Planning to self drive Uganda? Sensible choice! In 1908 Winston Churchill declared Uganda the “Pearl of Africa” in his 1908 e book, My African Journey. Greater than a century later, guests nonetheless flock to seek out this pearl. After our self drive in Uganda, I can’t disagree with Mr. Churchill. The nation is stuffed with birdlife, huge plains, jungle, rolling hills, and a few of the friendliest folks in Africa.
We entered Southern Uganda from Rwanda with low expectations for the nation. Positive, they maintain the world’s largest inhabitants of mountain gorillas – however what else would we discover?
A street journey by means of Uganda was a spotlight of our African street journey. Apart from the infinite quantity of velocity bumps, roads are first rate, and visitors police corruption is low. It’s the proper nation to self-drive, with a rental or with your individual car, like us!
Right here is our best self drive Uganda itinerary.
An Superior Self Drive Uganda Itinerary
Kampala/Entebbe
Begin your self drive Uganda journey within the capital.
Most journeys to Uganda will most likely contain the capital metropolis of Kampala, though it’s price mentioning that the worldwide airport is definitely in Entebbe. It can take you not less than an hour to get to Kampala from Entebbe until the visitors is horrendous (which it most likely can be).
In case you arrive by aircraft late at evening, I might advocate staying in Entebbe for the evening. We drove by means of Kampala at 6 pm on a Saturday evening, and I’ve to say that it was the worst visitors I’ve ever been in my life (and we used to stay in NYC), taking us 5 hours in standstill visitors to achieve our vacation spot.
I believed it could simply have been a fluke evening, however a number of extra drives by means of Kampala, whereas we have been making an attempt to promote our truck, proved that incorrect. The visitors in Kampala is at all times a nightmare.
To flee the town air pollution and visitors, I like to recommend hanging out in Entebbe. We spent a number of days stress-free on the shores of Lake Victoria on the Protea Entebbe and located to be a pleasant refuge away from the town.
If you’re in search of a number of days to kill within the space, I like to recommend heading to the Mabamba Swamp, the place the well-known Shoebill Storks stay. Alternatively, take a ship experience out on Lake Victoria or calm down within the Entebbe Botanical Gardens.
The place to remain in Entebbe?
We stayed a number of days on the Protea Entebbe Lodge proper on Lake Victoria. The resort is clear and cozy and is minutes away from the airport (free airport transport too!).
Jinja
Proceed onto Jinja, the capital of journey.
For a superb cause, Jinja is dubbed “the journey capital of East Africa.” Town of Jinja is positioned on the supply of the Nile River. Sure, the world’s longest river begins proper in Jinja, making it a hotspot for vacationers in Uganda.
We spent a number of days right here stress-free on the good Nile River and having fun with some scrumptious espresso and cafe treats at The Deli. In fact, the spotlight of our time in Jinja was white water rafting down the Nile.
White water rafting on the Nile is likely one of the hottest issues to do within the nation. We selected to spend our day with Nalubale Rafting and began the journey at 9 am close to the place we stayed – The Haven. Cameron and I have been put in a bunch with 5 different daring souls from around the globe.
Our native Ugandan information was an skilled rafter and spent a great deal of time instructing us on the fundamentals of paddling and what to do in emergencies.
I’ve been white water rafting 4 occasions now. Twice in the US, as soon as in Bali, and as soon as in Croatia, I believed I might deal with all of it. Oh boy was I mistaken. One tumble out of my raft on class 5 rapids let me know the journey was on. We spent your entire day dodging rapids, flipping rafts, and gulping in recent Nile River water. This isn’t your stroll within the park rafting of us – the Nile is severe.
Sure, all of us lived because of the skilled guys and women of Nalubale who ensured our security each step of the way in which. Nevertheless, after simply two flips of the raft, all seven of us in our raft have been pondering the identical factor.
Has anybody ever died doing this?
Rafting the Nile is extraordinarily enjoyable, and I might advocate it to anybody in search of an actual adrenaline-pumping time in Uganda. In case you’re not liable to water sports activities, Jinja can also be famed for having ATV Quadbike Safaris and bungee leaping over the Nile. Or you may say screw the entire journey factor and go for a brewery tour of the Nile Brewery.
The place to remain in Jinja?
Undoubtedly the highest place to camp is The Haven. This was probably the greatest campsites we present in all of Africa. The bogs have been clear, the view is unimaginable, and so they even have free WiFi.
Murchison Falls Nationwide Park
Head north to Murchison Falls
It’s laborious to imagine that your entire Nile River squeezes itself by means of only a 7-meter large hole making Murchison Falls. The waterfall is 43 meters excessive and makes for a formidable sight to see.
Apart from the gorgeous falls, Murchison Nationwide Park is the house of 76 mammals and 451 birds. It additionally holds Uganda’s largest inhabitants of crocodiles, so I wouldn’t advocate sunbathing alongside the river banks. A ship journey to the bottom of the falls runs guests $30 per individual.
