An Authentic guide to self-drive safaris across African Countries.
On a self drive safari in Africa National Parks offer an Unbeatable wildlife variety and habitats to explore, splendid infrastructures of roads and accommodation facilities and an ultimate feeling of vast wide open places to experience the comfort of your self-drive rented car.
Self-drive is one of the incredible experiences- the thrill of driving along the African terrains by yourself, at your own pace and flexibility and coming face to face with a troop of gorillas/chimpanzees, a pride of tree climbing lions, a collection of birds among others while in the wilderness and having more sightings all to yourself.
Generally, Uganda also known as the “ The Pearl of Africa is the genuine destination for all your self-drive adventure because it offers so much to see and great road trips to reach you there. 4×4 self-drive Uganda safaris to have all the items that make up an ultimate holiday- the outstanding landscape, impressive wilderness and astonishing accommodations.
Right from Kampala the Capital City of Uganda is one of the short self-drive safaris that provide the high lights of the Uganda capital city on your road trip tour in the country including a glimpse of the Uganda cultural sites, religious structures, administrative buildings, hotels/lodges not forgetting the social, economic, and the political history of the country.
The city is not of an American/European standard but takes you the cultural and religious attraction points such as the kabaka’s palace, kiss tombs, kabaka’s lake, Gothic catholic and protestant churches, the Uganda Martyrs Namugongo shrine, Bahai temple, Gadaffi’s mosque, Kibuli mosque etc.
For best wildlife enthusiasts, Murchison falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks are some of the best game viewing locations in the world withal the big-five in abundance and many truly impressive safari lodges and camps offering world-class hospitality and guidance to enhance your stay
A self-drive safari can be enjoyed at numerous world-class National parks across Uganda such as Bwindi national park, Murchison falls national Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Mgahinga gorilla national park.
Driving in the National parks
Most parks tend to have great road infrastructures, some of which are tarred, others are gravelled and the signposts at the road junctions help to make your driving experience easy within and enjoyable within the park. The drivers are restricted from driving off the road, that is to say, they should remain on the roads at all times and are also not allowed to get out of their vehicles except at designated viewing points.
The driving hours within the parks are also restricted to daylight hours only, so you can only enter the park at sunrise and be off the park roads by sunset
Driving times within the Parks are also restricted to daylight hours only, so you can only enter the Park just after sunrise, and you must be off the Park roads by sunset.
Staying in the National Parks
There are several excellent accommodations options for self-drive visitors to stay, within the national parks. Some are in the form of camps ( such as In Bwindi Impenetrable National Park) which offer simple, clean, air-conditioned chalets with limited self-catering and barbeque facilities, and which are sold on a room basis. Some rest camps offer package rates that will include breakfast, lunch and dinner and some even include a guided game drive too.
Some of these hotel facilities generally include large self-service restaurants, bars, and swimming pools, while others have a spa as well as business centres where you can be able to catch up with some friends and family via email.
Self-driving in other Countries
Getting from one point to another in a foreign land is a fundamental part of travelling and should be one of the more enjoyable aspects of exploring a new country. New and seasoned travellers alike take their choice of transportation whether on vacation or a business or family trip very seriously. The experiences you’ve had on prior trips with trains, buses, taxi drivers, and short-distance air travel may inspire your desire for independence and solitude, and the sense of renting a car is available in almost every nation of the world.
Driving may be a convenient way to get around your destination just like it is in your hometown. Depending on the location, driving may even be the easiest or most economical way and in some places the only practical way to get around.
The automobile allows quite a lot of freedom. Most countries gladly allow tourists and other visitors to drive in their lands, and cars and other types of vehicles are available for rent.
There’s a lot you need to understand before you commit to booking a car in another country and becoming a part of that country’s “driver culture.
Ideal for families
Self-drive safaris are also ideal for safari goers with very young families, who wish to share some quality safari experience with their children rather than leaving them at home because they are too young to join the adults