Entebbe Airport to Mbarara and Western Uganda

Most international flights land at Entebbe, on the shore of Lake Victoria, and most western Uganda itineraries begin in or near Mbarara. The gap between the two is the first practical decision of your trip, and it is worth getting right.

The distances

The Uganda Wildlife Authority puts Entebbe International Airport about 46 kilometres from Kampala. From Kampala the highway runs south-west through Masaka to Mbarara. In total, Mbarara is roughly 300 kilometres from the airport. Lake Mburo National Park sits on the way, and UWA gives its distance from Kampala as about 228 kilometres, around three and a half hours.

Option 1: the road

Most guests drive. A good driver-guide leaves the airport, skirts the worst of Kampala and reaches Mbarara in five to six hours, including a stop for lunch. The road is tarmac, and the journey passes the equator crossing marked by a monument and shops on the way to Masaka. Traffic around Kampala is the unpredictable part, so leaving early matters more than the vehicle.

Option 2: a charter flight

UWA notes that a charter flight can reach the Mbarara airstrip from Entebbe or Kajjansi in about an hour and a half. It is more expensive than the road, but it saves a day when time is short or when you are flying on to another remote park. Flights are scheduled around the weather and passenger numbers, so ask early.

If you land at night

Many long-haul flights arrive in the evening. We recommend sleeping in Entebbe or Kampala and starting the drive in the morning rather than setting off on an unlit road tired from a flight. Entebbe is quieter and closer to the airport. Our Kampala and Entebbe guide suggests how to use a spare half day, including the botanical gardens and Mabamba swamp for birds.

Smart stops on the way

• Lunch in Masaka, which breaks the drive roughly in half
• The equator monument, for the obligatory photograph
• A fruit and roadside snack stop, where you can try local bananas and roast meat
• Lake Mburo, if you want to start your wildlife days on the way rather than after Mbarara

Questions to ask your driver or operator

• Which route will we take, and where will we stop for lunch?
• How long are the stops, and is there time for the equator monument?
• Does the vehicle have seatbelts, working air conditioning and room for luggage?
• What is the plan if the road is slow or a bridge is closed?
• Where will we meet at the airport, and what happens if the flight is late?

Arrive, then explore

Most guests spend their first night near Lake Mburo or in Mbarara, and then continue to Queen Elizabeth or Bwindi. Our 7 day western Uganda itinerary shows the sequence.

Do you arrange the transfer?

Yes. When you send your flight details through the plan your trip page, we include the airport transfer, the route and any overnight in your quote. Read how a quote is built to see what we need.