Entebbe International Airport is the sole international airport located in Uganda that acts as the main gateway point to and from other countries. Uganda is a unique and well-liked travel destination in East Africa. Because of its location and pleasant climate, it’s an excellent safari destination to go on vacation and see various national parks with stunning tourist attractions like lions, chimpanzees, and mountain gorillas, as well as landscapes and the Nile River. The main entry point to Uganda’s capital city of Kampala is Entebbe International Airport, which is also the country’s only international airport.
It takes around ten minutes by car from Entebbe town and forty kilometres from Kampala city to get to Entebbe International Airport, which is situated near the shores of Lake Victoria, the biggest freshwater lake in Africa. There are two terminals at Entebbe International Airport, one for domestic travel and one for international travel. Many foreign airlines, including Fly Dubai, KLM, South African Airways, Egypt Air, Air Tanzania, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Emirates, Qatar Airways, Brussels carriers, and Air Kenya, among others, as well as a number of cargo carriers, use the services of Entebbe Airport.
Entebbe Airport is the main hub for the Uganda Airline which has just resumed about eighteen years. In addition to serving additional locations including Nairobi, Dar Es Salaam, Mogadishu, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Kilimanjaro, and Juba, Uganda Airline offers direct scheduled flights across East Africa.
In 1951, Entebbe Airport was formally opened. Beginning in 2015, the airport’s construction will be completed in three stages: expanding the cargo area, fortifying the current runways, and expanding the new passenger terminal building, which will house 820 departing and 410 arriving passengers during peak seasons, as opposed to the current 410 arriving and 320 departing passengers.
Requirements needed at Entebbe International Airport.
You should have the necessary documents in order to enter Uganda or any other country before you travel there. When you arrive at Entebbe International Airport, you’ll be required to provide documentation like;
Passport, the passport must be current and have a minimum six-month expiration date.
The visa is the necessary paperwork to enter Uganda. It may be obtained online or upon arrival at the immigration office at Entebbe International Airport, however it may take some time if there are a lot of people.
Yellow fever vaccination card: Obtaining this card before to flying to Uganda is advised since it certifies that your health is in order. If a tourist does not have the card, they will receive the shot at the airport.
Reason for visit: Upon arrival at Entebbe airport, tourists must show an itinerary from the tour operator if they are visiting for leisure; otherwise, they must provide a business invitation card.
Evidence of funds: To demonstrate that they have enough cash, credit cards, or bank statements to last their whole stay in Uganda, travelers must provide these items at the Entebbe airport.
The return ticket on your airline ticket indicates if you want to stay in Uganda permanently or just for a brief visit. Should you want to remain in Uganda on a permanent basis, please provide an explanation.
When you arrive at Entebbe Airport, you will get off the plane, walk to the arrival terminal, show your yellow fever certificate at immigration, and then get your passport and visa stamped. After retrieving your bags from the conveyor belts, going through the security checkpoint and exiting the building, you will meet your driver or guide at the designated meeting spot.
Passengers visiting Uganda may take use of a number of services and amenities provided by Entebbe Airport, including
Airline lounge, this is a privately managed departure lounge where visitor in economy group seat during waiting hours for their departure flights. For a reasonable price, the airline Karibuni lounge provides amenities including internet, beverages, snacks, and a flat-screen TV.
At Entebbe Airport, there is a government facility called the VIP lounge reserved for diplomats and government officials.
At the luggage facility, guests’ belongings are sorted by name and address, and they may also have their bags wrapped for a fee. In the event that a bag is misplaced or misidentified, visitors should contact the ground handling office located in the arrival hall.
There are restrooms with baby changing facilities at the Karibuni lounge and along the exit transit concourse.
Entebbe International Airport has amenities for travelers with special needs, including as wheelchairs, ramps, elevators, and designated paths. Additionally, passenger handling staff members are available to help elderly and disabled travelers.
Located outside the arrival hall on the ground level at Entebbe airport is the meeting passenger facilities. The meeting passenger is a location where drivers and guides, among other staff members, wait for their clients before transporting them to their intended locations. There are additional amenities outside the arrival hall, including eateries, a customer service desk, a phone, and postal services.
