Budget 4×4 Car Rental in Uganda

Car rental for self-drive Uganda is undoubtedly a perfect way to discover and experience Uganda’s wilderness. Hire a 4×4 car rental and stand a chance to navigate through the lush green and virgin landscapes on your self-drive in Uganda. We have the best self-drive vehicles for hire at budget-friendly rate.

Our 4×4 car rentals are strongly built to tackle any kind of terrain. You can choose our comfortable 4×4 budget Toyota Rav4, Land Cruiser, 4×4 Land Cruiser with roof top tents, Super Customs to customized safari jeep rental cars. No matter the destination, our self-drive rental cars are steady and ideal for visitors with plans to go for gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park/Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Or game viewing in the savanna protected areas especially Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo, Queen Elizabeth National Park (where you can find the tree climbing lions) and others.

Our rental cars are also available for airport transfer/drop off, city tours, conference, busines among others. Rent any of our budget self-drive cars and stand a chance to enjoy the best rates. No matter your car hire deal/purpose of travel, we have you covered. Is it self-drive tour, budget tour, guided safari or you want to rent a car and driver or you are interested in luxury travel? Our fleet of rental cars meet all sorts of visitors’ travel desires. In case you are planning to go self-drive Uganda to have a lifetime experience, look no further than our classic rental car deals.

Our top 4×4 budget self-drive rental cars

4×4 Toyota Rav4

Rent our fulltime 4WD Toyota Rav4, 5 doors with capacity of 4pax and go enjoy your self-drive Uganda. This comes with plenty of space for your luggage, strong and available for Uganda self-drive trips or rent it plus chauffeur.

Safari Van

We have the best 4×4 Safari Vans, diesel with great features such as pop-up roof, air conditioners, comfortable seats, spacious interior with adequate room for luggage. They are available and ideal for chauffeur and group safaris in Uganda.

4×4 Land Cruiser

Get the best full time 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser, comprising of pop-up roof and enjoy the best of your self-drive Uganda. This comes with amazing interior, adequate room and also suitable for guided safaris in Uganda.

Other fulltime 4×4 Land Cruisers for hire include pop-up rooftop Land Cruiser V8, Land Cruiser TX, GX; Land Cruiser with rooftop tents.

6 Tips for a Successful Self Drive Safari in Uganda

Self drive safaris are so famous in Uganda and many tourists have engaged in this adventurous drive while visiting the different tourist destinations in Uganda. Driving in Uganda is so challenging because of the old cars, insecurity as well as poor and narrow roads. Below are the things to do to have a successful self drive safari in Uganda;

Always book in advance;

Always book for the Uganda car rental you are to use in advance. This is vital most especially if you are traveling in very high seasons. Booking the vehicle in advance will make you have a high bargaining power before you start yourself drive vacation in Uganda. Booking the car in advance will make you choose the perfect accommodation for your interests

Remember to book the right car; choosing the right vehicle mainly depends on the destination you wish to visit. This will also depend on the number of days you are going to spend during your vacation as well as the number of people that are traveling in a group. In case you are traveling with in the city, you might need a 4×4 land cruiser or a simple sedan car but if you are traveling up country to the tourist destinations, you will need a 4×4 extended land cruiser or a 4×4 min van in case you have big numbers. The cart has to be a 4×4 wheel drive to help you drive through the roads of the national park.

Always obey traffic Rules and Regulations; when you are driving, you should avoid driving late hours when you are not sure of the conditions of the roads. Many of the roads especially those up country don’t have security lights and have got high way robbers all the way. However, when you find yourself having late driving, you need to have some security with you in the car to arrive safely.

Always choose the right accommodation; a successful self drive is connected to the best accommodation. You are always advised to choose the best accommodation facility and remember to keep their contacts. Get all the information about these facilities that you are interested in and choose the best to stay in while on your vacation in Uganda. In case you drive late, inform your accommodation facility in advance.

Always check your rental vehicle frequently; the self drive safari to be successful involves checking your car before you start driving especially in the morning, things to check include; indicators, oil, head lights, break lights, tire pressure, spare wheel, water level, and any leakages on the car. You also have to know the Insurance policy of the car since this will help you in case of an accident or damage.

Lastly, is to be familiar with the road signage; this also involves knowing the road signs and driving under the set driving speed. The speed limit along the high way is between 80 to 100 km per hour in towns and in the national parks, it 40 to 50 km per hour. Always switch on the lights when during on dusty roads and off track driving is prohibited in national parks.

Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale Forest

Kibale Forest National Park is located in western central part of Uganda just to the east of the Rwenzori Mountains, near the town of Fort Portal. The 766 km² park predominantly covers evergreen tropical rain forest and ranges between 1100 and 1600m in elevation.

