Entebbe Zoo – Behind The Scenes Tour and Entrance Fee,

Visiting the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe is one of the most popular weekend activity for local tourists. Entebbe is a small but very interesting town to stay in while in Uganda. Entebbe has Uganda’s only international airport, the official state house and several other key government offices. Entebbe would have been an Island on Lake Victoria had it not been for a stretch of land leading to Kampala city. What sets Entebbe apart is the serenity, historical role as an administrative center and other remarkable tourist attractions.

One the most important tourist attractions in Entebbe is the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) or more popularly knowns as Entebbe Zoo offers a perfect introduction to Uganda’s incredible biodiversity and given its proximity to the capital Kampala, is one of the most visited and popular tourist sites in Uganda. The Centre is a successful mix of a zoo and a safari park because most of the animals live in large and spacious enclosures that are similar to their natural habitats.

The Entebbe zoo sits on land that is about 72 acres in size with a network of walkways to the different animal enclosures and to a large natural forest. The zoo stands out from similar establishments in other countries because of its ideal location along the shores of Lake Victoria. The Centre also has an animal breeding programme in place for endangered species and an animal veterinary hospital. UWEC contributes to wildlife research and educating the public about the importance of wildlife conservation. The Centre has grown in size and given its ideal location, is considered one of the best places for showcasing Africa’s wildlife.

If you are a tourist with some time to spare after your long safari in the national parks, this one place you must go to as you wait for your flight. Nationals and residents in Uganda are also lucky to have a one stop Centre where they can see and learn about many of Africa’s famous wildlife without having to go for expensive safaris in the remote national parks. In fact, many may find a visit to UWEC more rewarding than visiting the national parks in Uganda. Visiting the Entebbe zoo is not only less expensive but offers incredible opportunities to get close to the animals – especially if one chooses to go for the special “Behind the Scenes tour” under the guidance of a caretaker.

History of the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC)

The Entebbe zoo started in 1950 as a Centre were orphaned, injured or rescued animals were rehabilitated. The Entebbe zoo was founded by the colonial government with help from the Wildlife Conservation Society. 10 years later in 1960, the Centre operated as a traditional zoo were people would only go to see some of Africa’s famous wildlife as well as a few imported ones like Tigers and bears.

The political instabilities in the 1970’s and 80’s led to the loss of several animals due to infrastructure break down, neglect and poor management. The zoo continued to run at a low standard until the government begun showing greater interest and decided to revamp it. The government realized that the zoo could actually be used as a perfect Centre for educating Ugandans and international visitors about wildlife conservation. A study was carried out by the New York Zoological society which came out with a report recommending that the zoo be turned into a Centre for educational purposes alongside tourism. On May 1994, the facility became known as the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre under the Ministry of Tourism. The Centre was expanded and allocated more land that now stretches all the way to the very edge of Lake Victoria. As the Centre attracted more funding from government, international organization/donors and gate collections, it has grown to become one of the most respected wildlife conservation and educational centers in Africa.

Animals at the Entebbe Zoo

Entebbe zoo is very popular because of its rich biodiversity and location within Uganda’s main metropolitan centers. It is home to giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards, chimpanzees, baboons, ostriches, hyenas, zebras, lions, donkeys, the Uganda Kob, camels, waterbucks, egrets, the famous Shoebill Stork, snakes, pythons and tortoises. Over 120 species of birds and 23 of primates can be seen at the facility. The Centre also has red-tailed monkeys, cattle, crocodiles, peacocks, crested cranes, parrots, goats, elephants, chicken, warthogs, cobras, impala, topis, forest hogs and eland among many others. Apart from animals, there is also an incredible plant life (flowers, shrubs, trees and herbs) and butterfly species. Unfortunately, there are no mountain gorillas in the zoo. To see them, you need to read about gorilla trekking in Bwindi.

Some of the animals and birds roam about freely and this can be a surprise for those who are not familiar to this kid of setting. Most of the visitors to the Centre are students from primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. The Centre receives at least 10 student groups each day. During the weekend, the numbers can be overwhelming. Visiting the Entebbe zoo can be highly rewarding for families with children (A chance to experience what is taught in class and see some of their cartoon characters). There is a children’s playground, mobile toy shops, ice cream and many other fun activities. Visiting the Entebbe zoo or Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is also one way of contributing to wildlife conservation. The money collected is used to feed the animals, pay the caretakers, breeding wildlife and picking rescued animals from remote locations within Uganda.

