Month: June 2018

Uganda has numerous tourist places and this makes it  the right destination for you to enjoy a road trip. Below are some of the few destinations to visit while on a road safari to Uganda.

Jinja is the first destination when thinking about having a road trip in Uganda. The town is famous as the historic source of the Nile River, and this town is the adrenaline capital of East Africa. you will get a fix of the white water rafting, Kayaking, Quad biking, mountain biking as well as riding in the natural setting with the colonial architecture.

You will find the Bujagali hydroelectric project that has reduced some rapids on the river. The activities that can be carried out in Jinja include; White water rafting on the Nile and it’s so famous to the travelers since they get to adventure into the great rapids on the source of the Nile.

There is kayaking which is also an alternative to rafting and here you can go solo and kayak through the raging river or take a more leisurely paddle on the flat waters. You can enjoy boating that can be enjoyed on the source of the Nile as you visit the islands along the way.

The other destination for a road trip is the Eastern Uganda; not only the great scenery, eastern Uganda is a must visit destination especially for a road trip safari in Uganda.

Here the mighty Nile begins its epic journey north. You will enjoy mountain Elgon which is famous for mountain hiking as well as the viewing of the Sipi falls. This region also offers a charming and friendly base on the shores of Lake Victoria where the travelers can spend a few days or more as they enjoy the chilled atmosphere.

The main attractions in this region that you will enjoy on your road trip include;  Ngamba Island common for the chimpanzees, Source of the Nile, Mpanga forest reserve, Mountain Elgon national park, Nyero rock painting as well as Makanaga wetland.

The road trip to Uganda won’t be complete without visiting the Northern part of Uganda. This is mainly a journey to the Karamong people who live in Kidepo National Park. This is a two to three day journey that takes you through some of the most stunning scenery in the country

. You get to enjoy the plains filled with tall jagged peaks and fields ablaze with the sun flowers. You will enjoy the karamonjong people. This is the main highlight of the journey for most of the pastoral herders that are known for their traditional dress.

As you drive from Kampala or Kidepo, the best spot to have an overnight is in Moroto which is the biggest and most prosperous of Karrramoja towns, with leafy streets and many NGOs. There are many activity options here like pastoral villages or traditional herder’s camps, the outdoor adventures as well as the great cultural immersion with the Karamajong through the great programs.

You can as well enjoy the guided hiking. Further on is Kotido, a gritty, downtrodden town with a large NGO presence. You can stay at the Kotido Resort, with clean rooms in a secure compound, but it’s best to time it so you can push on. Just outside Kidepo, the village of Kaabong can be an interesting stop to take in the bustling roadside market and perhaps to purchase a plaid blanket to steel you against the chilly evenings of the north.

The western part of Uganda is so great for a road trip, you will get chance to drive to Bwindi impenetrable national park famous for mountain gorilla trekking. The park has got half the world’s surviving park which is one of East Africa’s most famous national parks.

The park also contains famous primates and over 120 species of mammals. you get chance to see the forest elephants, 11 species of primates, duikers, bush bucks, the African golden cats as well as the rare giant forest hog, as well as the many bird species and insect species.

You can as well have a road trip to Queen Elizabeth national park; this national park is always included on the Ugandan itinerary. You are guaranteed to see very many wildlife species including; the giraffes, lions, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, elephants as well as the buffaloes.

The famous tree-climbing lions in the remote Ishasha sector of the park are a fascinating highlight, but many people also come specifically to see some of the amazing 611 bird species that can be found here. Again in the west, you can enjoy Kibale National Park which is famous for chimpanzee trekking, Ssemuliki national park for birding, Rwenzori Mountains for mountain climbing, as well as Lake Mburo National Park.

Gone are the days when tourists would want an all-inclusive tour package. Nowadays, all they do is a hire a car and explore the several tourist attractions on their own.

It is such an adventurous and interesting experience where one hire a car to wander the unrelenting green landscapes enchanted with amazing wildlife by oneself in a foreign land like Uganda. Uganda has so many attractions to visit but what beats the odds are the mountain gorillas.

The mountain gorillas are endangered species of animals that are only found in the east central African regions. These animals are one of the most sought species in the wild by eco tourists and Uganda is one of the only three lucky countries to have them.

In Uganda, the mountain gorillas are found in the tropical rain forests of Bwindi and Mgahinga within the Virunga massif.

