#MBZ360 Vol 2 | Top 10 Things To Do in Entebbe

Lake Victoria Concierge May 31, 2025 6:15:21 PM

If you're planning to visit Uganda or you're a local looking for exciting things to do in Entebbe, keep reading. One question that most of our guests ask us is 'What are the top ten things to do in Entebbe?' or 'What places in Entebbe are worth visiting? We figured most of the information online is a bit outdated and quite generic, if you get what I am saying. So, we decided to come up with the top ten things to do in Entebbe because this is our home! Who else knows it better than a business that hosts hundreds of tourists and locals every year? Because we know and love this town, we threw in 3 extra items just to prove that Entebbe is worth visiting.

So the secrets we are about to spill are authentic and have worked for a lot of Ugandans and foreigners wishing to tour Entebbe.

For a better experience, your ideal day in Entebbe should start at Karibu BB Suites and if all things go well, you should begin your day with a cup of good Ugandan coffee at ours, of course. But even if you don’t spend the night with us, at least wake up smiling, get ready for a great day in Entebbe.

Visit the old Parliament Building in Entebbe: Whether you are a foreigner or a Ugandan, at least you gotta be a little curious about the history of our town and country! You can start your excursion from the “Entebbe Parliament”, you know, Entebbe housed Uganda’s first ever Parliament and we even have a tree to prove it! Just kidding, not just a tree, the building is still there but the Entebbe Freedom Tree is also near the old Parliament building which is right next to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Botanical Gardens: After gazing at the magnificent architecture that is the Old Parliament building, it’s only fair that you visit the Botanical Gardens which are a few minutes away. The gardens are accessible to the public at a small fee that ranges from 5,000 Ugx for residents and up to 20,000 Ugx for non-residents. If you’re looking for a place to have a picnic with your friends or family in Entebbe, this would be a great option for you to just meet up to chill around the green gardens. But if you are also looking for a quiet place to be alone and read a book or quiet your mind and get some inspiration on your next big idea, we still recommend that you visit the Botanical Gardens in Entebbe! Here, you are guaranteed to connect with nature and perhaps see some golden and regular monkeys.

While you can see Lake Victoria from the top floors at Karibu BB Suites, when you go to Botanical Gardens you can see the source of the Nile quite upfront; probably a good idea to take some pictures here. If you get hungry you can visit the restaurants in the gardens and eat some of the famous tilapia fish.

By the way, the rain forest covers in the Botanical gardens were also used as a backdrop by some Hollywood chaps for the 1957 film Tarzan. What other reason do you need to visit?
Visit Victoria Mall: Just like any civilized town, we actually have a mall; Victoria Mall, where you can find “mall-ly” things. You can always grab a piece of fried chicken at KFC or have a meal at Cafe Javas or Middle East Restaurant here. The mall houses Carrefour Supermarket and Waikiki if you’re in a shopping mood. Upstairs, you can watch a movie at Cinemax. And like any worthy shopping mall, they also have a gym and swimming pool just in case you decide to “burn off” the food you just had.
Let’s go to the beach: When it comes to beaches, the rule of thumb is that not all beaches are the same! If you’re looking for the “quiet beaches”, get out of Victoria mall and head to Nambi Close, here you will find the likes of 2Friends Beach where you can chill in silence and read a book. Nambi Close also has Goretti's Pizzeria which usually has a traditional dance show on Friday nights, foreigners who are interested in exploring Ugandan culture usually enjoy these nights. By the way, if you love sailing, there’s a sailors club on Nambi Close but it’s only open for members so you might want to investigate further on issues regarding membership of this elite sailor’s club.

But if you are looking for a beach with vibes, you’ll need to check into the “party beaches” like White Sand beach, Coco beach, Spena Beach and Aero beach which is also known as the plane graveyard. Luckily for you, the beaches are on the same stretch! Entrance fees to these beaches usually start from 5,000 Ugx to around 20,000 Ugx depending on the day you go.
Fishing and forest trails: Gudda Fishing Site is a small community of people in Entebbe that carries out fishing in Lake Victoria. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you can always find a way of fishing with the locals. Hopefully you catch some good tilapia or Nile perch. Not very far from here, you can continue your excursion into the Zika Forest where you can have a forest trail. Luckily, you will see some birds and monkeys on your trail.
Enjoy the Nightlife in Entebbe: This town never sleeps and if you are, for the lack of a better phrase, a nocturnal party animal- you don’t have to travel back to Kampala just to find some good nightclubs and bars. In the center of Entebbe, there’s a street with all the noteworthy clubs and bars for those who can’t do without the nightlife fun. Some of these spots include Cassava Republic, a Turkish Bar, and Stone View Pub which is famous for their pork. After a night out in Entebbe, it’s only natural that you crave to have a good rest at Karibu BB Suites.
Boat Rides, Ziplining, Rock Climbing & Island Shenanigans in Entebbe: Visit the Kalangala island on Lake Victoria and experience all that it has to offer. To make the most of your time on the island, you should plan to spend the entire weekend there. Get there on Friday and leave on Sunday.

