While getting to Mabamba Swamp by Car is possible, it can be quite taxing; the road to Mabamba is bumpy and dusty. You could either finish with a backache from trying to recover your vehicle on a rainy – muddy day or an actual cold from the dust on a sunny day. If you have to take this route, we recommend hiring a good 4×4 vehicle with air conditioning.
Getting to Mabamba by Car: How this all works.
Depending on where your travel starts, the journey to Mabamba Swamp by car will last at least 45 minutes.
If you start your travels in Entebbe, you have two (02) options;
- Route 01: Nakiwogo (port Alice) – Kikaya – Kisindye onwards to Mabamba Swamp:
-
- To wake up very early and be at the ferry landing in Nakiwogo (port Alice) at 06:00 am to be able to catch the 7:00 am return ferry trip departing from Nakiwogo (Entebbe Mainland) to Buwaya (the Mabamba side). The Ferry is operated by the Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) and is free of charge (you don’t have to pay for your crossing). This ferry however carries a maximum of 14 vehicles on a first come first serve basis – so be there on time. If your vehicle is 15th in Queue, then you will have to wait another 30 – 45 minutes before the ferry returns to pick you up. Once you get to the Buwaya Landing, you will drive through a little town called Kikaya (5 minutes from where the ferry drops you), and continue to another one called Kisindye. Please note that as you approach Kisindye, there will be a big turn on the left (with a boda boda stage), and continue on the main road (don’t branch off) for about 30 minutes to get to Mabamba Village where the road ends. Bingo, you finally arrived at your destination – Mabamba Swamp by Car
-
- Route 02: Entebbe – Kisubi – Nakawuka – Kasanje – Kisindye onwards to Mabamba Swamp
The second option is to drive out of Entebbe (following the old Entebbe – Kampala highway – do not take the Express highway) up to Kisubi, and take the route to Nakawuka which continues through to Kasanje Trading Center where you’ll turn right within the roundabout, and drive another 5 – 10 minutes to get to Kisindye Trading Center. At this center (Kisindye) you will take a right turn (at a boda boda stage) and continue on the main road (don’t branch off) for about 30 minutes to get to Mabamba Village where the road ends. Bingo, you finally arrived your destination – Mabamba Swamp by Car.
If you start your travels in Kampala, you have two (02) options;
- Route 01: Kampala – Akright, Kitende or Kisubi – Nakawuka – Kasanje – Kisindye onward to Mabamba Swamp
You may opt to drive to Akright Housing Estate in Namulanda, or Kitende or Kisubi, and connect to the Nakawuka Road which continues through to Kasanje Trading center where you’ll turn right within the roundabout, and drive another 5 – 10 minutes to get to Kisindye Trading Center. At this center (Kisindye) you will take a right turn (at a boda boda stage) and continue on the main road (don’t branch off) for about 30 minutes to get to Mabamba Village where the road ends.
- Route 02: Kampala – Mpigi – Kasanje – Kisindye onward to Mabamba Swamp
The other way of getting to Mabamba Swamp by car is to follow the Kampala – Masaka highway up to Mpigi. Here you will turn left and drive for about 10km to get to the Kasanje roundabout. Drive straight through the roundabout (don’t take the left turn or right) and continue to Kisindye Trading Center. At this center (Kisindye) you will take a right turn (at a boda boda stage) and continue on the main road (don’t branch off) for about 30 minutes to get to Mabamba swamp where the road ends.
Which is the best route to take off all the routes explained above?
Of all the routes mentioned above, if your travel starts in Entebbe, we would recommend the Nakiwogo (port Alice) – Kikaya – Kisindye onwards to Mabamba Swamp. This route is estimated to be about 37 km.
From Kampala, we recommend taking the Kampala – Mpigi – Kasanje – Kisindye onward to Mabamba Swamp. This route is about 63 km.
Is there a Quicker, Easier, or Faster Way to get to Mabamba Swamp other than by car?
Yes, our most recommended way of getting to Mabamba Swamp would be by boat. This can be either by speed boat or traditional motorized canoe. The speed boat would get there faster but this comes at a price of about $150 subject to availability at the time of booking. But even then when you get to Mabamba Swamp you’ll have to hop onto a smaller traditional canoe accompanied by a local skipper (boat captain) and a swamp guide.
How we do it: We like to take the larger-sized traditional motorized canoe from Nakiwogo, and ride on Lake Victoria for about 45 minutes whilst spotting a variety of other bird species; cormorants, Darters, kingfishers, terns, flycatchers, eagles, etc. When we get to the Swamp, we hop on a smaller canoe manned by a local boat captain and a Swamp bird guide. This team of locals is well determined to find us a good sighting of the shoebill Stork – the main reason most people visit Mabamba Swamp.
So what is the Cost of Getting to Mabamba by motorized canoe to see the Shoebill Stork?
Realm Africa Safaris (based in Entebbe) offers the cheapest Private Half-day Shoebill tracking tours for as low as $50 per person. This price however varies with the number of persons in a group. All our trips to Mabamba Swamp are Privately arranged, we don’t bundle you up with strangers.
Our 2024 – 2025 Mabamba Swamp Shoebill tracking Rates for a Half-day (04 hours )Tour Starting in Entebbe.
No. of Persons Price
1 $95
2 $70pp
3 $65pp
4 $60pp
5 $55pp
6 $45pp
