Home » 2 Days Mabamba Shoebill and Entebbe Botanical Gardens Tour
*price p.p. incl. guide, safari-jeep, hotel and park entrance fees, excl. international flight (Based on 6 persons)
Note: We have discounts for kids 12 years old or younger.
2 Days
Private or Group
Safari
This is a short birding and nature tour, not a national park safari.
Mabamba Wetland is best visited early in the morning because bird activity is usually better and the wetland is calmer.
Shoebill sightings are common but not guaranteed. The bird moves naturally through the wetland, and sightings depend on timing, water levels, weather, and local guide tracking.
The Mabamba activity uses a canoe or small boat through papyrus channels. You should be comfortable with gentle water-based travel.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens is a soft nature activity with walking, birding, trees, monkeys, and Lake Victoria views.
You should carry binoculars, a camera, sunscreen, a hat, insect repellent, light rain protection, and comfortable walking shoes.
2 Days
Lodge Safaris, Private Safaris, Fly In Safari
Cultural encounters, Walking, Nature walk, market visit, City encounters,Local food
Private 4×4 Safari Vehicle
The 2-Day Mabamba Shoebill and Entebbe Botanical Gardens Tour is a short birding and nature trip for travelers who want to enjoy Uganda’s Lake Victoria region without going far from Entebbe. It combines a canoe search for the shoebill in Mabamba Wetland with a relaxed nature walk in Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
This tour works well if you have limited time before or after a Uganda safari. Mabamba gives you one of the best chances to see the shoebill near Entebbe, while the Botanical Gardens add birds, monkeys, trees, lake views, and an easy nature experience.
At Friendly Gorillas, we recommend this tour for birders, photographers, families, short-stay visitors, residents, and guests who want a calm Uganda experience close to the airport. It is not ideal for travelers looking for gorilla trekking, big wildlife game drives, or a long adventure safari.
BUDGET Accommodation
2 Persons
4 Persons
6+ Persons
STANDARD Accommodation
2 Persons
4 Persons
6+ Persons
LUXURY Accommodation
2 Persons
4 Persons
6 Persons
* Indicative costs per person, excluding international airline tickets
Your guide from Friendly Gorillas welcomes you at Entebbe International Airport or picks you up from your hotel in Entebbe. If starting from Kampala, we recommend an earlier pickup to allow for traffic and enough time in Entebbe.
After a short briefing, you visit Entebbe Botanical Gardens. The gardens sit close to Lake Victoria and offer a relaxed introduction to Uganda’s birdlife and nature.
During the walk, you may see monkeys, butterflies, tall trees, lake views, and several bird species. The pace is easy, which makes this a good first activity for if you are arriving from a flight or those who prefer a calm start.
The Botanical Gardens also work well for families and casual nature travelers because the activity does not require long driving or difficult walking.
After the visit, transfer to your hotel in Entebbe and spend the evening at leisure.
Accommodation options in Entebbe:
After an early breakfast, your guide transfers you to Mabamba Wetland. The early start improves your chances of good birding conditions.
On arrival, you meet a local canoe guide and begin the wetland experience. The canoe moves slowly through papyrus channels while your guide searches for the shoebill and other wetland birds.
The shoebill is the main target, but Mabamba also offers many other birding rewards. You may see African jacanas, pied kingfishers, malachite kingfishers, herons, egrets, weavers, and other water birds depending on the day.
This activity gives you a peaceful Lake Victoria wetland experience. It is slow, quiet, and useful for photography, especially when the weather is clear and the wetland is calm.
After the canoe experience, return to the mainland for lunch or refreshments depending on the final package.
Your guide then transfers you to Entebbe International Airport, your Entebbe hotel, Kampala, or another agreed drop-off point.
This marks the end of your 2 Days Mabamba Shoebill and Entebbe Botanical Gardens Tour with Friendly Gorillas Safaris.
Cancel up to 60 days before departure.
Only guides with 10+ years of Guiding experience.
All prices are final. No suprises at all.
We're always available throughout and after the trip.
we had the most amazing time in Uganda accompanied by our very Friendly tour guide Elias.
