Entebbe
Entebbe and Entebbe International Airport
Entebbe is a small town on the Lake Victoria shore that lies about 30km from Kampala. As the site of Uganda’s only international airport. It is arguably little more than an extension of the capital. Most arrivals to Entebbe airport head straight on to Kampala.
But Entebbe town is, in many respects, a more attractive place to stay. Particularly if you have an interest in natural history. The excellent botanical garden alone justifies a visit to Entebbe; the birding here is excellent. You are practically guaranteed close-up views of black-and-white colobus monkeys.
A healthy population of vervet monkeys also occur in Entebbe UWEC Botanical Gardens and can be seen almost everywhere.
Entebbe International Airport achieved instant immortality in June 1976. When an Air France airbus flying from Israel was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists and forced to land there. Non-Jewish passengers were released.
The remainder were held hostage against the demand that certain terrorists be freed from Israeli jails. In response, on July 4th, 1976, a group of Israeli paratroopers stormed the airport in a daring surprise raid. Which resulted in all the hostages being freed.
During the hijack, Amin pretended to play the mediating role of the Israeli government. And the hijackers, but his complicity soon became apparent. A 75-year-Old Israeli woman called Dora Bloch. She was rushed into an Uganda hospital after choking on her food, was never seen again, and was presumably killed.
The raid also signalled the end of the already tenuous East African Community. When Amin broke off relations with Kenya (the raid was launched from Nairobi). The building where the hostages were held is now unused. It can be visited with special permission from the airport authority.
Entebbe Botanical Garden
Established in 1902, Entebbe botanical garden is an attractively laid-out mix of indigenous forest, cultivation and horticulture. It is said that some of the early Tarzan films were made here. I don’t know how true this is, but the giggling of plantain-eaters (a type of bird which is common in the gardens) is remarkably similar to the chimp noises that punctuate Tarzan films, so I’m inclined to believe it.
A 1965 guidebook once claimed that the garden was a good place to see hippos and sitatunga. I have seen neither, and my guess is that they have been hunted or relocated in the interim, but perhaps we were just unlucky.
Still, there are some mammals in the Entebbe botanical gardens – most visibly black-and-white colobus monkeys and squirrels – and the botanical garden is an excellent introduction to Ugandan birds. Lake Victoria specials include yellow-throated leaflove and slender-billed weaver. Palm-nut vultures and fish eagles are both common. Forest birds include Ross’s and great blue touraco, and pied and black-and-white casqued hornbill.
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre
Often and rather misleadingly referred to as a zoo, the animal’s orphanage near the Department of Wildlife headquarters in Entebbe was established as a sanctuary for animals which would be unable to fend for themselves in the wild, and it has played an important role in the protection of rare and threatened animals.
At one point, there were 26 chimpanzees kept here, most of the orphaned through poaching activities. Over the years, many have been relocated into the wilderness of Kibale Forest and Queen Elizabeth national park, but the remainder are still in orphanages and visitors are sometimes permitted to hold a baby chimp.
Several other mammal species can be seen, and the aviary is your best chance of getting a good shot of the elusive shoebill. A nominal entrance fee is charged.