The place to remain in Murchison?
The Purple Chili Relaxation Camp is a wonderful place to camp whereas visiting Murchison. They’ve a full restaurant and, extra importantly, a full bar. Purple Chili Relaxation Camp additionally organizes safaris into Murchison.
Kibale Nationwide Park
Proceed to Fort Portal and to see the Chimps in Kibale
Bwindi could have the mountain gorillas however head to Kibale Nationwide Forest if you wish to come face-to-face with our closest residing relative. Positioned about an hour’s drive from Fort Portal, Kibale Nationwide Forest is the world’s primate capital. With 13 completely different species of primates, it’s no marvel the place they get their title.
Guests flock right here to get an up-close encounter with our closest relative – the chimpanzee. The Ugandan Wildlife Authority can set up chimp permits. AT $200, they arrive in as a less expensive various to gorilla trekking in Uganda.
It’s advisable to rearrange your permits earlier than attending to Uganda; nonetheless, we discovered that individuals organized their journeys the day of through the off-season. Discovering the chimps took us lower than an hour, and as soon as we noticed the primary troop, we noticed them at a detailed distance. Guests are given an hour of statement time with the chimps, throughout which we noticed about 20 completely different chimps.
The male chimps are essentially the most habituated to people and are the least shy group. We heard them name and work together with each other and even caught two grooming! We did see feminine chimps, however they tended to hang around excessive within the timber with their younger.
It’s price noting that Cameron and I went chimp trekking within the Nyungwe forest in Rwanda however loved our time in Uganda extra. The forest was simpler to navigate, trekking the chimps took much less time, and we have been capable of have a greater interplay with them in Uganda. That’s to not say that the expertise in Rwanda wasn’t memorable although!
The place to remain when Chimp Trekking?
We determined to park it on the Primate Lodge for a number of days within the lush Ugandan forest. Nestled away from the hustle and bustle of life, The Primate Lodge is a five-minute stroll away from the Kibale forest entrance. Every of the 9 bandas is unfold out to permit full privateness for all visitors.
All meals are totally inclusive on the Primate Lodge, and the meals is scrumptious. The native workers is sort and attentive to all of our meal requests for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Even eating within the consolation of our personal room was no downside in any respect.
We arrived very late at evening after getting fully misplaced in rural African villages and requested the workers if we might have our dinner in our room – at 10 pm. They fortunately catered to us and understood the lengthy 10-hour drive we needed to attain them. We have been each so grateful for the kindness of the workers, style of the meals, and the general consolation of the spacious banda.
Queen Elizabeth Nationwide Park
Go on safari in Queen Elizabeth Nationwide Park.
Queen Elizabeth Nationwide Park is 1978km in dimension. 95 African animals and over 600 completely different species of birds name the park dwelling! Queen Elizabeth is the proper place to go earlier than or after you go to Bwindi Impenetrable Nationwide Park.
We have been anticipating an extended drive after our improbable day gorilla trekking in Uganda, however as a substitute, we drove simply two hours to the southern entrance of Queen Elizabeth. The southern area of the park is named Ishasha. It’s a good spot to seek for some well-known tree-climbing lions.
The tree-climbing lions solely hand around in two locations on the planet (Lake Manyara Nationwide Park in Tanzania is the opposite). We went into the park simply earlier than sundown, and low and behold, half-hour in, we noticed her – an actual tree climbing lioness.
The subsequent day we self-drove by means of the park to achieve Mweya peninsula. You’ll be able to self-drive on the principle street by means of the park with out paying car or park charges. The entire time you stand an opportunity of recognizing Africa’s well-known wildlife.
It wasn’t till we hit the Mweya park entrance about 100 km from Ishasha that we formally entered the park and introduced our park passes. We made our option to Mweya lodge for some lunch however discovered it overpriced and went subsequent door to Canteen for a extra reasonably priced meal.
From there, we got down to see the crater lakes of Queen Elizabeth. The drive across the crater lakes is one of the gorgeous in all of Africa. The pockmarked land with dozens of crater lakes made us really feel small. Two hours on the street, we by no means noticed anybody else in a two-hour drive alongside the rim of the craters.
We by no means managed to see a lot wildlife in Queen Elizabeth, however the tree-climbing lions and well-known crater lakes made all of it price it.
The place to remain in Queen Elizabeth Nationwide Park?
We stayed at a campsite and lodge referred to as @ the River. I discovered the value to be too excessive for the lodge itself, however it is likely one of the cheaper locations to remain in Ishasha. In case you plan to remain at Mweya, the Mweya campsite is enough for an evening or two. A extra luxurious possibility is the Mweya Lodge.
Bwindi Impenetrable Nationwide Park
See a few of the final gorillas in Bwindi.
