Entebbe International Airport.
Entebbe International Airport.
Entebbe International Airport is the main airport in Uganda for getting to and from other countries. It is the only international airport in the country. Uganda is a unique and popular safari destination to explore in East Africa. Because of its location and good weather, it is a great place to spend a vacation. Tourists can visit different national parks to see things like mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, lions, and other animals, as well as landscapes and the source of the Nile, among other things. Entebbe International Airport is Uganda’s only international airport and the main way to get to the capital city of Kampala.
Entebbe International Airport is close to Lake Victoria, which is Africa’s biggest freshwater lake. It takes about 10 minutes to drive to the airport from Entebbe town and about 40 kilometres from Kampala city. There are two terminals at Entebbe International Airport that handle both domestic and international flights. Entebbe airport is used by many foreign airlines and cargo airlines, including Fly Dubai, KLM, South African Airways, Egypt Air, Air Tanzania, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Emirates, Qatar Airways, Brussels Airlines, Air Kenya, and others.
Entebbe Airport is the main hub for the Uganda Airline which started operation this August after about eighteen years. Uganda Airline runs govern scheduled flights around East Africa and other locations such as Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Mogadishu, Mombasa, Bujumbura, Kilimanjaro, and Juba among others.
In 1951, Entebbe Airport was publicly opened. The airport is under construction, which started in 2015 and will be done in three phases to increase the size of the existing cargo area, strengthen the existing runways, and increase the size of the new passenger terminal building from the current 410 arriving passengers and 320 departing passengers to 930 arriving passengers and 820 departing passengers during the peak seasons.
Requirements needed at Entebbe International Airport.
Before you go to Uganda or anywhere else, you should make sure you have the documents you need to get into the country. When you land at Entebbe International Airport, you will be asked to show documents like;
Passport, it should be current and have at least six months left on it.
Visa, this is the document that will let you into Uganda. You can get a Uganda VISA online or when you arrive at Entebbe International Airport at the immigration office, which can take a while if there are a lot of passengers.
Yellow fever vaccination card, you need to get this card before you go to Uganda. It shows that your health is good, and if a visitor doesn’t have the card, he or she will be vaccinated at the airport.
Reason for the visit, after landing at Entebbe airport, tourists must show an itinerary from the tour company if they are there on vacation, or a business invitation card if they are there on business.
Proof of funds, visitors must show bank records, cash, or credit cards at Entebbe airport as proof that they have enough money to spend while in Uganda.
Return ticket, your plane ticket shows if you plan to stay in Uganda for a short time or if you plan to stay there for good. If you are planning to stay in Uganda permanently, you will share your reasons.
When you get to Entebbe Airport, you’ll get out of the plane and walk to the arrival area. There, you’ll show your yellow fever certificate and then go to immigration to get your visa and passport stamped. Then, you’ll go get your bags from the conveyor belts, put them through the security machine and leave the building to meet your driver or guide at the meeting place.
Entebbe Airport offers various services and facilities to passengers traveling to Uganda and they include,
Airline lounge, this is a privately handled departure lounge where visitor in economy group seat during waiting hours for their departure flights. The airline Karibuni bar has a flat-screen TV, internet access, drinks, and snacks for a small fee.
The VIP lounge at Entebbe Airport is a place for diplomats and government leaders that is run by the government.
Baggage facility, visitor’s baggage is distinguished corresponding to their names, address and can also be wrapped around at a cost and in case of misconnection and lost baggage, the visitors to the ground handling office at the arrival hall.
Baby changing facility, these are washroom facilities at Karibuni lounge and along the departure travel concourse.
Entebbe International Airport has lifts, wheelchairs, ramps, and special paths for passengers with special needs. Passenger handling staff will also help elderly and disabled passengers.
This meeting place for passengers is on the ground floor of Entebbe airport, outside the hall where people come in. The waiting passenger is a place where drivers, tour guides, and other people wait for their customers and take them to the places they came to see. Outside the arrival hall, you can find a customer service desk, restaurants, a phone, and mail services, among other things.
