Getting to Uganda for your African Holiday Safari or Volunteer Trip is becoming easier each year, more and more airlines are flying into Entebbe International Airport and since there are now more international airlines, the rates have become quite competitive.
Entebbe Airport
Entebbe is Uganda’s international airport which is 40 km from Kampala the capital city. A very nice and functional airport it is. You will land on the shores of Lake Victoria and you will have to walk down the steps to the tarmac in order to enter the airport. Assistance from a friendly staff is available if needed. You enter the immigration arrival lounge and do not let the long lines throw you off, the processing is done quickly and efficiently and you are on your way to the baggage claim section where free luggage carts are available that you can take out to the parking lot or curb.
Customs is next and go through the green channel unless you have something to declare. Recently scanners for luggage have been installed. Once out in the terminal you can meet your party, take a hotel shuttle or simply take a special hire taxi. No bus service or 14 passenger mini-van taxi is available until you get to Entebbe town itself. A Forex Bureau for money changing is there, Barclay Bank has an ATM machine and you can easily obtain Ugandan shillings.
By Air
There are many ways of coming to Uganda and we love to help to make it easiest at the most competitive rates possible. Just write and we will send you the rates and particulars for your flights to Uganda.
Several international airlines fly to Uganda which include Ethiopian Airways (United Assurance Building), Emirates (FNC Building Kimathi Avenue), Kenya Airways (Jubilee Centre 11 Parliament Av), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (14 parliament Avenue), Jubilee Insurance Building, 3rd floor), Rwanda Express (1st floor Garden City), South African Airways ( Workers House, Pilkington Rd), SN Brussels (Rwenzori House, Lumumba Dr), Egypt Air( Grand Imperial Arcade, Speke Road) and Air Tanzania ( Workers House, Ground Floor, Pilkington Road).
From the European Continent you can fly directly to Entebbe using Brussels Airlines to Entebbe Uganda awaits you, Uganda from Brussels and from Amsterdam there is KLM that has several weekly flights to and from Entebbe, Uganda. Lufthansa has just entered into a code sharing agreement with Brussels airlines adding another partner to flights to Uganda.
From North America, you can fly British Airways to London and then on to Entebbe, Uganda. You can also take Northwest Airlines to Amsterdam and then fly KLM which is in partnership with Northwest Airlines and arrive here in Uganda at Entebbe Airport.
Regional Flights
Uganda is also a great place from which to venture to neighboring countries such as Rwanda and there are daily connections, you can fly directly to Arusha, Tanzania and also a flight to the island of Zanzibar, there are flights to the Democratic Republic (Goma and Bunia), Burundi, Sudan, and of course Kenya.
Departure from Entebbe Airport:
International Flights require that you are there three hours before departure: As you enter the airport, your luggage is scanned before check-in. Go to the airline counter and wait in line. Overweight luggage is charged extra without mercy (personal experience). In the case of KLM, the counter closes one hour prior to departure. KLM has the best customer service (my opinion), they are constantly making sure everything is working out for you, initially they had a rough start and their customer service was atrocious and condescending, and I had to pay 400 dollars extra for overweight luggage and the treatment was terrible by some petty official of the airline who enjoyed having power. British Airways has always been top-notch, while Brussels Airlines has some catching up to do according to people that have used them.
Next are immigration and the exit forms that you have to fill out and soon you will be in the departure lounge with duty-free shops and a nice restaurant where you can get something to eat and or other refreshment.
Lastly you check in your hand luggage for scanning and your passport and ticket and soon you will be flying off back home.