Entebbe Botanical Gardens
Entebbe Botanical Gardens
The vast botanical gardens are found in Entebbe Uganda along the shores of the world`s largest fresh water Lake Victoria. They are located near Entebbe International Airport and these beautiful gardens welcome you to the beauty of the Pearl of Africa.
The Entebbe Botanical Gardens were established in 1898, situated at the Equator line covering an area of about 2 kilometers along the shores of Lake Victoria. The gardens receive an annual rainfall of 1,623 mm per year and every year in November, the Botanical gardens hold a Mileage Music festival with live music and many moments of fun to experience.
The Gardens are an exciting place for weekend getaways and the best area to visit prior to leaving the country because they are very close to the airport. For many years, the gardens have for several years acted as a platform for scientific research purposes, education, awareness and creation. There is also an opportunity for visitors to buy ornamentals in the available nursery bed such as coconut palm, Mediterranean cypress, Oil palm, Indian Lilac among others.
Attractions in the gardens
Most of the International visitors and Africa safari travelers come to Botanical Gardens for a birding safari in Uganda. Gardens are another birding paradise for birds of various species of water birds and other birds such as black headed heron, black headed gonolek, swamp fly catcher, African open billed stork, pied kingfishers, long tailed cormorant, giant kingfishers, black headed gull, common squaco, prantincoleto and so much more which can be spotted especially in the morning and evening hours.
Botanical gardens are also a home for various species of monkeys such as red tailed monkeys, velvet monkeys, black and white monkeys and Colobus monkeys among others. It is also a known place with different species of spiders which can be seen in their differently styled spider webs.
Visiting Entebbe botanical gardens is so thrilling while you’re enhanced with the cool breeze. Visitors can undertake a nature walk to the rock which is on the lake shores and overlook at the forest canopy for the clear views of birds.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens have over 300 species of trees which make them a favourite place for botanist boasting with tress species ranging from temperature zones, tropics and sub tropics. Most of the tress in botanical gardens are exclusive to Uganda.
The Botanical gardens is a place where a film called Tarzan was acted in 1957; they are over 120 species of trees which provide herbal medicine to the community.
They gardens are located just about 5 minutes’ drive from Entebbe International Airport and approximately 34km from Uganda`s Capital – Kampala. They gardens are open every day from 9am to 7pm east African standard time.
It is wise to combine a visit to botanical gardens with other Uganda Safaris going to the Uganda wildlife Education Centre to have a look at animals such as buffaloes, lions, elephants, leopard, rhinos, zebras, chimpanzees, giraffes, birds like the famous shoebill stork and many reptiles among others. You can also combine this trip a visit to the Ngamba Island on Lake Victoria.
There are a variety of accommodation facilities in Entebbe and Kampala city ranging from budget to midrange and luxury for example Lake Victoria Hotel which is very close to the Botanical gardens among others.