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Entrance Fee

The Entrance fee to Entebbe zoo is $15 for adult non-residents and $10 for children who are non-residents. Adult Ugandan pay 20,000 shilling while children pay 11,000 shillings. There is a separate rate for schools and tertiary institutions who visit the Centre for educational purposes. If you wish to make a video while at the zoo, you will be charged 10,000 Uganda shillings. The Centre charges a separate rate for a more comprehensive and Guided tour of the facility as we shall see later on. All vehicles pay a parking fee of 2000 shillings.

Opening hours

The Entebbe Zoom opening hours are between 8:00am and 6:00pm. You will not be allowed in if you show up at 6:00pm. For the best experience and time with the animals, we recommend that you visit by 4:00pm.

Accommodation while visiting Entebbe Zoo

The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has accommodation facilities within its premises. The cottages are typical African bandas which are self-contained and cost about $40. Each banda is well constructed, spacious and furnished with a fridge, private bathroom, mosquito net and cooking equipment. There are also large dorms for the budget traveler and groups of students. The dorms have shared bathrooms and one computer for internet. Meals are served from the restaurant overlooking the lake. The restaurant closes at 6:00pm and it is therefore important to get your dinner before closing time. We highly recommend staying in one of the bandas if you are looking for basic but comfortable accommodation facility with most of what the amenities. If you want more luxury hotels and lodges, then you will need to book the hotels outside the zoo and in Entebbe town.

Behind the Scenes Experience and tour

This experience is offered to tourists who are interested in more than just the sights and sounds of the animals at the Centre. The experience offers visitors a rare opportunity to interact closely with many of the animals at the Centre while getting to know their life story. You will observe their behavior and routine activities from the time they wake up till they retire to their enclosures. The experience is completely different and cannot be possible during a standard safari. By the end of your time at the tour, you will learn to appreciate the work done by the caretakers of the zoo. The experience is divided into three categories. The keeper’s Guided tour, Vet for the day experience and the Keeper for the day experience. The Behind the Scenes Tour costs $70 per person non-residents and $50 per person for residents. Ugandan’s pay 50,000 shillings for this experience.

Keeper’s Guided tour: If you choose to go for the Keeper’s Guided tour, you will be assigned a Care taker who will share all the details about the Center before taking you to visit all the animal enclosures. You will have access to all sections of the Centre including the staff offices and other private facilities.  During the tour, you will get close and personal with animals like Kabira the Lion, Sushi the Shoebill Stork, Mutagama the lioness, Albert the giraffe, Charlie the Elephant and Chimpanzees like Ndugu. The Keeper’s Guided tour takes about three hours and generally involves less work. You can choose to do the tour in the morning or afternoon. The best time to observe the animals feeding is in the morning hours. Do not forget to go with your camera and enough battery. The Keeper’s Guided Tour costs $150 per person for non-residents, $100 for residents and $50 for Juniors.

Keeper for a day experience: The Keeper for a day option involves more work with the animals and attempts to allow you experience what the caretakers go through while taking care of the animals at the zoo. The programme starts with attending the Keepers briefing, getting the animal food ready, loading it into the zoo tractor and taking them to the different animal enclosures. You will help serve the animals food and record their overall behavior for any signs of stress or sickness. This is the time to touch the python or one of the lions. If there is any newly rescued animal at the Centre, the staff will involve you in their rehabilitation. The Keeper for a day experience costs $150 per person.

The Vet for the day Experience: This experience is open to everyone but will be supervised by the resident Veterinary doctor. After the usual briefing, the animal doctor will lead you to the animal enclosures for daily health checks. You will observe how the health checks are done and may be involved in transporting one of the animals back to a holding facility for more comprehensive checks. The Doctor will also take you to visit the animal pharmacy while ensuring that you follow any health precautions. While visiting the food preparation area, you are expected to follow the cleanliness procedures in place in order to prevent animal infections.

