Activities to do at Entebbe Zoo : Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe is one of the most popular weekend activities for local tourists. Entebbe is a small but very interesting town to stay in while in Uganda. The Entebbe zoo sits on land that is about 72 acres in size with a network of walkways to the different animal enclosures and to a large natural forest. The zoo stands out from similar establishments in other countries because of its ideal location along the shores of Lake Victoria. If you are a tourist with some time to spare after your long safari in the national parks, this one place you must go to as you wait for your flight. Nationals and residents in Uganda are also lucky to have a one stop Centre where they can see and learn about many of Africa’s famous wildlife without having to go for expensive safaris in the remote national parks
The Entebbe zoo started in 1950 as a Centre were orphaned, injured or rescued animals were rehabilitated. The Entebbe zoo was founded by the colonial government with help from the Wildlife Conservation Society. 10 years later in 1960, the Centre operated as a traditional zoo were people would only go to see some of Africa’s famous wildlife as well as a few imported ones like Tigers and bears.
Attractions in Entebbe zoo
Entebbe zoo is very popular because of its rich biodiversity and location within Uganda’s main metropolitan centers. It is home to giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards, chimpanzees, baboons, ostriches, Visiting the Entebbe Zoo hyenas, zebras, lions, donkeys, the Uganda Kob, camels, waterbucks, egrets, the famous Shoebill Stork, snakes, pythons and tortoises. Over 120 species of birds and 23 of primates can be seen at the facility. The Centre also has red-tailed monkeys, cattle, crocodiles, peacocks, crested cranes, parrots, goats, elephants, chicken, warthogs, cobras, impala, topis, forest hogs and eland among many others. Apart from animals, there is also an incredible plant life (flowers, shrubs, trees and herbs) and butterfly species. Unfortunately, there are no mountain gorillas in the zoo. To see them, you need to read about gorilla trekking in Bwindi.
Some of the animals and birds roam about freely and this can be a surprise for those who are not familiar to this kind of setting.
Opening and closing hours
The Entebbe Zoom opening hours are between 8:00am closes at 6:00pm. You will not be allowed in if you show up at 6:00pm. For the best experience and time with the animals, we recommend that you visit by 4:00pm.
Activities to do in Entebbe zoo
Behind the Scenes Experience and tour: This experience is offered to tourists who are interested in more than just the sights and sounds of the animals at the Centre. The experience offers visitors a rare opportunity to interact closely with many of the animals at the Centre while getting to know their life story.
You will observe their behavior and routine activities from the time they wake up till they retire to their enclosures. The experience is completely different and cannot be possible during a standard safari. By the end of your time at the tour, you will learn to appreciate the work done by the caretakers of the zoo. The experience is divided into three categories. The keeper’s guided tour, Vet for the day experience and the Keeper for the day experience. The Behind the Scenes Tour costs $70 per person.
Keeper’s guided tour: If you choose to go for the Keeper’s Guided tour, you will be assigned a Care taker who will share all the details about the Center before taking you to visit all the animal enclosures. You will have access to all sections of the Centre including the staff offices and other private facilities. During the tour, you will get close and personal with animals like Kabira the Lion, Sushi the Shoebill Stork, Mutagama the lioness, Albert the giraffe, Charlie the Elephant and Chimpanzees like Ndugu. The Keeper’s Guided tour takes about three hours and generally involves less work. You can choose to do the tour in the morning or afternoon. The best time to observe the animals feeding is in the morning hours. Do not forget to go with your camera and enough battery. The Keeper’s Guided Tour costs $40 per person.
Keeper for a day experience: The Keeper for a day option involves more work with the animals and attempts to allow you experience what the caretakers go through while taking care of the animals at the zoo. The programme starts with attending the Keepers briefing, getting the animal food ready, loading it into the zoo tractor and taking them to the different animal enclosures. You will help serve the animals food and record their overall behavior for any signs of stress or sickness. This is the time to touch the python or one of the lions. If there is any newly rescued animal at the Centre, the staff will involve you in their rehabilitation. The Keeper for a day experience costs $150 per person.
The Vet for the day Experience: This experience is open to everyone but will be supervised by the resident Veterinary doctor. After the usual briefing, the animal doctor will lead you to the animal enclosures for daily health checks. You will observe how the health checks are done and may be involved in transporting one of the animals back to a holding facility for more comprehensive checks. The Doctor will also take you to visit the animal pharmacy while ensuring that you follow any health precautions. While visiting the food preparation area, you are expected to follow the cleanliness procedures in place in order to prevent animal infections, Activities to do at Entebbe Zoo.
Guided Tour: guided tours in Entebbe zoo can take half day those who want an in-depth and more educative experience. A Guide can take you around the facility and show you all the animals while answering all your questions. Guides request as little as $10 for their service.
Chimpanzee habituation experience: Although Uganda has one of the largest populations of chimpanzees in the world, their numbers are declining rapidly. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre organizes chimp specific tours for interested visitors at an extra cost. You cannot go anywhere near the chimps if you have any transferable diseases. Once you get medical clearance, you will be assigned a Caretaker to Guide you while ensuring that you are involved in feeding the primates.
Volunteer: The Entebbe zoo accepts volunteers from every part of the globe for a period of one week to a few months. The Volunteer program is designed to offer participants hands on experience working closely with all animals at the zoo including rhinos, chimpanzees, reptiles and birds. The Volunteer is also expected to take part in cleaning animal enclosures, feeding the animals, fundraising efforts, program development, student training, research and guiding guests around the facility.
Forest Trail and bird watching: The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is located in an area with remarkable scenery and over 1km of untouched forest. After visiting the animal enclosures, one can also go for a nature walk along the forest trail for a quieter encounter with butterflies, chameleons, birds, small primates and plants. You can choose to hire a Guide to move with you as he/she explains the importance of each of the plants and their important medicinal values. The forest is safe and the walk can take between 1 to 2 hours during which time you will be exposed you to over 100 species of birds, Activities to do at Entebbe Zoo.
Accommodation while visiting Entebbe Zoo
The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has accommodation facilities within its premises. The cottages are typical African bandas which are self-contained and cost about $30. Each banda is well constructed, Accommodation at Entebbe zoo spacious and furnished with a fridge, private bathroom, mosquito net and cooking equipment. There are also large dorms for the budget traveler and groups of students. The dorms have shared bathrooms and one computer for internet, Activities to do at Entebbe Zoo. Meals are served from the restaurant overlooking the lake. The restaurant closes at 6:00pm and it is therefore important to get your dinner before closing time. We highly recommend staying in one of the bandas if you are looking for basic but comfortable accommodation facility with most of what the amenities. If you want more luxury hotels and lodges, then you will need to book the hotels outside the zoo and in Entebbe town.
Note: There are countless vervet monkeys roaming freely around the zoo. Keep your distance and avoid feeding them if you can. Some may be infected with rabies.
