is a smart move.
You can visit Entebbe craft market on your last day in Uganda and stock up on souvenirs and gifts for people back home. It’s located directly opposite Victoria Mall, so you can’t miss it when you’re in Entebbe town.
Having been to craft shops in different parts of the country, I can say that the Entebbe Craft Market has practically everything you could possibly want, from t-shirts to household ornaments and fabrics.
In terms of price, you need to be prepared to haggle when you visit Entebbe Craft Market. As a general rule of thumb, if a vendor tells you that something is 50,000 UGX, offer 25,000. You can then proceed with your negotiations and meet somewhere in the middle.
This isn’t to say that people are trying to rip you off. Rather, they know that tourists always negotiate when trying to buy souvenirs, so retailers suggest an initial price in the knowledge that they’re going to have to sell their products for a lower price.
Sip rooftop cocktails @ K Hotels
Entebbe isn’t short of bars and restaurants, but the rooftop bar at K Hotels is an excellent place to enjoy dinner and drinks. You can order cocktails, local beers, and international spirits while enjoying an incredible view across Entebbe, out to Lake Victoria, and back toward the airport.
The food at K Hotels is also delicious, with Asian-infused dishes to choose from on the in-house menu. The last time I spent a Friday night at K Hotels, dancers provided entertainment as the sun set behind the building.
Even if you don’t want to eat there, the rooftop bar at K Hotels offers an excellent option for pre-or post-dinner drinks, and enjoying cocktails as the sunsets across Entebbe is a wonderful way to start or end your vacation.
And one to avoid…
Everyone is different, but I personally have a thing against zoos. I would never visit a zoo in the UK, and I avoid them wherever I am in the world. Entebbe has a zoo – or at least a Wildlife Education Centre – and I’ve never actually been to it, so I can’t tell you what it’s like.
What I will say, however, is that you’re visiting a country in which wildlife abounds in the natural world, from the monkeys in Entebbe Botanical Garden to the tree-climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
As such, there’s not really any reason to visit Entebbe’s Zoo, as you can see animals in their natural habitat in this beautiful country. Regardless of your opinion of zoos and animal captivity, there’s no reason to visit a zoo in Uganda when you have an abundance of wildlife opportunities at your fingertips in the country’s national parks.
Recap: Five fun things to do in Entebbe
Although many tourists regard Entebbe as the gateway to the rest of Uganda and nothing more, the reality is that this leafy town that houses Uganda’s only international airport actually has a lot of interesting things to see and do.
So, while you might not be planning to visit Uganda to explore Entebbe, the above activities are great options to consider as you arrive or just before you leave, ensuring that you make the most out of your time spent in Uganda’s main point of entry.