Traveling to the Ssese Islands

The Ssese archipelago consists of 84 Islands. The archipelago is located in Lake Victoria in Uganda. The biggest of the 84 islands is Bugala Island which is the home of the main town center and the headquaters of Kalangala district.

Travelling to the ssese Islands is quite easy and there are 2 main routes:

• Entebbe route
• Masaka route

Entebbe Route

The main dock is located at Nakiwogo which is about a 10 minute drive from Entebbe town. There are 2 main vessels which ply this route.

• The MV Kalangala
• The Nyanza Evergreen Waterways Company vessels

1. MV Vanessa & MV Nathalie (Nyanza Evergreen Waterways Company)

The MV Vanessa and MV Nathalie are two luxurious boats operated by the Nyanza Evergreen Waterways Ltd. They operate interchangeably or together depending on the amount of traffic to and from the Island.

They dock at Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe and trips from Entebbe are available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday while trips from the Ssese Islands towards Entebbe are available on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The duration of travel from Nakiwogo (Entebbe) to Bugala Island (Lutoboka Bay) is 1 hour and 15 minutes.

These boats must be pre-booked by calling +256 774034362 or we can gladly assist you book should the need arise. Upon arrival on the Island we send a vehicle to pick you up at no extra charge.

Nyanza Evergreen Waterways Weekly Schedule

2. MV Kalangala

The MV Kalangala is a large ship that transports both passengers and vehicles.

They also dock at Nakiwogo landing site in Entebbe. Daily trips from Nakiwogo set off at exactly 2.00pm with boarding beginning at exactly 1.00pm.

The duration of travel from Nakiwogo (Entebbe) to Bugala Island (Lutoboka Bay) is 3 hours and 30 minutes.

Cars have to be booked in advance by calling +256 705116773 and charges for vehicles vary basing on the type and weight of the vehicle.

Passengers are charged Ugx. 10,000 for a one way economy class ticket and Ugx. 14,000 for a one way first class ticket.

3. MV Pearl & MV Ssese (Masaka Route)

The MV Pearl and the MV Ssese are available at the Bukakata landing site along the Bukakata-Masaka route. They have multiple trips per day and dock at the Bugoma landing site on the Island.

Both vessels carry both passengers and vehicles. Pre-booking is not required and the duration of travel from Bukakata (Masaka) to Bugala Island (Bugoma Landing Site) is 30 minutes.

We do not provide free pickups but we can organize pickups upon request at an agreed fee.