Entebbe

Upon arrival in 1913, Sir Fredrick Treves described Entebbe as the ‘the prettiest and most charming town of the lake…. a summer lake resort where no more business id undertaken than is absolutely necessary. The town spreads in a languid careless way to the lake…the golf links are more conspicuous than the Capital’. Almost a century later, This town remains the same just like Treves describe it. The golf course was more expansive than the nominal town center. It remains green and the tallbuildings are dwarfed by antiquated trees of the botanical garden. Entebbe is home to a number of hotels and guest houses , eateries, banks, bars and shops and new swanky malls. These places tend to be a little more expensive than elsewhere in the country.

While in this town, you can choose to go bird watching in the Botanical gardens, or explore the near Uganda Wildlife Education Center or even relax on the beach.

History Of Entebbe

Among the first foreigners to reach Entebbe were the French Missionaries who landed in 1879 crossing from Mwanza in present day Tanzania. This Town has since been the main point of arrival for international arrivals to Uganda. It is important to note that Entebbe was the capital of the Uganda  protectorate and the offices of the British were located here.

In the 1930s, Kampala received the mantle as Uganda’s entry point from Entebbe. This was because the railway was extended there and introduction of the Empire flying boat service from United Kingdom which landed in the relatively sheltered bay off Kampala’s  Port Bell.

The Towne achieved instant immortality in June 1976 when an Air France airbus flying from Israel was highjacked by Palestinian terrorists and forced to land there. Non-Jewish passengers were released and the remainder held hostage against the demand that certain terrorists be freed from Israeli Jails. In response, on 4July 1976, a group of Israeli Paratroopers stormed the airport in a daring surprise raid which saw all hostages fleed.

The Early Days In Entebbe

Entebbe, the Administrative capital of Uganda derives its name from the Luganda phrase ‘Entebe za Mugala’(Headquarters of Mugala’, head of the lungfish clan) and thus literally means ‘Headquarters’.

1986 unleashed the potential of  this town when the European Steamship arrived on Lake Victoria-shipped from Scotland to Mombasa. In 1901, the true potential seal was broken when the railway line from Mombasa finally reached port Florence allowing travellers to and from the coast to reach Entebbe directly by a combination of a ferry and train. Two years later, The Town had overtaken Kampala as the Colonial administrative Capital.