Bwindi Nationwide Forest is famed for its inhabitants of mountain gorillas. The UWA provides the distinctive expertise to trek into the forest to catch a glimpse of the critically endangered species. It’s a spotlight and draw for a lot of vacationers who come to Uganda and one of the unimaginable experiences in Africa.
Gorilla trekking permits are usually not low cost at $700 a allow; nonetheless, the expertise is unforgettable. We trekked excessive into the Bwindi Forest to discover a household of 17 gorillas. Guests are given an hour with the gorillas to look at the group play, eat, and socialize.
Apart from gorilla trekking in Bwindi Nationwide Park, guests are supplied the power to hike to stunning waterfalls within the space and benefit from the dense jungle.
The place to Keep when Gorilla Trekking?
We stayed on the Bwindi Lodge, a ten-minute stroll away from the park headquarters in Buhoma. If you’re seeking to deal with your self, I might extremely advocate testing Volcanoes Safaris. For a extra budget-friendly possibility, guests ought to have a look at the Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge or Buhoma Group Campsite.
Lake Bunyoni
Proceed right down to the Rwanda border and take a look at Lake Bunyoni
It has been stated that Lake Bunyoni could also be one of the stunning lakes in all of Africa. Now that’s debatable, however it’s a pretty lake that’s good to calm down on for a number of days. Lake Bunyoni was our first cease as we drove up from Rwanda. From the Cyanika border, it took us about three hours by means of rolling hills to achieve our vacation spot by automotive.
Lake Bunyoni is claimed to be the “place of many birds,” so in case you are even barely into birding, I might advocate a cease right here.
A preferred factor to do on Lake Bunyoni is to take a small boat round to go to the varied islands that occupy the tiny lake. Akampene, Bushara, Kyahugye, Bucuranuka, Bwama, and Njuyeera are a few of the extra widespread islands to go to.
Lake Bunyoni is the proper place for those who simply don’t wish to do something in any respect. We discovered nice pleasure in simply sitting with a espresso whereas overlooking the peacefulness of our environment.
It’s right here you could both drive into Rwanda and proceed your overland journey or head again to the capital, finishing your self drive Uganda street journey.
Take into account including on: Kidepo Valley Nationwide Park
Kidepo is nearly a 10-hour drive from Kampala, so you could not have time to drive there. It’s virtually as far north in Uganda you could get because it borders South Sudan. Nevertheless when you’ve got the time it will be an ideal place so as to add on.
We by no means had the prospect to go to Kidepo, however I really feel I ought to give it a particular point out as nearly each Ugandan we spoke to utterly loves the park. Kidepo is about as far north as you will get in Uganda and lies proper subsequent to Sudan and Kenya. It takes about ten hours to get to from Kampala, making the park remoted.
Its isolation is many guests dream as they are going to have virtually your entire park to themselves to see a few of the 77 completely different species of mammals. The park is greatest visited through the dry season when animals flock to the few watering holes close to Apoka.
The place to remain in Kidepo?
The Apoka Safari Lodge is an effective place for these not geared up to camp. For those who have their very own provides and are on a price range, I might advocate the Apoka Relaxation Camp.
Our Finest Uganda Journey Suggestions
- In case you’re courageous strive taking a boda boda round Uganda. They’re basically motorbike taxis greatest used for brief distances. We took them a handful of occasions simply to go quick distances, however be warned that they aren’t for the faint of coronary heart. Drivers drive quick and squeeze out and in of visitors. We noticed three boda-boda crashes in Kampala – nobody was severely harm these occasions.
- The Nationwide Chicken of Uganda is the crested crane and may be discovered on the nation’s flag.
- Ensure to strive a Rolex. A rolex is a rolled up Chapati with whipped egg and varied greens inside. Yow will discover this on any Ugandan avenue nook for lower than 5000 Shilling.
- Visas: Individuals touring to Uganda can count on to pay $50 USD, money solely, for a single entry visa. When you have plans to go to Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya guests can acquire an East Africa a number of entry visa for $100 money on the border. Be sure you apply for this visa not less than three days forward of entry on-line.
- The Ugandans are pleasant folks that keep away from battle. No marvel Uganda was named one of many friendliest nations on the planet.
- We by no means felt threatened in Uganda. Even after sitting in standstill visitors in downtown Kampala at evening. Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless a growing nation so remember to use frequent sense.
- The nationwide Park Prices for international registered automobiles is insanely excessive. Non residents can count on to pay $40 per day for park entry and $150 per car per day.
- The Ugandan Shilling is the nationwide foreign money. ATM’s can solely be present in giant cities. All the time be sure that to hold sufficient money on you as bank cards are not often accepted outdoors of Kampala.
- We skilled completely no problem from the police in Uganda. In contrast to the fixed police encounters we had in Tanzania.
- Guess what? We bought our automotive in Entebbe! Learn right here to see what that have was like.
Plan Your Self Drive Uganda
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