But how do I get to the island? Well, I’m glad you asked. As usual, you have two options here. Head over to Nakiwogo Port Alice and either you take the fancy ferry or the regular ferry, it all depends on your pockets. While on the waters, you have other options for places to visit like Buwaya where you can visit the Nkima Lodge and the Mabamba swamp which is home to the famous shoebills, definitely a good site for birdwatching. Most tourists have also made it a habit to visit the shoebill park located on Busi island which we also recommend to our guests who are interested in Zip lining and rock climbing. This island will be perfect if you plan your day’s activities with a group of friends.

The boat ride experiences at Nakiwogo or Gudda will cost you around 70,000 Ugx depending on the vessel you take. But this is on the cheaper end of things! If you’re looking for a fancier experience, prepare to spend as much as 300 USD to get a fancy boat experience with your friends to have a boat party or something similar. There are dedicated companies like Miles Marine and Wild Frontiers who offer you this experience at a cost, obviously!

While you’re still on the waters, you also have an option to sail to Ngamba island where you can find the Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Boat rides to the sanctuary usually cost around 150 USD per person but the pro tip is that you go with more than 4 friends so that you can split the boat costs.
Wildlife at the Zoo or the Reptile Village: Almost every Ugandan pupil has visited the zoo during one of those primary school trips. Wouldn’t it be fun to just go back and relive some of your childhood memories at the Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre. See some wild animals up close? The zoo as we knew it has actually been modified and so have the entrance fees! Expect to pay from 10,000 Ugx to 20,000 Ugx for East Africans and up to 15 USD for non-residents.

If the zoo doesn’t excite you, there’s a private establishment called Reptile Village where you can meet a variety of reptiles like crocodiles, alligators and other interesting animals. You’re also allowed to carry the snakes. This tip is mostly for foreigners who are not superstitious. If you’re a true African, for your own sake, don’t let your relatives see a picture of you carrying a snake around your neck. Otherwise you might just be responsible for all the “witchcraft” in the family.
Learn about Ugandan culture: Most Ugandans know the word ‘Entebbe’ kinda sounds like the Luganda word for ‘chair’ but they don’t know where Entebbe town derives its name from. If you would love to know more about the rich history of the town, you need to visit Kigungu. Here, you will find the place called Entebbe za Mugula; a few generations ago, there lived a man named Mugula and he had some kind of chairs that are now on the shores of Lake Victoria. Obviously, we cannot tell the full story but if you visit this place, be sure to learn more about Entebbe’s history on our behalf.
Cycling tours in Entebbe: Entebbe town is one of the best places to have a cycling tour with your friends. Guests at Karibu BB Suites who fancy cycling usually benefit from our expert guidance regarding the best routes for cycling around Entebbe. If you have your own bike, good for you! However, there are also options to rent-a-bike in Entebbe if you don’t want to go through the trouble of carrying a bike all the way to Entebbe.

Our expert tip for cycling around Entebbe is to carry proper cycling glasses because if you’re a newbie riding around the lake, be prepared to fight with the lake flies that are trying to enter your eyes. Also, when you see the lake flies, these are not mosquitoes so you don’t have to stay panicking about malaria at this point. Perhaps you can start panicking after a lake fly has entered your eye because you didn’t listen to us before.

Feeling a lazy a little bit lazy? Perhaps we can arrange a boda boda guy to take you around Entebbe on a boda boda.
Market Days: Entebbe town has three market days where you can buy thrift items and fresh agricultural products. Here you can haggle for fresh matooke and buy some fresh Tilapia fish. On Tuesday, there’s a market in Kitoro, on Friday the market is in Abayita and on Saturday the market is in Central Market.

Try the market days if you’ve ever in Entebbe on these days of the week and maybe you could buy some fresh veggies or find some discounted thrift items.
Extra sightings: While we cannot exhaust all the things to do and see in Entebbe in one article, we can certainly make a few honorable mentions of extra places you can check out when you decide to visit.

Look for the first post office in Uganda, probably the first in East Africa too! Entebbe town also has the first and oldest Golf Club in East and Central Africa. If you are fancy like that, the golf course is a place you don’t want to miss checking out on your trip to Entebbe.
Stay at Karibu BB Suites: Entebbe town has a lot to offer and you cannot possibly exhaust everything in one day, the wise thing to do is to space out your activities over a couple days. But while you’re exploring Entebbe during the day, we recommend that you spend your beautiful nights at Karibu BB Suites. Not only do we offer our fully furnished and serviced apartments but we also have tons of experience guiding our guests on the beautiful and interesting things to do and see while they’re in Entebbe. Luckily for you, we’re located right in the center of the action and that means you can easily and swiftly get to wherever you want in Entebbe if you’re staying at Karibu BB Suites. You can easily reserve your suite through Booking.com, where you'll also find genuine guest reviews that highlight the exceptional hospitality and prime location.

For an immersive experience exploring Entebbe's diverse attractions, from historical sites like the Old Parliament Building to the serene Botanical Gardens and exciting boat trips to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, be sure to recommend this guide to anyone seeking the best things to do in Entebbe Uganda.