For those flying in to Entebbe and wishing to make just one short trip – for example, to Bwindi – a tour vehicle may not be the most suitable option. And that is where Uganda’s air charter sector comes into its own.
As Uganda has become an ever more sophisticated destination in terms of tourism services, flying has become a better – if more expensive – choice.
Unfortunately, some improvements are still needed if Uganda is to match the level of domestic air services offered by its neighbors. For example, there are almost no connecting domestic flights from Entebbe International Airport.
From Kajjansi Airfield, between Kampala and Entebbe, and from the International Airport, it is possible to fly to Murchison Falls National Park (Pakuba airstrip) and to Queen Elizabeth National National Park (Mweya airstrip) as well as to more difficult-to-reach spots such as Bwindi (Ishasha), Mgahinga (Kisoro), Rwenzori (Kasese), Semliki and Kidepo Valley (Apoka). But flights to these destinations are generally on a charter-only basis and are not available as scheduled services.
In fact, and for such a large country, scheduled domestic air services are relatively few and far
between. Eagle Air, for example, operates a regular flight from Entebbe to Arua on most days, but all its other destinations are ‘daily on request’, with Pakuba airstrip being offered only as a diversion stop on the Arua service.