Note: In order to take part in the behind the scenes programme, you need to book a spot in advance. You are also expected to undergo several health checks and prepare to be vaccinated against the following diseases two weeks before getting anywhere near the animals;

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Measles
• Meningococcal meningitis
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Polio
• Tetanus

Other activities and things to do at Entebbe Zoo

Guided Tour: A guided tour of the Entebbe zoo can take half a day those who want an in-depth and more educative experience. A Guide can take you around the facility and show you all the animals while answering all your questions. Guides request as little as $10 for their service. Please note that you can tour the place on your own without the assistance of a Guide like most of the visitors after paying the entrance fee.

Chimpanzee Close-up or habituation experience: Although Uganda has one of the largest population of chimpanzees in the world, their numbers are declining rapidly. The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre organizes chimp specific tours for interested visitors at an extra cost. This requires you to undertake vaccinations as already discussed. You cannot go anywhere near the chimps if you have any transferable diseases. Once you get medical clearance, you will be assigned a Caretaker to Guide you while ensuring that you are involved in feeding the primates. If there are newly rescued chimps, you might be lucky to be involved in what is known as the chimpanzee habituation experience. This experience is designed to allow newly introduced chimps get used to being comfortable around humans. The Chimpanzee close-up generally involves feeding the chimps, playing with the young and ensuring that they are comfortable around humans. The Centre receives more chimps than it can handle and many are taken to the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Lake Victoria. The highly educative Chimpanzee Close-up tour costs $290 per person.

Volunteer:  The Entebbe zoo accepts volunteers from every part of the globe for a period of one week to a few months. The Volunteer program is designed to offer participants hands on experience working closely with all animals at the zoo including rhinos, chimpanzees, reptiles and birds. The Volunteer is also expected to take part in cleaning animal enclosures, feeding the animals, fundraising efforts, program development, student training, research and guiding guests around the facility. To volunteer for  a week or more, you need to contact the Uganda Wildlife Education Center through their email info@uwec.ug. The email should contain a motivation letter, a CV, area of interest and a letter of recommendation.

The volunteer lives in one of the accommodation facilities and eat from the restaurant close the lake. All Volunteers must be immunized against yellow fever, polio, Meningitis, tetanus, measles, Hepatitis A and B. The Volunteer must also be tested for Tuberculosis. All Volunteers pay a fee of $1500 to cover for accommodation, food, airport pickup and trips to islands in Lake Victoria. Although this may appear expensive, it is less than what one would pay to volunteer with facilities like the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary. Volunteer are expected to pay for their own health and travel insurance. At the end of the program, volunteers are given a certificate of participation.

Forest Trail and bird watching: The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre is located in an area with remarkable scenery and over 1km of untouched forest.  After visiting the animal enclosures, one can also go for a nature walk along the forest trail for a quieter encounter with butterflies, chameleons, birds, small primates and plants. You can choose to hire a Guide to move with you as he/she explains the importance of each of the plants and their important medicinal values. The forest is safe and the walk can take between 1 to 2 hours during which time you will be exposed you to over 100 species of birds.

Donkey, Camel and Boat rides: If you are planning to visit the zoo with children, then they should prepare to take part in many activities. The Centre arranges donkey and camel rides at a small fee. Children also have a small park with playing equipment. Adults and birders can take a boat along the shores of Lake Victoria for a chance to spot some of Uganda’s great water birds. Food is served at the zoo restaurant overlooking the lake.

Note: There are countless vervet monkeys roaming freely around the zoo. Keep your distance and avoid feeding them if you can. Some may be infected with rabies.

Donations and visiting the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre

One of the frequently asked questions is how to donate or support the work of the Uganda Wildlife Education and Conservation Centre. The easiest way to support the Centre is to pay a visit. By paying the entrance fee, you are indirectly supporting the activities of the Centre because the money collected is used for feeding the animals and paying staff. The other method of supporting the work of the Centre is by sponsoring one of the animals in the zoo under what is known as the Animal Parents Program. There are also special membership packages and other ways of supporting conservation programs. For all donations, visit the Website of the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre for more details. If you are planning to visit the Centre soon, you can contact us to find out about our 1 day Entebbe zoo tour package.