Uganda Wildlife Educational Centre

(UWEC) Entebbe's Zoo

If you don't have a safari planned, this might be your opportunity to catch a glimpse of Africa's wildlife. It's no Singapore Zoo but, unlike many third world offerings, this is not a depressing place. There are good play facilities for children and the aviaries are especially interesting with weaver birds, shoebills and fish eagles. There's a medium-size collection of wildlife saved from captivity, including lions, rhinos, zebras, crocodiles, giraffes, hyenas, chimpanzee and others. All animals (apart from the snakes and crocodiles) are held in large, natural-like areas that gives a nice semi-authentic feeling. The trees and lianas are magnificent and you can understand why various 'Tarzan-type" movies were filmed here. Admission for foreign adults/children is US$15/10; Uganda resident foreigners USh 20,000/10,000; Ugandans USh 10,000/5,000 and you end up with 1.5-2 hours of fun. Opens daily at 08:30 and you may want to come early before the animals go hiding in the shade from the midday's sun. There is also accommodation inside the centre so you could stay the night in a Banda (en suite circular hut with a thatched roof & fly-screened windows) next door to the (very quiet) giraffes, elands and impala for US$40/60 single/double or stay in some serviced flats next to noisier animals for US$50/70 single/double. There is also dormitory accommodation available for USh 30,000 and camping is even cheaper.

• family

Getting there

downhill into Lugard Ave and then continue downhill until it becomes Johnston Rd. Keep right at the unmapped fork in the road, continue for another 400m and the entrance is then well-signed on your right

Hours

Daily 08:30-18:30

Website

uwec.ug (opens in a new tab)