Entebbe is an attractive, verdant town that served as the capital city during the early years of the British protectorate, though it is the relaxed pace of life and natural attraction rather than any notable colonial relics that give the city its charm. Unless you have a reason to rush into Kampala, Entebbe makes a nice, chilled-out introduced to Uganda.

It is also the ideal place to end your trip if you are stuck with one of the many early morning flights out of Uganda’s only international airport. There’s enough to do here to spend a day or two sight-seeing especially for those interested in wildlife encounters, with day trips to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Mabamba Swamp Wetlands an option.

Entebbe has several inviting beaches on the shores of Lake Victoria, most with white powdery sand. All are part of resorts comprising hotels, restaurants and bars. They get crowded on weekends, but are nearly empty on weekdays.

Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

Located 23km southeast of Entebbe in Lake Victoria, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary or Chimp Island is home to cover 40 orphaned or rescued chimpanzees that are unable to return to the wild. Humans are confined to one of the 40 hectares while the chimps wander freely through the rest, emerging from the forest twice a day for feeding at 11am and 2:30pm.

This coincides with visitor’s arrival times to the island, with viewings of the chimps via a raised platform. The chimps return in the evening to sleep in their compound. While it cannot compare to the experience of seeing chimps in the wild, especially due to the large electrified fence that separates chimp from human, it still makes for a worthwhile excursion to observe the animals’ remarkable behaviour.

Guides here are informative, and there are individual profiles for each chimp, detailing both their distinct personalities and history. There are big monitor lizards in residence as well as abundant birdlife.

The island is a project of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) which arranges bookings for day trips and accommodation. Rates are based on a minimum group of four, with the price of half-day trip costing US$110 per person, inclusive of entry, guide and boat transport.

If you do not have a group of four people, you can share the boat with others; otherwise the cost rises to US$210 per person. Two trips depart from Entebbe per day; in the morning at 9am returning at 12:45, or departing at 12:45pm and returning by 4:45pm.

The CSWCT also offer an overnight experience where you can spend two days on the island staying in a self-contained, solar-powered safari tent. Including full board, transport and entry, the cost of staying overbought is US$872 for singles and US$1264 for doubles.

Mabamba Swamp Wetlands and around

Mabamba Swamp is one of the best places in Uganda to spot the highly sought-after shoebill in its natural habitat. Regularly featured on tourism brochures, these appealingly grotesque birds look like they have crawled straight out of the swamp which they literally have with out-of-proportion features and a massive dirty-yellow bill that resembles an old battered clog.

Bird watching is mostly via canoe, where you will navigate waterways comprising lily pads and papyrus swamp. Among the 260 species in the region, other notable birds include the papyrus yellow warbler, pallid harrier and blue swallow.

While the swamp is 12km from Entebbe as the crow files, it’s a 40km one hour drive. To get there catch a minibus taxi to kasanje, then a boda-boda to the Mabamba jetty.

Guides can be arranged from UWEC in Entebbe inclusive of boat hire. Another good option for spotting shoebills is Makanaga Wetlands. Around a 60m drive Entebbe, it is accessed via the Kampala-Masaka road, taking the road down from Kamengo trading centre.

Zika Forest in Entebbe

Zika forest is a tropical forest near Entebbe in Uganda. As the property of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) of Entebbe, it is protected and restricted to scientific research. The forest covers an area of about 25 hectares next to the swamp of Waiya Bay, an inlet of Lake Victoria.

Easily accessible and combining several ecosystems, the Zika Forest is well suited to the study of mosquitoes. According to the UVRI, the size of the research area of the forest is about 12 hectares. The forest has a rich biodiversity in plants and moths and is home to about 40 types of mosquitoes.

The UVRI also maintain an insectarium. The forest is also accessible to visitors for bird watching. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter once visited the forest for that purpose. The Zia Virus as well as the moths Sidisca Zika and Milocera Zika are named after the forest.  The name Zika has been made notorious by the Zia virus, involved in a growing number of outbreaks around the globe from 2077 onwards.

Entebbe Botanical Gardens

Laid out in 1898, these expansive gardens are perfect for a leisurely stroll. The highlights are its pockets of thick forests, which locals claim some of the original Tarzan films were made in and excellent bird watching with 115 plenty of monkeys, including black and white colobus and trees squirrels too.

Uganda Reptiles Village

Get up close to some of the world’s deadliest snakes including cobras and vipers, as well as chameleons, crocs and lizards, all of which are rescued or injured. It is around 3km off the Entebbe- Kampala road, about a 20 minute drive from Entebbe.

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

Both a novel and well-priced arrangement that allows you to stay on the premises of the wildlife centre and be privy to nightly lion’s roars and hyenas’ howls from nearby enclosures.

The thatched brick bandas (thatched roof huts) that back onto the giraffe enclosure are the most popular but its hostel and apartments are also good choices. Rates include entry, plus your money helps fund the centre’s rescue activities.

Imperial Beaches

They are located south-west of Kampala, Imperial Resort Beach and Imperial Botanical Beach are ideal for water sports and sunbathing. The two beaches are very close to each other and are maintained by the Imperial Beach Resort Hotel.

At the Imperial Botanical Beach, you will find many exotic trees, plants and rare birds. This is the perfect place to take pictures. Guests from the hotel or visitors to the beaches can be found enjoying mystical sunsets, sunbathing or enjoying water sport activities. On the weekend, the beach can get crowded and it sometimes hosts local events.

Lido Beach

Lido Beach is located approximately a kilometer from the Entebbe International Airport, Lido Beach is one of the oldest beaches in Uganda. A fairly busy place on a weekend, Lido Beach is considered a party spot and is a favourite for locals.

An event is held there almost every weekend, ranging from family-oriented activities to wild parties. The white sandy beach enjoys beautiful sunsets. Like everywhere else in Lake Victoria, swimming is allowed. If you are looking to have fun the local way, drop by Lido Beach on a weekend.

Spennah Beach

Spennah Beach is one of the favoured beaches of the locals and is considered a party beach. On a common weekend, events like weddings, birthday parties, fashion shows and music festivals are the norm. The week days enjoy a fairly quieter time where lovers, friends and families can be seen sprawled out on the white-sanded treasure.

If you desire to blend in with the locals, this beach is the best place. You can order some snacks or famous chicken roast from the kitchen whenever you plan to stop by.

Aero Beach

Aero Beach is a private facility located adjacent to the UN airstrip, the furnishings included wildlife statues made of plastic plus an aircraft.  Moving down to the lake shore, the sand seemed to have a sugary consistence similar to the beaches found in Hawaii.

Stepping into the water is another experience; sadly, the bilharzia transmitting parasite is known to be common in this part of the lake, and it can enter whichever skin they contact in the water and these can live in the human liver plus other organs for close to ten years.