The Uganda Wildlife Education Center also known as Entebbe Zoo is located in the district of Wakiso, Entebbe town. The history of the Uganda Wildlife Education Center UWEC dates back to 1950 when it was established. It started as a rehabilitation center for wildlife animals that were injured by humans while poaching, endangered species, and those from smugglers. Entebbe Zoo is destined for glory with the rising numbers of visitors and animals. The Uganda Wildlife Education Center is not just a wildlife exhibition center but also an education center. It educates the communities about the importance of wildlife to us as humans and also the dangers that these animals face. These educational campaigns have yielded fruits with many communities embracing these campaigns. The Entebbe Zoo is the most popular visited place in Kampala for visitors on a city tour. It is strategically located close to the airport and thus easily accessed by flying-in visitors. The Uganda Wildlife Education Center is the best place for visitors on a time-limited tour to experience Uganda’s safari. It is also a relaxing place away from the busy life and noise of the city with cool breezes that refresh the center from the lake.
A day tour at UWEC
A day tour at the Uganda Wildlife Education Center will introduce to you some of the different wildlife species in Uganda and beyond. These species include giraffes, rhinos, cheetahs, leopards, chimpanzees, hyenas, zebras, lions, donkeys, the Uganda kob, camels, and waterbucks to mention but a few. The center is also home to over 120 bird species including ostriches, shoebill stocks, crested cranes, and egrets. There are also reptiles such as snakes, crocodiles, and many more.
Your day tour to the Uganda Wildlife Education Center will commence with a pick-up from your lodge or Entebbe International Airport. A professional guide driver will then brief you in summary about the expected insights of your tour. He will then drive you to the Uganda Wildlife Education Center a few kilometers away. Upon arrival at the center, you will be welcomed by the cheerful vervet monkeys that entertain guests on arrival for a snack. The center guide will then usher you into the center to take you through the history of the zoo, animals, and a lot more.
You will then start slowly by encountering some reptile species like the snakes. Here the UWEC guide will explain in detail the different snake species encountered. There are many species there such as the African rock python, the king cobra, Gaboon viper, and the spitting cobra to mention but a few. These are some of the most dangerous snakes in the country and are interesting to observe in the safety of a glass cage. You will then be taken to the pond section where you will encounter the Nile crocodile the biggest reptile on Earth. As the name suggests is a resident of the River Nile and freshwater lakes. You will then proceed to the primates’ area where you will spend time with the chimpanzees as you watch them play and feed.
Our driver guide will then escort you to the on-site restaurant for a delicious meal before coming with your tour. The meals served at the restaurants are both local dishes and exotic ones. In the afternoon you will then head to the apex predators including the lions, hyenas, serval cats, and tigers. If you are wondering why there are tigers at UWEC and they are not species of African origin. Well, the Uganda Wildlife Education Center does not only harbor the Indigenous species but also other foreign species like the white tigers for educational purposes.
As evening kicks in and prepares for your departure, the guides at UWEC will take you to the education center side. Here you will be taken through the different campaigns undertaken by the center such as wildlife rescue and rehabilitation programs, education programs in schools, and training of community leaders. Finally, you will be back at your hotel or airport.
