Private jet to Uganda
Uganda has one international airport, Entebbe, on the northern shore of Lake Victoria and about 40 km by road from Kampala. Every private jet from Europe lands there; the national parks, from the gorilla forests of Bwindi in the south-west to Murchison Falls on the Nile and Kidepo in the far north-east, are reached by turboprop on short airstrips. A super midsize jet flies to Entebbe non-stop from most European hubs in 7:19 h (Nice) to 8:11 h (Paris Le Bourget).
Private passengers are mostly families and small groups on gorilla and chimpanzee trips, often combined with Kenya or Rwanda, and business or development teams visiting Kampala. As a broker, we compare aircraft from European and Gulf operators, arrange the landing permit and parking slot at Entebbe, and book the turboprop to the park.
Send the dates, the number of passengers and the park or lodge. We come back with suitable aircraft, the routing and the fares.
Why a private jet to Entebbe
Prices and flight times to Uganda
Each price is the one-way charter of the whole jet; the Ugandan landing permit, parking, handling and taxes come on top. Times are for the aircraft in the first price column, and a fuel stop is marked in the row where one is needed.
From the European hubs
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Super midsize Praetor 600 |
Heavy jet Challenger 650 |
Long range Falcon 7X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Farnborough - Entebbe | 6,494 km | 10:07 h, 1 stop | EUR 69,000 | EUR 87,000 | EUR 98,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget - Entebbe | 6,150 km | 8:11 h | EUR 56,000 | EUR 70,000 | EUR 94,000 |
| Geneva - Entebbe | 5,744 km | 7:41 h | EUR 52,000 | EUR 67,000 | EUR 88,000 |
| Zurich - Entebbe | 5,757 km | 7:42 h | EUR 52,000 | EUR 67,000 | EUR 89,000 |
| Milan Linate - Entebbe | 5,537 km | 7:25 h | EUR 51,000 | EUR 65,000 | EUR 86,000 |
| Munich - Entebbe | 5,728 km | 7:40 h | EUR 52,000 | EUR 67,000 | EUR 88,000 |
| Frankfurt - Entebbe | 6,003 km | 8:00 h | EUR 54,000 | EUR 69,000 | EUR 92,000 |
| Vienna - Entebbe | 5,560 km | 7:27 h | EUR 51,000 | EUR 65,000 | EUR 86,000 |
| Amsterdam - Entebbe | 6,358 km | 9:57 h, 1 stop | EUR 68,000 | EUR 85,000 | EUR 96,000 |
| Madrid - Entebbe | 5,783 km | 7:44 h | EUR 53,000 | EUR 67,000 | EUR 89,000 |
| Nice - Entebbe | 5,458 km | 7:19 h | EUR 50,000 | EUR 64,000 | EUR 85,000 |
| Hamburg - Entebbe | 6,308 km | 9:53 h, 1 stop | EUR 67,000 | EUR 85,000 | EUR 96,000 |
| Larnaca - Entebbe | 3,875 km | 5:21 h | EUR 38,000 | EUR 52,000 | EUR 65,000 |
From central and southern Europe the Praetor 600 costs EUR 50,000-56,000 non-stop, while the larger Challenger 650 is EUR 64,000-70,000 and the long-range Falcon 7X EUR 85,000-94,000. From London, Amsterdam and Hamburg the two smaller jets stop once for fuel, and the Falcon 7X flies non-stop in 7:58 h from London. The operator plans the route around closed airspace, so the real track can be longer than the table distance.
Regional and Gulf departures
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Light jet Phenom 300 |
Midsize jet Praetor 500 |
Super midsize Challenger 350 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nairobi - Entebbe | 521 km | 1:12 h | EUR 10,500 | EUR 12,500 | EUR 14,000 |
| Kigali - Entebbe | 340 km | 0:57 h | EUR 10,000 | EUR 11,000 | EUR 12,500 |
| Kilimanjaro - Entebbe | 643 km | 1:21 h | EUR 11,500 | EUR 13,000 | EUR 15,000 |
| Zanzibar - Entebbe | 1,025 km | 1:52 h | EUR 13,000 | EUR 15,500 | EUR 18,000 |
| Addis Ababa - Entebbe | 1,218 km | 2:07 h | EUR 14,000 | EUR 16,500 | EUR 19,500 |
| Dubai World Central - Entebbe | 3,689 km | 5:07 h | on request | EUR 31,000 | EUR 39,000 |
A Phenom 300 cannot cover Dubai - Entebbe without refuelling; the Praetor 500 flies the 5:07 h sector for EUR 31,000. A beach week on Zanzibar after the gorillas is 1:52 h away by light jet.
Europe adds its own taxes: France charges business-jet passengers a departure tax that increases with flight distance, so a trip to Entebbe pays more than a European hop, and Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger on flights to and from the country beyond 1,500 km. German and Dutch departure taxes (the Dutch one on aircraft of 5.7 t or more) apply too, and UK Air Passenger Duty is at the higher private-jet rate for aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, such as the Challenger 650 and Falcon 7X. Ugandan charges are listed in the quote.
