Entebbe Botanical Gardens – Top things to do in Entebbe
Entebbe botanical Gardens are the loveliest and calm place you can relax at with the freshest natural air conditioners all around the entire green environment. It is worth to fix a little time after arriving in Uganda or after your safari in Uganda’s country side and stay a day or half a day in botanical gardens to have a good time at this place that continues to beautify with age.
The Entebbe Botanical Gardens was established in 1898. It is situated on the northern shores of Africa’s largest fresh water lake- Lake Victoria at a point crossed by the equator. The gardens stretch for about 2 kilometers along the shores of the Lake and occupy 40ha of land.
Over all these years (about 120), the botanical garden of Entebbe grows more and more beautiful, healthier and is well taken care of and everyone that visits the place regardless of age, they fall in love with what they find here. The gardens are made up of different species of plants of the tropical, sub-tropical and temperate zones. It has a variety of plants and flowers with many more regenerating over the years. Entebbe botanical gardens is a home to butterflies, monkeys (colobus monkeys are common) and impressive species of birds. This place is an awesome birding destination, so as you take a nature walk around or relax any of the designed spots, you’ll spot many of the birds that live and visit the gardens.
Entebbe botanical gardens’ location is convenient for you to visit as it is in close to every accommodation facility in Entebbe and in a walk-able distance and near Kampala. After the frequent drives through crowds in towns, meals in the restaurant and tiresome journeys along the dirt roads in the remote national parks which also offer interesting adventure, you can choose to go for a picnic at the Entebbe botanical gardens. All that it will offer is a total immersion into nature, extreme tranquility with beautiful birdsongs.
In 1998, the botanical gardens of Entebbe were rehabilitated. In the same year, there was a collection of 309 species of plants where 199 species were indigenous to Uganda, 122 species with known medical value and 110 were exotic species. A combination of all these make this place so lovely and worth welcoming you to or parting you from the Pearl of Africa as you start or end your Uganda safari.
The Entebbe botanical gardens are a home to a range of birds. A pair of Verreeaux’s eagle owls is often spotted at the entrance of the gardens. Other birds in the botanical gardens include the Palm nut Vulture, Bat hawk, African grey parrot, Slender-billed and Northern brown-throated weavers, red-chested sunbird, Orange weavers, Black-headed weaver, Jackson’s golden-backed weaver, Vieillot’s black weaver and orange-tufted sunbird. Birds commonly spotted along the shores of Lake Victoria include Hammerkops, Long-tailed cormorants, Swamp flycatcher, Yellow billed duck, African open-billed stork, pied kingfisher and Grey-headed gull. Coming along with your binoculars will enable you to see much more birds around the lake such as Pranticoles and black headed gonoleks that could be spotted at a distance.
Entebbe botanical gardens are a destination for relaxation and picnics, birding, education and awareness and scientific research. Both Ugandans and foreigners love this place. There is a nursery where you can buy some ornamentals like Indian lilac, Canon ball tree, Cedars, Hoerscassia and Mediterranean Cypress among others. As you move around this paradise, you will come across a medicinal garden with over 100 plants used for making medicine.
We recommend a visit to the Entebbe Botanical Gardens after visiting the parks so that you will relax here. You can move there with your packed lunch and enjoy it at the picnic places. Take a look at this area where the film titled “Tarzan” that was acted in 1957 is said to have been shot, or the area is full of fishermen who can get for you fresh fish and you can enjoy it smoked or boiled plus soft and alcoholic drink” a drink in the paradise”.
Getting to Botanical Gardens Entebbe
The Entebbe botanical gardens are located about 5 minutes’ drive from Entebbe international airport, east of the State house in Entebbe municipality. It is about 34 kilometers from Kampala city.