The support team that handled tour preparations were very kind and responded to every question we had in time. Bliss even went an extra mile to give us a video call during some of the sessions.
We were very lucky to see the rare tree climbing lions in the Ishasha sector or Queen Elizabeth while exiting for Bwindi.
I highly recommend this company because they met all our expectations and even delivered more than we imagined.
Excellent organization considering that Tony managed to plan the entire tour, permits for gorillas and chimpanzees included, just one day before departure. This is not taken for granted since the tour operator we had contacted months earlier canceled our trip 3 days before departure!
Our driver Tony, who also served as our guide, was always caring and attentive to our needs. Uganda is a country full of natural wonders, and being able to enjoy it peacefully with the right quality-price ratio allows for a full experience of all the activities
From the planning stages to the first meet and greet, Anthony, Brenda and their team went above and beyond to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime! Friendly Gorilla Safaris gave us everything we asked for while keeping in mind our mid-range budget.
They are excellent with communication, professional, patient, and were able to answer all our questions. Our itinerary was amazing with river rafting, game drives, chimp trek and of course the gorilla trek. Accommodations were great, food delicious and Eddie our driver/guide was fantastic! Highly recommend this company.
We had such a great time on our 2 day / 1 night Safari tour to Akegara National Park in Rwanda. Jado was our AMAZING tour guide who made sure we were cared for and had everything we needed during our time!
Prior to the trip, I had seamless communication with the Safari group who helped figure out exactly what Safari tour I wanted (1 day or more). They sent an example schedule as well as several lodging options. We ultimately chose the “budget” option which was the Rhino Lodge — it did not feel budget at all! It was GORGEOUS and the food was amazing. We even asked if we could adjust the schedule and they were more than happy to accommodate.
We had a fabulous time traveling to the park with Jado, getting settled and eating at the Rhino Lodge, participating in a half day safari that also included a water tour where we saw Rhinos, Crocodiles, Buffalos… and lots of birds! As soon as we drove into the park we saw an elephant and as we were leaving we saw Baboons. We slept and ate well and then the adventure began early the next day, where we had a full day of Safari through the park. We were able to see more Buffalos, impala, Baboons, Giraffes, rhinos, zebras, warthogs and even a rogue hippo wandering around on land. We unfortunately did not see any big cats (leopards or lions) but Jado certainly tried his best to find them.
Once we paid the initial fee prior to the tour, everything was included. This was an amazing trip, we felt very safe, and I would absolutely book again with this company. Thank you guys so much for being so great and easy!!!
It was a solo yet memory filled experience right from my first inquiry to the last day of the trip. Everything was smooth. My tour guide Eddie was beyond friendly and had an eagles eye for even the smallest animals.
The most memorable moment was my first sight of the mighty Gorillas in Bwindi.
I highly appreciate and recommend friendly Gorillas safari
Cannot recommend this company enough!!! Anthony and Brenda are fantastic and worked with us to ensure we had the trip of a lifetime. All expectations were not only met, but greatly exceeded! From our exhilarating itinerary to the memorable accommodations, every part of the experience was extraordinary.
All the activities including river rafting, game drives, gorilla/chimp/rhino treks and boat rides were spectacular, with stunning views and incredible wildlife sightings, and the food was fantastic throughout. Accommodations were wonderfully planned, and each place we stayed offered something different, but all were so lovely. The warmth and hospitality from everyone we met in Uganda is indescribable. What truly made this trip special, though, was our guide, Eddie. He was knowledgeable, professional, passionate, joyful, and also so attentive to our group’s needs.
We could not have asked for a better driver/guide – he went above and beyond to ensure we had a life-changing adventure every step of the way while simultaneously feeling like a member of the family. It was clear he genuinely cared about making sure we had the BEST time possible. This was more than a vacation – it was an adventure I’ll never forget, and I’m still majorly struggling with post-Uganda depression! Thank you Anthony, Brenda and Eddie for the most unforgettable experience ever. We miss you all!
Low season
Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr, may
Peak season
Jun, July, Aug, Sept, Dec