Kibale Forest is one of the last remaining expanses to contain both lowland and montane forests and forms a continuous forest with Queen Elizabeth National Park. Kibale National park was established in 1995 primarily to protect the forest, however over the years, the leading tourist activity in Kibale National Park has remained Tracking of the chimpanzees. If you love primate safaris, your trip in Uganda should not end without visiting this forested park in western Uganda. Other than chimpanzee watching you can see any of the other 12 primate species within the park.

Chimpanzee Tracking is not as challenging as gorilla tracking. In fact, these chimpanzees enjoy spending most of the time in tall trees since they eat fruits. Tracking of these chimpanzees is conducted in the early morning and for that reason tourists are advised to prepare in advance of their journey. Those interested in chimpanzee tracking are recommended to make their booking early enough to avoid any disappointment of failing to get a chance. Besides the primates, there are approximately 60 species of mammals recorded inside Kibale National Park. In addition, Hiking in Kibale forest is conducted in the dry season from the start of the month of November up to February. The park can be reached by road transport through the scenic Fort Portal town.

Chimpanzee tracking experiences in Kibale are excellent and credit goes to the several well maintained walking trails and a large number of resident chimpanzee families in the forest. Although some of the trails are very difficult to traverse during the rainy season, the park is open all year round and you can still track chimpanzees. You can also view other wild animals although it is hard to see them due to the thick vegetation. There is also a wonderfully diverse concentration of other primates including: red colobus, red-tailed guenon, white-nosed monkey, gray-cheeked mangabey, blue monkey, L’Hoest’s monkey, and the black and white colobus monkey. In addition, you may see olive baboons, bush babies and nocturnal pottos.

The chimpanzee habituation experience gives you an opportunity to accompany Kibale’s researchers and habituators as they follow chimpanzees throughout their daily activities. This has been proven to get the chimpanzees used to human presence without interrupting their daily activities. Visitors get a chance to follow a chimpanzees day from about 6am in the morning till 7pm in the evening.  Tracking chimpanzees in Kibale is definitely an experience all on its own and one of the best things to do on you safari tour in Uganda.

Because of the altitude difference, the vegetation in Kibale ranges from the evergreen rainforest, to the arid tropical forest, the savanna to the woodland that supports a diversity of habitats. Kibale Park is connected to Queen Elizabeth National Park in the South, hence allowing wildlife to freely move. This park has a total population of approximately 1450 chimpanzee, rendering it a wildlife sanctuary with the highest population of primates. Additional primate species here are; the olive monkeys, grey checked Mangabey, red-tailed monkey, baboons, black & white colobus and the blue monkeys.

Among the other animals living inside the park are: elephants, buffaloes, leopards, bush pigs, Duikers, warthogs, hippos among many others. You will as well see numerous butterfly species, some reptiles and even amphibians. The park is as well a paradise for bird watchers. Approximately 325 species of birds have been documented in this park. Among the bird species you are likely to see are the black-bee eater, the little Greenbul, the crowned eagle, the African Pitta, the yellow spotted Nicator, the black-eared ground thrush, the woodland warbler, the tiny sun birds among many others.

Kibale National Park could easily be called the primate capital of the world. It is a home to a host of wildlife although mostly famous for it is the 13 species of primates including chimpanzees. Park lies close to the tranquil Ndali-Kasenda crater area and is a half a day’s drive from Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori mountains, and Semiliki National Park and the Toro-Semiliki national Reserve.

5 Best Budget Safari Lodges in Bwindi

Are you looking for a budget lodge where you can stay while on a gorilla safari in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda? Here are the best 5 safari lodges that offer a great deal for money if you are looking for a gorilla trek while on budget.

Northern Bwindi

In the north of Bwindi, there are two sectors from where gorilla treks start from. These are the Buhoma Sector and the Ruhija Sector. There are several lodging options for budget travelers who would like to head into the north Bwindi. Some of the best lodges are;

Buhoma Community Camp

Gift of Nature Lodge

Gorilla Valley Lodge

Southern Bwindi

Nkuringo and Rushaga sector lies in the southern part of Uganda. This area is home to gorilla families like Nkuringo gorilla group, Nshongi gorilla family, Mishaya gorilla family, Kahungye gorilla group.

Safari Lodges in Nkuringo and Rushaga sectors of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park;

Wagtail Eco lodge

Wagtail lodge is one of the budget lodges in Bwindi impenetrable forest National Park. It is situated in in Rubuguri, close to the briefing point of Nshongi and Nkuringo gorilla trekking families. It is well crafted out of African material designed to conserve nature while using it sustainably. It has a restaurant and bar where a number of meal options are served. From its compound, one can get a clear view of Virunga volcanoes and Rwanda Congo boarder with Uganda.

Rushaga Gorilla Camp

The Rushaga Gorilla Camp offers a great choice of rooms. There are budget rooms from as low as USD100 per night. If you need an upgrade, you can also book a cottage from US$150 per night.

My 8 Unique Hotels in Kampala

My 8 unique hotels in Kampala! – I thought choosing this shouldn’t be a problem and indeed it isn’t but the trouble is keeping it to 8. I am afraid I have got to say right from the start that this will be broken – no promises here!