Domestic Airlines at Entebbe Airport;
Domestic Airlines uses Entebbe Airport as a hub to run domestic flights to several locations in Uganda, including national parks. Eagle Air and Aero Link are among the airlines:
Operating scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airfield to Kasese Airstrip, Mweya Airstrip, Ishasha Airstrip, Kisoro Airstrip, Kihihi Airstrip, Lamoj Airstrip, Pakuba Airstrip, and Chobe Airstrip is Aero Link Airline, an airline with its headquarters located in Kampala, Uganda. This airport serves as a link to several national parks, including the second-largest park in the country, Queen Elizabeth National Park, the largest park in Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park, Bwindi and Mgahinga National Parks, which are well-known for gorilla trekking, Kidepo Valley National Park, and Semuliki National Park.
Based in Uganda, Eagle Air is an airline that offers clients both private chartered and scheduled regional travel. Eagle Air provides efficient and dependable transportation services from Entebbe Airport to surrounding airports in Uganda, including Arua, Adjumani, Kitgum, Gulu, Moyo, Soroti, Jinja, Kidepo, Chobe, Pakuba, Kihihi, Kasese, Mweya, and Kisoro.Â
Attractions and Activities in Entebbe.Â
Ngamba Island.
Ngamba Island is a chimpanzee sanctuary that is situated on Lake Victoria in Entebbe and is a home of 49 orphaned chimpanzees. Popular with chimpanzees, Ngamba Sanctuary offers tours that allow guests to get up close and personal with the primates, observe how they eat, and enjoy the pleasure of the young ones playing.
Uganda Reptile’s Village.
The purpose of the Entebbe-based reptile village is to educate people about reptile conservation and help them get over their phobia of reptiles. Over 20 different species of reptiles, including the Leopard Tortoise, Jackson’s Chameleon, Monitor Lizards, Forest Cobra, Gaboon Viper, Crocodile, Pythons, Mambas, and Puff Adders, may be found in Uganda Reptile Village.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
 It takes around five minutes to travel from Entebbe International Airport to the Botanical Gardens, which are situated on Lake Victoria’s northern shoreline. The Botanical Gardens are home to a variety of animal species, including native and exotic shrubs, medicinal plants, tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate plants, as well as bird species like the African grey parrot, palm-nut vulture, while bat hawk, and vervet monkeys.
Mabamba Swamp.
The uncommon shoebill stork is one of the many bird species that call Mabamba Swamp in Entebbe home. Other aquatic creatures include Goliath Heron, Brown Throated Weaver, White Winged Black Terns, White Winged Warblers, Papyrus Gonolek, Papyrus Canary, and Blue Swallows, among others. Mabamba Swamp is one of Uganda’s top safari destinations to go bird watching.
Sport fishing on Lake Victoria.
Sport fishing on Lake Victoria takes place on Ssese Island which is regarded as the best spot for fishing, visitors on a safari on Lake Victoria can engage in sport fishing where they will catch different fish types such as Tilapia and Nile perch which are the major fish types caught.Â
Uganda Wildlife Education Center.
Entebbe International Airport is just ten minutes’ drive from the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, commonly referred to as a Zoo. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is home to a variety of animals, including chimpanzees, lions, giraffes, and rhinos, as well as savannah vegetation, forest, and wetland. In addition to learning more about the animals in the zoo, visitors can also participate in interesting activities like feeding the animals.
Boat cruise on Lake Victoria.
Africa’s largest freshwater lake is called Lake Victoria. When taking a tour of Lake Victoria, guests have the chance to enjoy a boat cruise on the water, offering stunning views of various bird species, landscapes, islands in the lake, and sunsets (if the cruise is taken during the evening, such as at 4 or 5 pm, when you get the best water experience).
Visit the beaches.
Entebbe has a variety of beaches where you may unwind and take in the sunset, as well as islands on Lake Victoria, volleyball courts, swimming pools, lunch or supper areas, and nighttime entertainment, all of which can contribute to making your day unforgettable.
Do you want to explore Uganda for Gorilla Trekking safari, Chimpanzee Trekking safari, Lion tracking or Hiking, fly to Entebbe International Airport and get an opportunity to explore Uganda’s National Parks with Primate Holidays you will not get disappointed.