Uganda Wildlife Education Center Entebbe What You Need To Know

One of the most important tourist attractions in Entebbe Uganda is the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. UWEC also popularly known as “Entebbe Zoo“, was opened in 1952 by the Colonial Government in Uganda as a reception center for wild animals that were found as casualties and it is situated at Entebbe municipality.

The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) 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.

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 programmer 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 to visit in Uganda in terms of wildlife.

If you are a tourist with some time to spare after your long safari in the national parks, this is one place you must go to as you wait for your flight. 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.

History of the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC)

Uganda Wildlife Education Centre also known as the Entebbe zoos, started in 1950 as a center were orphaned, injured or rescued animals were rehabilitated. The Entebbe zoo was founded by the colonial government with help from the Wildlife Conservation Society and 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 the Tigers and bears.

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 Uganda.

What Animals are found at the Entebbe Zoo

The Entebbe zoo is very popular for tourists visiting Uganda because of its rich biodiversity and location within Uganda’s main metropolitan centers. It is home to the 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.

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. 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.

Entrance Fee at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center

Entrance fee to Entebbe zoo is $15 for adult non-residents and $10 for children who are non-residents. Adult Ugandans pay 10,000 shilling while children pay 5,000 shillings. There is a separate rate for schools and tertiary institutions who visit the Centre for educational purposes. If one wishes to make a video while at the zoo, they will be charged 10,000 Uganda shillings. All vehicles pay a parking fee of 2000 shillings plus the Centre charges a separate rate for a more comprehensive and Guided tour of the facility.

Accommodation at Entebbe Zoo

The Entebbe Zoo or Uganda Wildlife Education Centre has accommodation facilities within its premises. The cottages are typical African bandas which are self-contained and cost about $30. 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 internet installations. 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.

Behind the Scenes Experience and tour

The behind the scenes 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. One can 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.

Keeper’s Guided tour:

The Keeper’s Guided Tour costs $40 per person and 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. 

Keeper for a day experience:

The Keeper for a day experience costs $150 per person and it 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 program 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 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 programmer, 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;

1. a) Hepatitis A
2. b) Hepatitis B
3. c) Measles
4. d) Meningococcal meningitis
5. e) Tuberculosis (TB)
6. f) Polio
7. g) Tetanus

Other activities at Entebbe Zoo 

Guided Tour:

A guided tour of the Entebbe zoo can take half a day for 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.

 Chimpanzee Close-up or habituation experience:

The Uganda Wildlife Education Centre organizes chimp specific tours for interested visitors at an extra cost. The highly educative Chimpanzee Close-up tour costs $290 per person.

And in order to undertake these tour one is required to undertake vaccinations as one cannot go anywhere near the chimps if they 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.

Forest Trail and bird watching:

One can 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 bird species.

Donkey, Camel and Boat rides:

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 velvet monkeys roaming freely around the zoo but one should keep a distance to avoid feeding them.

Top Safari Parks

• Bwindi Impenetrable NP – Gorilla trekking
• Kibale NP – Chimpanzee tracking
• Murchison Falls NP – Boat and classic safari
• Queen Elizabeth NP – Boat and classic safari
• All 10 Uganda Parks & Reserves