Camp Masters Uganda

There are several reasons why self-driving is a good idea in Uganda. Several car rental companies offer a variety of cars to travellers planning a self-drive safari in Uganda. Some Travelers in Uganda choose self-drive over escorted safaris because of the following reasons;

Visitors can hire a car, pick it up from one location, and drop it off at another. That means visitors don’t have to return to the starting point to deliver the car to the hiring company. For example, the visitor can pick up a car in Kampala or at Entebbe International Airport (EBB) and drop it off in Jinja. You can also rent a car in one country and drop it off in another country agreed upon with the car rental agency. The car hire company will then take the responsibility to pick a car from where the clients have left it. However, a fee applies to this kind of arrangement depending on the drop-off location.

Visitors are free to drive as far as they like. The distance will depend on their capacity to refuel the car and the driver’s ability on a daily basis. However, most car rental companies in East Africa have a driving-hour limit of 06:00 hours to 18:30 hours. Driving at night is highly discouraged, especially on highways unless its airport transfer.

Here, the family members can travel from place to place in one car. While on the journey, family members who are capable of driving (with a valid driver’s license) can drive in shifts to cover long distances with ease. More so, family members can travel comfortably with their luggage on board.

Self-driving enables flexible travel, allowing tourists to adjust their itineraries without restriction. Tourists on a self-drive trip in Uganda can decide to take shortcuts to save their fuel and time.

You can move with your colleagues while discussing freely, decide the pace, choose stopovers for photos, and make roadside purchases, among other activities.  Visitors on self–drive can also choose to carry strangers whom they think can benefit them on the journey, for example, as local guides, entertainers, and so on. However, rental companies do not allow carrying passengers or strangers. In this case, it is advisable to first ask the rental company before adding a stranger to your trip.

Self-driving tourists can choose any shortcuts to save fuel and time. However, it’s recommended to use GPS navigation, travel guides, or Google Maps, among others.

Since the country is improving road standards, foreign visitors can easily drive in Uganda. The better condition of some of the roads in Uganda attracts foreign visitors to do self drive.

Security and peace in Uganda allow self-driving for foreign visitors. The entire country is peaceful, even upcountry, where most national parks are located. For more information, Uganda’s parks are guarded by the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), the Tourism Police, UWA rangers, and other security forces.

Self-driving gives you the freedom to go your own way and explore the national parks. You can start the trip at your convenience and end it at any time you feel like. However, it is highly advisable to hire or employ a park guide when going for a game drive.

Self-drive is a cheaper option compared to 4×4 hire with a driver. You know when and how to save fuel and reduce driver costs. The park guides can easily spot the animals; they are very knowledgeable about the park’s attractions and can be of great help when the car breaks down.

Traffic police guidance also favours self-driving in Uganda. Traffic police spend more than 10 hrs on the road every day to ensure proper use of roads.