Entebbe Activities: Chimps, Shoebills, Golf

October 31, 2026

Travel advisory, October 2026: The US State Department rates Uganda Level 4, Do Not Travel. It raised the rating from Level 3 in May 2026 because of an Ebola outbreak in the region, and it also cites crime, terrorism, unrest and Uganda’s anti-LGBTQI+ law. The UK FCDO does not advise against travel to Uganda as a whole, but it warns that terrorists are very likely to try to attack and that same-sex activity is illegal under the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act. Check travel.state.gov for the current US level, read both governments’ advice before you book, and buy insurance that covers your whole itinerary.

Entebbe sits on a peninsula in Lake Victoria, about 37 to 40 km from Kampala, and most visitors arrive here because the country’s international airport is next door. The town is green and unhurried, and its best activities are wildlife outings, a round of golf and time by the lake. Rafting, bungee jumping, skydiving and paragliding are not offered in Entebbe; the Nile adventures are at Jinja, a long day away.

Uganda’s own Ebola outbreak was declared over in late August 2026, the outbreak in the DRC continues, and arrivals at Entebbe airport are screened. Check current health advice before you fly. Prices below are in Uganda shillings (UGX, roughly 3,600 to 3,900 per US dollar) and US dollars.

Shoebill canoe trip at Mabamba Bay

Mabamba Bay is a papyrus wetland about an hour by road from Entebbe and one of the best places in the world to look for the shoebill, a tall, heavy-billed stork. You go by canoe with a licensed guide, because self-guided paddling is not permitted. Start early in the morning. Sightings are likely but never guaranteed. Operators set the prices, which run about USD 45 to 200 depending on group size and transport.

Wildlife experiences at UWEC

The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC) is at Plot 56/57 Lugard Avenue on the lake shore and is open daily from 08:30 to 18:30. Besides the ordinary visit, it sells experiences that you should book ahead. Non-resident prices from the official rates page are USD 70 for Behind the Scenes, USD 150 for Keeper for a Day and USD 290 for Chimp Close Up. Health screening rules apply for the chimp experience, so ask when you book. Check the UWEC rates page for resident and Ugandan prices.

Ngamba Island chimpanzee sanctuary

Ngamba Island is about 23 km south-east of Entebbe and is home to about 50 chimpanzees. Speedboats leave Entebbe daily at 09:00 and 12:45 and take about 45 minutes; a traditional motorised canoe takes about 90 minutes. Viewing and feeding times are 07:30, 11:00, 14:30 and 18:30. Visits must be booked in advance through the Chimpanzee Trust , which will quote the price when you reserve.

Golf

Entebbe Golf Club was founded in 1901 and describes itself as the oldest golf club in East and Central Africa. It has 18 holes, 6,784 yards and a par of 71. Ask the club about visitor fees and tee times on entebbegolfclub.com . The Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa at Kigo is a separate 18-hole course on the Kampala side of town.

Lake views and boat trips

The shoreline is for sitting, eating and watching the water, not for swimming. Do not swim, wade or paddle at Lido, Spenah or Aero beach or anywhere else on the Entebbe shore. The lake carries bilharzia (schistosomiasis), hippos and crocodiles, and about 13 people drowned in the Entebbe area over Christmas 2015, most of them swimming while drunk, according to police. Swim in a hotel pool instead. For a sunset boat trip, ask your hotel to arrange a licensed boatman and make sure every passenger has a lifejacket.

To compare listed tours, search GetYourGuide for Entebbe activities .