Not different from Paris and London of this world, Kampala has got some of the finest to be proud of and by any standard these 8 or so hotels will leave their mark. The beauty; the surrounding, the layout and the type of rooms (not different from what you would find in Chicago or New York) is what makes them unique – the bonus is; they are crowned with a Uganda touch!

OK then, here we go with my 8 unique hotels in Kampala and with out following any order of merit;

First on my mind is the Speke Resort and Conference Centre. Right at the shoreline of Lake Victoria, it is the ideal place to chill out. It’s got a thrill that will grub you and particularly about Uganda’s beauty with a detailed touch of precision. Its Olympic size swimming pool is a plus (try it if you think you are good enough to represent your country). This resort simply graces the shore of the lake and for me, its very much a top 10 in Africa. You probably wouldn’t take your eyes off this one… and what a way to kick off these unique hotels.

It offers a range of facilities; A 5 star restaurant, excellent conference facilities, luxury cottages and the Speke equestrian Centre that will offer you a horse riding holiday including lessons if you wish which you could round off with a boat ride on Lake Victoria. Still looking for places for your honeymoon?

… While you are still at that, you can make your way to the Protea Hotel Kampala. Set in Kololo – an upscale suburb of Kampala, this 4 star hotel will gracefully give you 5 star services at no extra cost. 59 luxury rooms plus 11 lavish en-suites and a modern hi-tech gym will provide you with an amazing way to spend a night or two.

And then the hotel for Mother Nature lovers – kept to the thyme of depicting Uganda’s greenery and beauty, the Kampala Serena Hotel. Right in the heart of Kampala with an artistic impression that brings out Uganda’s lakes and rivers, this 5 star hotel blends the African flair, social style and business consistency that will keep you coming back for more… It has a rock sculptured pool deck and water falls with over 150 world class rooms that will guarantee your memorable stay in Uganda.

Finding its way into my 8 unique hotels is the Emin Pasha hotel – have you been there? Yah right! You could be one of the ‘been there done that’ but wait a minute; this little cosy, with a rich ambience hotel will take you by surprise. It’s got no attributes to the big chains and yet has a character of its own. Its Fez Brasserie and Wine bar is probably the finest to eat and drink in Kampala.Try it…

With exactitude, the Hotel le Petit Village is a piece of class. Someone has called it the ‘charming oasis’. This lovely family-friendly hotel is the perfect way to escape from the rush of Kampala. Lovely food too and the out door pool adds to the flair.

Then comes the controversial one – Yes! In a sense that you will have to prove me wrong on this. The Sheraton Hotel Kampala certainly squeezes its way through to my 8 unique hotels. It’s stood the taste of time! One will say it’s passed its glory days but wait a minute, you won’t beat its location (right in the heart of Kampala) and just when you step in, it welcomes you with that ever relaxed ambience.

It’s with in reach of the central business centre of the Capital and as a meeting point; it will give you the ideal atmosphere to crack that business deal.

Oh, and here comes probably my best; The Lake Victoria Serena Resort – right at the shoreline (am I just obsessed with the lake view? – hmm!). They say; ‘it’s styled to replicate the lines of a classically rustic roman villa’. This luxury residential complex is magnificent. Lovely poolside and great service! …

…I however have my reservations on the roads that lead to the complex – they are in serious need of some TLC but don’t let that kill the excitement, once you over come the bumpy roads, paradise will break loose!

And while you are pampered at the Serena Resort, you can make your way to Grand Imperial Hotel – its history stems way back to the colonial times as one of the first hotels to be built in Kampala. With over 100 elegant rooms, the grand imperial is right in the heart of the central business centre of Kampala. Look no further if you are looking at a stay for business – it’s quite ideal.

Does that make my 8 unique hotels? Sorry there is just one more; Mosa Court Apartments – thought I should say something about this little paradise. For business or pleasure and particularly if you are looking at a long stay – this is the ideal place which will save you a few $s too. Its location is very central to the Capital.

…Did I say one more? This list will go on and on irresistibly but last but not least, the Speke Hotel in Kampala. The Bar at the Rock Garden is certainly my best – you will love the ambience there. And talking about Kampala nightlife, if you are the kind that loves a bit of dancing, you can catch some music here at the weekends. Nice place to entertain your clients/visitors!

My 8 unique hotels in Kampala are not cast in stone and a lot of things could have changed as I finish writing this. A lot of new hotels are also coming up. You will see lots of reviews and stories about these places and more here, make you choice – I trust for most of it, you will agree with me.

Go on and tell me what you think about my 8 unique hotels in Kampala – you could have a thing or 2 to share about your experience at these places or any other – any thing that you think will help the other visitors OR have you discovered Kampala’s new paradise?

UHOA gets new Executive Director

The old man was thin and gaunt with deep wrinkles in the back of his neck. The brown blotches of the benevolent skin cancer the sun brings from its eflection on the tropic.