Entebbe Botanical Gardens
The Entebbe Botanical Gardens was established in 1898 by the first curator, A Whyte, close to the shores of Lake Victoria. The gardens are divided into different zones, including a rainforest zone. This rainforest formed the backdrop to scenes from the Tarzan films featuring Johnny Weissmuller, shot in the 1940s.
What to see & Do in at the Botanical Gardens
- Birding In Entebbe Botanical Gardens:
The Botanical gardens host a variety of water, open country and woodland bird species among which include: the Pink-backed Pelican, Yellow-billed Stork, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Yellow White-eye, Purple-banded Sunbird, African Jacana, Lesser Jacana, Yellow-billed Duck, Glossy Ibis, African Open-billed Stork, Malachite Kingfisher, Blue-checked Bee-eater, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Black Crake, Long-tailed Cormorant, Crowned Hornbill, Vieillot’ Black Weaver, Woodland Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, the Africa and Red-billed Firefinch, Black-and-white-Casqued Hornbill, Senegal Coucal, Little Stint, Little Weaver, Striated Heron, Ruff, Gull-billed Tern, White-winged Tern, Klaas’s and Diederik Cuckoos, Green Crombec, Tambourine Dove, Cameroon, Little and Tooro Olive Greenbuls, Water Thick-knee, Madagascar Bee-eater, Egyptian Goose, Black-headed Weaver, Slender-billed Weaver, Yellow-backed Weaver, Black-headed Gonolek, Long-tailed Starling, Grey-Headed Sparrow, the Spur-winged Lapwing, endless list.
- Guided Nature Walk.
Besides birds, the botanical gardens offer amazingly well maintained (not PWDS friendly) walking trails that allow visitors to explore the gardens on a guided r self-guided walking tour. While On the walk, expect to see lots of Vervet monkeys, butterflies, variant tree species and if lucky, you might spot the red-tailed monkey (there is only one currently roaming the expanses of the gigantic Entebbe Botanical Gardens and the story behind this is interesting – you can only get this story from a Local guide – so please take a local site guide at the gate and also put aside a small tip. (See: Tipping In Uganda )
When is the best time to visit the gardens?
The Gardens can be visited all-year round however, the best time is in the dry season month; from May 25 to August 30 when the is little rain to distort your activities. The walking trails are often less challenging to navigate, and the wildlife is often a lot more active with no rain. (See: Entebbe city weather patterns)
**Best time is during the week when it is not busy and there are fewer people and more nature to enjoy than big crowds of weekenders who come in from as far as Kampala.
Getting to Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Depending on where you are coming from, there are only two (02) ways to get to the amazing botanical gardens in Entebbe.
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By walking:
If you are on an organized Uganda Safari and are staying at a hotel in Entebbe, it is possible to walk to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens. Most of the popular hotels; Hotel NO.5, Karibu guesthouse, and Airport Link Guesthouse are located within walking distance. The journey to the botanical garden on foot might last roundabout 20 – 40 minutes depending on pace.
By Bike:
The most popular hotel in Entebbe will offer you the option of cycling through the leaf suburbs of Entebbe to get to the botanical gardens. The bikes might be free-of-charge or may cost an insignificant pay – ask before you set off on a ride. The other alternative is to work with a local cycling company like; Bike2Go & BikeX. If you like, Realm Africa Safaris™ can assist you book and arranging this for you.
By Car:
Most people do drive to get to the botanical gardens. However, this is common practice for tour operators who wouldn’t want to let you go wandering on the streets – not that the streets are unsafe but just so they deliver a worthwhile tour package.
Our Co-operate Social Responsibility to our community: Realm Africa Safaris™ likes to instead work with the local bike guides from within the community. The two (02) notable local bike companies we work with include;