Business jet price per flight hour
Two trips priced
Per passenger
| Route | Aircraft | Whole aircraft | 2 passengers | 4 passengers | 8 passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larnaca - Entebbe | Praetor 600 | EUR 38,000 | EUR 19,000 | EUR 9,500 | EUR 4,800 |
| Milan Linate - Entebbe | Praetor 600 | EUR 51,000 | EUR 25,500 | EUR 12,800 | EUR 6,400 |
| Geneva - Entebbe | Challenger 650 | EUR 67,000 | EUR 33,500 | EUR 16,800 | EUR 8,400 |
| London Farnborough - Entebbe | Falcon 7X | EUR 98,000 | EUR 49,000 | EUR 24,500 | EUR 12,300 |
Enter your dates and departure city in the calculator for a first figure:
Entebbe and the park airstrips
Entebbe International (EBB / HUEN) lies about 6 km south-west of Entebbe town, at 1,153 m. It has two runways, 17/35 of 3,658 m and 12/30 of 2,408 m, an instrument landing system, customs and immigration, a tower open round the clock and Jet A-1. Handling companies such as Menzies Aviation Uganda and DAS Handling offer meet-and-assist service at the aircraft, fast-track formalities and escorted transfers for private flights. A separate government lounge serves state and diplomatic travel with prior authorisation, and only passengers may enter the terminal, so anyone meeting the party waits outside.
| Airport | Code | Runway | Serves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entebbe International | EBB / HUEN | 3,658 m paved | Every business jet; Kampala, 24 h |
| Kisoro | KXO / HUKI | short, paved | Bwindi and Mgahinga, gorillas |
| Kihihi | local strip | short, unpaved | Buhoma in northern Bwindi; Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth |
| Kasese | KSE / HUKS | about 1,600 m grass | Queen Elizabeth, Rwenzori, Kibale |
| Pakuba | PAF / HUPA | 1,760 m murram | Murchison Falls |
| Kidepo | local strip | about 1,500 m unpaved | Kidepo Valley, far north-east |
A foreign aircraft needs a landing permit and a parking slot from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, and an overflight permit where Ugandan airspace is crossed. With a complete file the permit normally takes 24 to 48 working hours; a landing permit is usually valid for 24 hours. The airport works round the clock, but its administration works Monday to Saturday, so a Sunday flight is requested earlier in the week. Crew visas are issued on arrival.
The park strips are short and mostly unpaved, and they are used by Ugandan operators with turboprops such as the Pilatus PC-12 and the Cessna Grand Caravan. These domestic flights are quoted on request with the lodge. Entebbe - Kisoro takes about 70 minutes by turboprop, instead of most of a day on the road.
To plan the jet and the turboprop as one trip, leave your number and a consultant will call:
Season by season
The best months for gorilla trekking and game drives are June to September and December to February, the two dry seasons. The rains of March to May and October to November make trails muddy, but permits are easier to find. Empty Legs appear most often after the European summer holidays and in early January.
Uganda keeps East Africa Time (UTC+3) all year. Daytime highs are mostly 24-30 °C; the south-west highlands around Bwindi and Kisoro are cooler.
Empty Legs
Jets that bring a group to Entebbe often fly back to Europe empty, and regional legs between Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi and Addis Ababa appear at short notice. Because the paying flight fixes the date, a leg may shift, and a few days of leeway make a match far more likely. Our Empty Legs desk at empty-legs@jets.flights needs only the direction and your possible dates.
Dogs and cats
Uganda is a difficult destination for a pet, and most owners leave the animal at home for a short trip:
- Import permit from the Commissioner for Animal Health, applied for in writing at least seven days before arrival; the permit sets the port of entry, and the arrival date is confirmed with the veterinary officer at least three days ahead.
- Government health certificate in English from the departure country and vaccinations, rabies included, at least 30 days before arrival.
- Quarantine or holding of 21 to 30 days after arrival, with tests before release, according to the ministry; we confirm in writing whether the animal may arrive in the cabin of a private jet.
- Return to the EU or the UK: Uganda is not a listed country, so a rabies antibody test is needed, best done before departure; for the UK also a Great Britain pet health certificate, an approved route and tapeworm treatment for dogs 1-5 days before arrival.
Entry rules and travel advice
Booking
- Send the dates, passengers, park and lodge, and the trekking permit dates if already booked.
- We compare a Praetor 600, a heavy jet and a long-range aircraft and plan the turboprop around the permit day.
- We send two to four offers, naming the operator and model with cabin photos and the price of the whole aircraft.
- After signing and payment we apply for the landing permit and parking slot and book the handler and turboprop.
- On the day, bring passports and printed visa approvals; at Entebbe the handler meets you at the aircraft.
Questions about private flights to Uganda
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- What does the flight to Entebbe cost?
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A Praetor 600 to Entebbe costs from EUR 50,000 one way from Nice and EUR 51,000 from Milan or Vienna, for the whole aircraft. From Larnaca it is EUR 38,000.
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- How long is the flight?
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7:19-8:11 h non-stop in a Praetor 600 from Paris, Frankfurt and the hubs further south, and 7:58 h from London in a Falcon 7X.
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- Can a jet land near the gorillas?
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No. Kisoro and Kihihi are short strips for turboprops. The jet lands at Entebbe and a Ugandan operator flies the group on, about 70 minutes to Kisoro.
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- What documents do we need?
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A passport valid six months after arrival and a visa applied for online before the flight. The East African Tourist Visa also covers Kenya and Rwanda.
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- How far ahead should we book?
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The landing permit takes one to two working days for a complete file, but gorilla permits and lodges for July and August sell out weeks or months ahead.
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- Can we combine Uganda and Rwanda?
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Yes. The flight between Kigali and Entebbe takes 57 minutes in a Phenom 300, at EUR 10,000 for the whole aircraft.
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- Can we bring our dog?
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It is possible but difficult: an import permit, a health certificate and, according to the ministry, 21 to 30 days of quarantine. For a short trip most owners leave the animal at home.
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- Are there Empty Legs from Entebbe?
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Sometimes, mostly back to Europe after the summer and in early January, and regional legs to Kigali and Nairobi. Send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.
The aviation expert will answer all your questions about business aviation and private flights. We will help you to compare and choose the best business jet for your flight.