You can’t spend too much time planning your safari. Partly this involves deciding where to go, which landscapes appeal. Which species are on your must-see list. But another part of your planning is choosing how to travel. Self-drive or an organized safari package. Overland truck or no expenses spared luxury. The choice is yours and will give you the tools to help you make the all-important decisions.
The 4×4 car hire Uganda offers a range of vehicles for hire. Whether you are traveling by yourself as a couple or with your family, our company will have all the suit your needs. With our fleets of cars, you can travel anywhere within Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The vehicles come fully equipped as well as fridge, gas stove, cooking utensils, refrigerator, tables, chairs, pillows, BBQ grill etc. In other words, everything you need for a comfortable camping trip. If you are looking for self-drive, safari adventure into Uganda, our vehicles are permitted in other East African countries.
How to arrange car rental and rooftop tent holiday
Book your rental car early
We do always recommend booking your rental car as early as possible in order to have the best selection and book the car early before the peak months when all of them are taken.
Choosing a rental car
We recommend renting the biggest car you can afford. Having a comfortable car will make the journey a lot more enjoyable. A major plus is that rental car prices tend to be very reasonable in Uganda. We usually hire 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser which is perfect for a long trip. Having a 4×4 vehicle gives you an option to visit the remote areas.
Documentation
As with any car rental company, you will need the basics like a valid driver’s license, a credit card and your passport. And in addition, you will need an international drivers permit to rent a car in Uganda.
Driver’s license and international drivers permit
Most Uganda rental car companies will require renters to have a valid international drivers permit with them at pick up. An international driver’s permit is a separate document to your standard driving license and is simply a translation of your license into a number of other languages. They aren’t expensive and we highly recommend having one when renting a car.
Drive on the left side of the road
Vehicles drive on the left hand side of the road in Uganda.
Speed limits
The speed limit depends on the area and the type of car one is driving. For instance, on highways; motorcycles saloon cars – 100km/hr. on paved rural road and on gravel it’s 80km/hr. Vans, pick-ups and trucks carrying less than 3500kg – 80km/hr. on paved rural road and 60 km/hr. on gravel road.
Road quality in Uganda
By African standards, the road conditions in Uganda are very good. All the primary roads radiating out of Kampala to all four corners of the country are smooth asphalt.
Navigation
A good GPS is essential if you are driving in Uganda. Google maps and an offline GPS app on your cellphones which work very well. The offline maps are very important if you plan to drive outside of the Kampala city where phone coverage can be patchy. We highly recommend checking your planned rout before you set out each day. This is especially important in those remote areas of the country where some time the GPS tend to be poor quality and don’t be quicker, so check your directions.
Driving in the National Parks and Game Reserves
There are a number of national parks or game reserves in Uganda that you may plan to visit. Driving in these parks is very straight forward and once you follow the park rules you will have a great time. If you are planning to go on safari and enter the game reserve we recommend checking with your lodge car access.
Parking
Generally there is ample parking in Uganda, even in the town and cities like Kampala. Most car park generally have parking attendants who were present in the car parks at all the popular spots. Use common sense when a parking attendant isn’t around. Don’t leave anything visible in the car.
Taking a rental car into other countries
Most of the major rental companies allow their cars to be driven into Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania. This can be very useful as car rentals tend to be cheaper in Uganda. If you plan to drive outside of Uganda be sure to mention it to your rental company when you pick up the car because there sustain documents needed for the car. And there some additional fee charged if you take the out of Uganda. This fee covers additional insurance required if you take the car into another country.
Avoid driving at Night
The first rule is to avoid driving after dark in Uganda whenever possible. Some roads don’t have fluorescent line markings or cats eyes. This makes driving after dark particularly difficult as it can be difficult to see the road.
Gas stations and fuel
Most of all cars in Uganda run o petrol so it’s likely your car will take petrol. The stations are less in remote areas, so be sure to stock some fuel on those long remote areas.
Driving etiquette in Uganda
Uganda African drivers are very courteous and some people on the road can be considerate when overtaking and changing lanes. There are a few extra tips to know before driving in Uganda.
- Honking the horn is definite no-no except in an emergency.
- Once you pass another driver a flash of the hazard lights suffices as a thank you. You will usually be greeted by a friendly flash of their headlights.
- When driving on a single lane road move to the left into the hard shoulder to let cars pass.
- If you wish to pass a slower moving vehicle indicate to the right and the car in front will typically move in when possible.
- Climbing lanes are often available as the southern western Uganda roads are quite hilly and there a lots of large trucks and Lorries. Use them to pass trucks and slow moving vehicles when going uphill.
