Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe first opened its doors to guests in May 2012. Since then, the property has gained a great reputation. Karibu is operated by Kevin from New Zealand and Leslie from Corsica, a small island in the south of France. Its name Karibu means ‘Welcome!’ in Swahili language, and guests indeed receive a warm welcome here. Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe is an excellent option for travellers looking for mid-range boutique accommodation in this verdant town.
The property can be accessed via road transfer from Entebbe International Airport, a drive of just 10 minutes. It is situated on a lush green hillside above the Entebbe City centre, away from the hustle and bustle while close enough for visitors to access all the main attractions. Once the home of Uganda’s president, it is a strong stone structure surrounded by gardens.
Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe is also renowned for its unrivalled personalized service and friendly staff. Guest rooms look onto the estate’s bird-filled gardens or offers wonderful sunset views over Lake Victoria. Bird lovers have recorded over 50 different species around Karibu’s ‘Garden of Eden’ including African grey parrot, Ross’s turaco, and resident palm nut vultures as well as black-and-white-casqued hornbills.
Highlights
- Boutique hotel only 10 minutes from Entebbe international airport
- Former presidential residence surrounded by beautiful gardens
- Just 8 comfortable en-suite rooms, all with Wi-Fi
- Pleasant lounge, restaurant, bar, terraces, gardens, swimming pool with natural waterfall
- Friendly staff, excellent service and delicious meals prepared with fresh ingredients
- Birdwatching with 30 species recorded on the estate alone
- Explore Entebbe – lots to see and do, both in and around the city
- Homely stopover in-between gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Facilities at Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe
Karibu Guest House in Entebbe features a comfortable lounge area. The lounge contains well-cushioned wood-framed seating around chunky coffee tables. The restaurant at Karibu has stylish separate tables flanked by padded fabric chairs. There is also a well-stocked bar.
You can also tuck into food and drink on the guesthouse’s terraces, while enjoying garden views. The garden features a lovely swimming pool which is complete with inbuilt seating, floating table, and natural rock waterfall. It is a perfect place to cool off with a sundowner after a busy day.
Guest Accommodation at Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe
The guest accommodation at Karibu comprises 8 unique and individually designed rooms.
Five are on the ground floor and three occupy the upper level, so you can choose between garden and lake-and-garden views.
All rooms have a double bed or twin beds, mosquito nets, bedside tables and lighting, storage space, a seating area, and en-suite facilities comprising flush toilet, washbasin, and walk-in shower or bath with shower attachment and fast, free Wi-Fi in the room.
Three of the five ground-floor rooms boast double doors onto a private terrace – these are slightly more expensive, as they are more spacious overall. The upper level rooms offer knockout views of the sun setting over Lake Victoria.
Dining & Meals at Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe
Most meals are served in the main restaurant, looking out over the sunny tropical garden with its abundant birdlife. For evening dining, meals can sometimes be served in the ambient lit area next to the swimming pool (note: this option is weather dependent).
The hotel’s Mediterranean-inspired dishes are prepared with fresh fish, meat and vegetables gathered daily from nearby markets in Entebbe.
Everything else is grown in Karibu’s own organic gardens. Fresh breads are baked on-site, soups are simmered down from only whole ingredients, and meat (when appropriate) is slow-cooked with care by a team of splendid chefs.
Breakfast
The Breakfast Menu is served from 5am is included in the room rate. All dishes are accompanied by a selection of seasonal fruits, a freshly blended fruit juice as well as tea or freshly ground Ugandan coffee.
You can choose from a range of signature breakfast dishes, from overnight oats, to banana pancakes, to poached eggs on fresh avocado, to the traditional “Full English” breakfast. If you are leaving before 5am, an “Express Breakfast” of Fruit, Muesli, Pancakes, Juice, Tea and Coffee is offered.
Lunch
The Lunch menu at Karibu Guesthouse in Entebbe is available through-out the day and available to order on an a-la-carte basis.
The Mediterranean Salads and healthy Poke Bowls are popular on a hot day, or for those with more of an appetite, one of Karibu’s signature burgers with Rosemary Fired Potato Wedges hits the spot. Karibu’s lunch menu also lets you try some Ugandan favorites such as the “Rolex” or Posho and Beans.
Dinner
Each evening Karibu Guest House in Entebbe serves a fresh and tasty 4-Course set-menu for around $US 30. There is always vegetarian option and the menu can be adapted any dietary requirements. Please note that dinner bookings are by advance reservation only.
Activities at Karibu Guesthouse Entebbe
Plenty of exciting activities are available from Karibu Guest House in Entebbe.
Birders at Karibu are fortunate to be located away from the busy trading centers, main roads and bars which make it a peaceful, tranquil place to either relax or begin exploring Entebbe. To date, over 50 different species of birds have been spotted in the garden. While you may not see them all at any given time, there are generally a wide variety present from the miniscule Fire-Finches and Sunbirds, to long tailed Mouse birds, in the resident “mafia” of Eastern Grey Plantain Eaters.
Entebbe Botanical Gardens are also close by Lake Victoria and home to hornbills, Marabou stork, and black-and-white colobus monkey.
An excursion to the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) will appeal to all wildlife lovers. Here, animals rescued from illegal traders or poachers, or found with injuries in the wild, are looked after until they are well enough to return to their natural habitat. Visitors can enjoy a general tour as well as a few specials such as ‘Chimpanzee Close-up’ and ‘Keeper for a Day Experience’.
Half-day excursions to Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary are highly recommended for chimpanzee fans. You can also spend half-day fishing on Lake Victoria, and perhaps end the excursion with a sunset boat cruise. Entebbe has a golf course too, set in exotic grounds.
Travel farther afield and you can check out the Mabamba Swamp, East Africa’s adventure capital Jinja, and even Lake Victoria’s gorgeous Ssese Islands.