Uganda
Few countries in Africa can match the sheer variety that Uganda packs into a single destination. Winston Churchill visited Uganda in 1907 and was so struck by what he saw that he called it the Pearl of Africa: a name that has stuck ever since, and one that still rings true today. Sitting directly on the equator in the heart of the continent, Uganda stretches from the glacier-topped peaks of the Rwenzori range in the west to the vast shoreline of Lake Victoria in the south: Africa’s largest lake by area. Between these extremes you will find ancient rainforest, papyrus-fringed wetlands, open acacia plains and volcanic highlands, all within a country roughly the size of the United Kingdom.
Travelling Uganda by 4×4 puts you fully in control of your own adventure. Road quality ranges from well-maintained tarmac on the main routes out of Entebbe to rough dirt tracks that demand genuine off-road capability in the parks and more remote regions. Having your own vehicle means you can set off at first light for the best game-viewing hours, linger at a viewpoint as long as you like, and connect with local communities along the way: something no group tour can offer.
Uganda holds around half of all the mountain gorillas left on earth, alongside large populations of chimpanzees, all of the Big
Five, and more than 1,000 recorded bird species. That combination of primates, large mammals and birdlife spread across such
varied habitats – wetlands, jungle and open plains – places Uganda firmly among Africa’s most rewarding wildlife destinations.
Highlights Uganda
Bwindi National Park in the southwestern corner of Uganda is where most travellers head first. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bwindi shelters close to half of the planet’s surviving mountain gorilla population within its dense montane forest. Spending time with a gorilla family on a morning trek is an experience that stays with you for life.
Queen Elizabeth National Park covers a sweeping landscape of savannah, wetland and forest in the west of the country. The park is well known for its lions, large numbers of elephants and buffaloes, and the remarkable variety of waterbirds along its shores. A boat trip on the Kazinga Channel – the natural waterway connecting Lakes George and Edward – brings you within a few metres of hippos, crocodiles and hundreds of birds. To the north of Queen Elizabeth, Kibale National Park is the best place in Uganda to track habituated chimpanzees, with guided walks led by experienced rangers through tall, cathedral-like forest.
For those willing to make the longer drive north, Kidepo Valley National Park is one of East Africa’s great hidden gems. Enclosed by dry mountain ranges on the border with South Sudan, Kidepo receives far fewer visitors than the western parks yet offers exceptional sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, ostriches and large elephant herds. Murchison Falls National Park is Uganda’s biggest protected area and home to one of the most dramatic sights on the entire Nile: the river’s full force compressed through a narrow rock cleft and dropping into a churning pool below.
Most self-drive trips begin and end in Entebbe, the gateway town on the shores of Lake Victoria where Uganda’s international airport is located. From Entebbe it is an easy drive to Jinja, the town beside the point where the Nile leaves Lake Victoria and begins its long journey north: a rewarding stop before or after the national parks.
Possibilities
Selfdrive4x4.com now offers 4×4 car rental in Uganda. We offer a range of self-drive 4×4 vehicles, available for pick-up in Entebbe.
Full package tours for Uganda are currently in preparation: bringing together vehicle rental, overnight stops, detailed route guidance and on-the-ground support into one ready-to-go itinerary. Until these are ready, our team is available to give personalised travel advice and put together a custom route that matches your timeframe and interests.
To request a rental quote or find out more, please get in touch with us directly.