Domestic Airlines at Entebbe Airport.
Domestic Airlines fly to different cities and national parks in Uganda from Entebbe Airport, which is a hub for domestic trips. Aero link and Eagle air are two of the airlines:
Aero link Airline is an airline based in Kampala, Uganda. It has 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, Chobe Airstrip, and Chobe Airstrip. This airstrip connects to national parks like Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is the second largest park, and Murchison Falls National Park, which is the largest national park in Uganda. It also connects to parks like Bwindi, Mgahinga, Kidepo Valley National Park, Semuliki National Park, and others.
Eagle air airline, based in Uganda, Eagle Air is an airline that takes people on regionally planned flights and private chartered flights. Eagle air has quick and reliable flights from Entebbe airport to many places in Uganda, such as Arua Airport, Adjumani Airport, Kitgum Airport, Gulu Airport, Moyo Airport, Soroti Airport, Jinja Airport, Kidepo Airstrip, Chobe Airstrip, Pakuba Airstrip, Kihihi Airstrip, Kasese Airstrip, Mweya Airstrip, Kisoro Airstrip, and others.
Attractions and Activities in Entebbe.
Ngamba Island.
Ngamba Island is a chimpanzee sanctuary that is situated on Lake Victoria in Entebbe and is a home of 49 orphaned chimpanzees. Ngamba sanctuary is a famous place for chimpanzees to live. When on a tour, visitors can interact with the chimpanzees, watch how they eat, and watch the young ones play, which are all great safari experiences.
Uganda Reptile’s Village.
Uganda Reptile’s Village the reptile village is also situated in Entebbe and was established mainly to educate people on how to conserve the reptiles and also overcome the fear of reptile animals. Over 20 kinds of reptiles and about 50 reptiles live in Uganda’s reptile village. Among them are the Leopard Tortoise, Jackson’s Chameleon, Monitor Lizards, Forest Cobra, Gaboon Viper, Crocodile, Pythons, Mambas, and Puff Adders.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens are on the north side of Lake Victoria. It takes about five minutes to drive from Entebbe International Airport to the Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens are home to different kinds of birds like the African grey parrot, whilst bat hawk, and Palm-nut vulture. They also have primates like Vervet monkeys, Black and White colobus monkeys, squirrels, and different kinds of plants like tropical, subtropical, and temperate plants, medicinal plants, native and exotic plant species, shrubs, and more.
Mabamba Swamp.
Mabamba swamp which is near Entebbe, is home to many kinds of birds, including the rare shoebill stork, as well as other animals that live in water, such as White Winged black Terns, White Winged Warblers, Brown Throated Weavers, Goliath Herons, Papyrus Gonoleks, Papyrus Canaries, and Blue Swallows, among others. In Uganda, Mabamba swamp is a great place to watch birds.
Sport fishing on Lake Victoria.
Sport fishing on Lake Victoria takes place on Ssese Island which is recognised as the best spot for fishing, tourists on a safari on Lake Victoria may participate in sport fishing where they will catch different fish types such as Tilapia and Nile perch which are the major fish types caught.
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre.
Entebbe is home to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, which is also called a zoo. It takes about 10 minutes to drive from Entebbe International Airport to the zoo. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has savannah plants, forest, and wetland, as well as animals like rhinos, giraffes, lions, elephants and chimpanzees. People who visit the Zoo will learn more about zoo animals and can do things like feed the animals and other things to make their trip more interesting.
Lake Victoria.
Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in Africa, and you can take a boat cruise on it. Visitors on a tour of Lake Victoria will be able to take a boat ride on the water, where they can see beautiful views of different bird species, landscapes, islands on Lake Victoria, and the sunset, if they take the ride in the evening, between 4 and 5 p.m. This is the best way to enjoy the water.
Visit the beaches.
Entebbe has many beaches where you can rest, watch the sunset, swim, play volleyball, eat lunch or dinner, and listen to music at night, among other things. This will make your day memorable including Aero beach, Lido beach, Spenah beach, Lutembe beach and among others.
