How To Access Entebbe International Airport By Water

Entebbe International Airport does not have a dock or piers for water landing. To access the airport, you must use a boat or a ferry to one of the landing sites in Entebbe and then proceed to the airport with a car or any other means of road transport.

If you are coming from Kampala, there are mainly two options for connecting to Entebbe International Airport by water; Speke Resort Munoyonyo/Serena Kigo (Which could be a bit costly) and the Nakiwogo landing site. Recently, the Masaka highway was cut off due to a bridge collapse. Part of the traffic was diverted through the Nakiwogo ferry to create easy access to Masaka.

Connecting To Entebbe Through Bukakata-Nakiwogo Ferry

MV NODL VICTORIA was launched in May 2023 after the Katonga bridge collapse. It is strictly a passenger ferry offering one round trip daily. Below are the details of the trip.

• Bukakata to Entebbe: Check-in: 7:00 am, Departure: 8:00 am, Arrival: 12:00 pm
• Entebbe to Bukakata: Check-in: 12:00 pm, Departure: 1:00 pm, Arrival: 5:00 pm

With this kind of schedule, it means that you have to at least spend a night in Masaka to be able to board the ferry that sets off at 8:00 am. You are unable to take the trip from Masaka to Entebbe, you have one other option to get to Entebbe by ferry, Buwaya-Entebbe Ferry.

Connecting To Entebbe Through Buwaya-Nakiwogo Ferry

Buwaya is just 4km from Entebbe. By ferry, it takes 30 minutes to transfer from Buwaya to Entebbe. Technically, it is the best option for connecting to Entebbe with a car unfortunately in April 2024, Uganda National Roads Authority suspended the boarding of vehicles on the Nakiwogo-Buwaya ferry citing a deterioration in the landing area.

The ferry is currently strictly a passenger-only ferry. It is not possible to transfer to Entebbe with your vehicle from Buwaya. Uganda National Roads Authority didn’t issue a timeline on when they expect to start as well as complete the rehabilitation of the landing site.

Unlike all other ferries at the Nakiwogo landing site; the Buwaya-Nakiwogo ferry runs throughout the day from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm; Monday to Saturday. On Sunday, the ferry operates only Four round trips. Two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Connecting To Entebbe Through Pelican Lodge And Marina

There are several marinas on the shores of Lake Victoria. Among these include but are not limited to Speke Resort Munyonyo, Pelican Lodge and Marina, and Serena Kigo among several other options. Unlike the Nakiwogo ferry, the others are private options. They are passenger only and on top of that, you will have to spend a fortune to simply transfer from the hotel to either the Wild Frontiers dock or Entebbe Zoo dock.

Pelican Lodge and Marina is the closest lodge to Entebbe International Airport. Though their boats are mainly for leisure purposes. In a moment of crisis, they can offer their boat to pick people from other docs to Pelican Lodge dock.

Accessing Entebbe Airport Through Alternative Road

It is possible to branch off from Abayita Ababiri and use the remote roads that connect to the Viavia side. unfortunately, the roads there have not been worked on to address any emergency in case Lake Victoria floods in Kitubulu. Regardless of the delays, it will still be possible to access Entebbe International Airport.

However, if you are driving a rented car, it is recommended that you get the help of your car rental service provider. In emergency situations, inconsiderate use of vehicles tends to create more traffic jams than the actual overload of the road. Since it is never possible to estimate the transfer time in such situations, it is always recommended to stick to a transfer to the Nakiwogo landing site or Wild Frontiers dock.