Mountain gorillas trekking is wonderful and spicing it up by traveling on your own can make the trip a lifetime experience as excitement is combined with adventure and freedom.

Hiring a car in Uganda has become so much easier since there are several car rental companies in the country. The car rental companies are found in online and online shopping is the order of the day in this day and age generations.

All you have to do is get to google and a book with a car rental company that has the best 4×4 rental that would suit your mountain gorilla trekking expedition. If you are a sole traveler, a Toyota rav4 or a Toyota land cruiser Prado can be your ideal 4×4 rental car for the business.

One might wonder, how you going to acquire a gorilla permit or accommodation for your trip. Most car rental companies in Uganda book gorilla permits for their clients as long as the client sends the money for the permits. They also advise and suggest the ideal accommodation to stay in while in Uganda.

Visiting the mountain gorillas in Uganda on your own is terrific as you are able to encounter various attraction while driving to the southwest of the country. There are wonderful green hilly landscapes to watch that will make a tourists appreciate and enjoy nature.

More to the driving on your own is viewing the mountain gorillas in the wild. It is not being endangered species that makes the mountain gorillas such special animals to watch but also their eye catching social behavior while interacting amongst themselves in the jungle.

Mountain gorillas somehow relate like human beings in their social circle. They have the head of a family in an alpha male called the silverback of which he is the Centre of all the daily works that takes place in the family. The mountain gorilla family normally involves around 10-30 individuals.

The mountain gorillas have the ability to use tools like stones and tree branches while gathering food and also build their nests. These amazing animals also have a very interesting communication sounds that would make the onlooker think that it is some kind of language with a special dialect.

Apart from enjoying their social antics in the jungle, you are also able to take photos and videos of them and also not forgetting the interesting stories about them that you get from the commentaries of the gorilla ranger who guides while trekking.

Therefore when you are out their interested in traveling on your own and you would love to visit the mountain gorillas in the wild, Uganda is the place to be. Just get to www.selfdriveinuganda.com to hire a car, hit the road to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla Park and have a trip of a lifetime.

Nowadays most tourists who come to Uganda wish to drive on their own to visit the various tourism destinations. However, many of these tourists are foreign to the lands of Uganda and therefore some of the road rules and policies are unfamiliar to them. Many of them have been convicted by the traffic officers for road offences, they clearly do not know about.

We found out the missing gap that many of these foreign travelers we rent cars in Uganda sometimes are not aware that they are making offences on the road. So as a traveler, we bring to you the most common Road Offences to Avoid While Driving in Uganda

Not fastening your belt while driving; This is a common habit among drivers, they tend to forget to fasten their belts. Fastening the belt is not only done for the sake of avoid a road offence . It is also a good driving deed as the belt protects from hitting the sterling or windscreen in case of an accident. Thus sometimes saving from getting severe inquiries. Anyone caught by the traffic officer without fastening his/her seat belt is given a fine of around ugx 10000shs.

Over speeding in settlements/urban areas; the major causes of road accidents in Uganda is over speeding that is normally done in the urban areas.

Many people drive at a terrible speed in areas where people are dwelling and doing their business. there are always people crossing the roads and also building and other stuff just near the road. So in case of any hiccup while driving the driver is likely to run over the people or building or stuff around the road due to over speeding.

The maximum speed of driving on roads where there are settlements or towns is 50km/hr. therefore if you happen to go beyond that it is an offence.

Taking over in corners; this must be a renowned offence worldwide but still drivers still do commit it. Taking over in a corner is a very dangerous act since you may not a clear vision of a car coming from the opposite and hence colliding with it. Traffic officers are always near the corner to curb down offenders who over take in corners.

Driving at the shoulders of the road; Driving at the ending of the road is an offence in Uganda. The space left at the road side is normally for pedestrians but some drivers use the space in order to bit traffic jam which is an offence.

Driving without third party insurance; it is mandatory for every vehicle in Uganda to have third party insurance as this protects the vehicle in case of causing any social hardship like knocking the building, animals or any other stuff.

Driving without a driving license; sometimes travelers tend to carry their driving license while driving in Uganda yet it is the only document that reflect that you are eligible or qualified to drive.  So as a traveler you should always carry your driver’s license when you are going to drive in Uganda.