Top Day Trips from Entebbe: Discover Uganda in Just One Day
If you are arriving in Uganda or visiting the shores of Lake Victoria, be sure to venture beyond the airport town. This guide to the Best Day Trips from Entebbe highlights the incredible experiences available in just one day. These range with everything from chimpanzee interactions on Ngamba Island to bird watching in Mabamba Swamp. They also cover sunset cruises on Lake Victoria and cultural tours in nearby Kampala. Whether you are passionate about nature, wildlife, or just seeking a brief getaway, these day trips provide an ideal introduction to Uganda’s stunning beauty and diversity, all starting from Entebbe.
Day trips from Entebbe are the perfect alternative for visitors with limited time. Those who want to explore Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. Many day trip options start from Entebbe City or Entebbe International Airport (EBB). The most popular day trips from Entebbe include Ngamba Island for chimpanzee tours, the Uganda Wildlife Education Center, Mabamba Wetland, ideal for birding tours, and the Botanical Garden.
From Entebbe, visitors can also explore most of Lake Victoria on a boat ride. Day trips from Entebbe come with a blend of other experiences, including historical or cultural experiences, nature, and wildlife encounters.
Entebbe town/city is about 37 km southwest of Kampala. It marks the starting point or entry point to Uganda. Most tourists on Uganda tours fly to the Entebbe International Airport, where they can be picked up and are ready to connect to their next destinations or hotel properties.
What to Expect on Day Tours from Entebbe
A Boat Ride on Lake Victoria
You can enjoy recreational experiences such as boat rides on Lake Victoria. The best way to explore Lake Victoria is by embarking on a sunset cruise on Lake Victoria. Cruise excursions on Lake Victoria come with wines and other drinks. Lake Victoria is one of the world’s largest lakes and is ideal for relaxation.
On a boat cruise, expect to reach the Equator crossing line on Lake Victoria. You can also access some islands to appreciate their natural beauty. As you cruise, expect to come across the fishers while they cast their nets. Enjoy your ride while sipping some drinks or having a bite of some snacks. We can organize a simple day trip for you to explore and experience this freshwater lake.
Botanical Gardens
Embark on the rewarding Entebbe Botanical Garden tours. A guided nature walk through the Botanical Garden, expect to explore a variety of faunal and avifaunal species. The Botanical Garden dates back to 1898. The Botanical gardens feature subtropical forests, tropical forests, and shrubs, plus many other plants.
Birds to expect to identify on a nature walk through the Botanical gardens include red-chested sunbird, African open-billed storks, pied kingfishers, black-headed herons, common squacco, African jacana, pink-backed pelicans, gull-billed tern, white-winged tern, long-tailed cormorant, purple-banded sunbird, Senegal coucal, Eastern grey plantain-eaters, black-headed gonoleks, crowned hornbill, yellow white-eye, woodland kingfishers, water thick-knee, spur-winged lapwing, and orange weaver birds.
Some of the mammal species to encounter in the Botanical gardens include vervet monkeys, red-legged sun squirrels, and black and white colobus monkeys. Reptiles include tortoises, chameleons, lizards, and more.
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre sits on the scenic shores of Entebbe. Established in 1994, UWEC is an education center and a rich biodiversity site. At UWEC, expect to enjoy encounters with some animals. The different wildlife to encounter here includes giraffes, impalas, cheetahs, Uganda Kobs, tigers, zebras, vervet monkeys, chimpanzees, and 120 species of birds. You can take part in game-watching, behind-the-scenes, and more.
Birds of interest at UWEC include black open-billed storks, hadada ibis, shoebill storks, black-headed weavers, black-headed herons, sacred ibis, little egret, grey-crowned cranes, spectacled weaver birds, slender-billed weavers, gross-beaked weaver, Northern grey-headed sparrows, Vieillot’s black weaver, Egyptian geese, African harrier hawk, yellow-billed kite, palm nut vulture, giant kingfishers, African fish eagle, common bulbul, bronze sunbirds, double toothed, yellow fronted tinker birds, green-headed sunbird, and Eastern grey plantain.
Additional birds to explore in UWEC include African emerald cuckoos, yellow-white eye, blue-breasted bee-eaters, Northern brown-throated weavers, white-fronted plovers, grey-winged robin chat, and more.
Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
Ngamba Island Chimp Sanctuary shelters about 50 chimpanzees, comprising orphaned and rescued chimpanzees. The Island occupies 95 acres and has a scenic natural forest. The chimpanzees roam freely in the forest, and visitors can witness them from the designated viewing platform.
Mabamba Wetland
If you enjoy birding, Mabamba wetland never disappoints. The various birds to search for here include the elusive shoebill stork, grey-headed gulls, Carruthers’s cisticola, goliath heron, papyrus canary, pygmy geese, papyrus yellow warblers, pallid harriers, blue swallow, malachite kingfishers, and yellow-billed kite. Other birds to identify on Mabamba wetland include the fork-tailed drongo, great white egret, common bulbul, sand martin, tawny-flanked prinia, violet-backed sterling, black-crowned night heron, and more.
Equator Crossing in Kayabwe
The Equator crossing in Kayabwe is a perfect option to embark on a day trip from Entebbe in Uganda. It takes you about 75 km to reach the Equator crossing. It is an ideal stopover point for most safaris to destinations such as Lake Mburo National Park and Queen Elizabeth National Park. At the Equator crossing, expect to take pictures or water experiment.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Ziwa is an excellent spot to enjoy rhino tracking in Uganda. The Nakasongola District houses this Rhino Sanctuary, a popular stopover on the way to Murchison Falls National Park. While at Ziwa, expect to enjoy a trek with rhinos, nature walks, birding, and more.
A birding excursion at Ziwa is a significant chance to explore a variety of birds. The white-faced whistling duck, western crested guinea fowl, Heuglin’s partridge, rock pigeon, tambourine dove, red-eyed dove, black-billed bustard, African green pigeon, white-browed coucal, red-chested cuckoos, blue malkoha, white-rumped swift, little swift, pennant-winged nightjars, spotted thick-knee, African open bill, and wattled lapwing.
Additional species of birds to spot on a birding tour in Ziwa include African sacred ibis, black-chested snake-eagle, Verreaux’s eagle-owl, Narina trogon, woodland kingfishers, purple rollers, Abyssinian rollers, gray-headed kingfishers, cardinal woodpeckers, Meyer’s parrot, red-headed lovebirds, golden-crowned woodpeckers, and more.
Lake Mburo National Park Day Tours
Lake Mburo National Park is one of the best locations to enjoy day trips, starting from Entebbe city. It takes you about 4-5 hours to reach Lake Mburo National Park, and you engage in diverse experiences.
A day trip from Entebbe to Lake Mburo National Park allows you to engage in various adventurous activities. These activities include a game drive and a boat cruise. You arrive and proceed with a boat or game drive, and after the activities, you can return to Entebbe. What to expect to encounter on a game drive in Lake Mburo includes elands, buffaloes, leopards, topis, warthogs, waterbucks, and more.
Birds in Lake Mburo National Park include malachite kingfishers, black-bellied bustards, African wattled lapwing, bare-faced go-away, bateleur, elusive shoebill, papyrus gonoleks, and African scops owls.
A boat cruise on Lake Mburo allows you to encounter a diversity of aquatic species. These include hippos, crocodiles, and water birds.
Kampala City Tours
A city tour in Kampala offers the best day trip for visitors living in Entebbe. The Kampala city tour takes you to some of the amazing historical sites. Key areas of interest to visit in Kampala include the Uganda Museum, Uganda Martyrs shrine, Baha’i temple, Kabaka’s Lake, Buganda kingdom, and more.
Day trips from Entebbe can include Mabira Forest (best for bird watching, home to grey parrots, Nahan’s francolins, diehard cuckoos, helmeted guinea-fowl, and more), Ssezibwa, Jinja (for whitewater rafting), Sipi Falls, and other locations.
Ready to Discover the Top Day Tours from Entebbe?
Whether you are on a layover, have a day free before your safari, or just wish to explore more of Uganda without straying too far, these Best day trips from Entebbe that provide something for everyone. With options ranging from wildlife encounters and bird watching to cultural explorations and scenic boat rides, you will find memorable experiences just a short drive or trip away. At Native Africa Tours, we ensure you maximize your time with knowledgeable guides, smooth transport, and customized excursions. Contact us today, and embark on your Ugandan adventure, starting in Entebbe!
