Entebbe Botanical Gardens

The Entebbe Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1898 by their first curator, A. Whyte, on the shore of Lake Victoria and cover around forty hectares, arranged by climatic zone with a strip of natural rainforest running down to the water. They are a serious birding site, with well over a hundred species recorded including the great blue turaco, and black and white colobus and vervet monkeys live in the trees. The forest strip was the backdrop for scenes of the Tarzan films of the 1940s with Johnny Weissmuller, and the Milege World Music Festival is held in the gardens each November.

The landscape

• The rainforest strip - natural forest running down to the lake shore.
• The birdlife - well over a hundred species including turacos and kingfishers.
• The monkeys - black and white colobus and vervets in the canopy.
• The 1898 layout - the original planting arranged by climatic zone.

When to go

Year round; early morning is much the best for birds and monkeys. It is a short walk from Entebbe airport, which suits a layover. Rain is possible in any month.

What to expect

Maintenance is uneven and labelling of the collection is patchy. Guides at the gate charge for their time.

Nearby

Entebbe town is beside it, and Ngamba Island is offshore.

Key facts