Self-driving in Uganda

as no one else has replied

Do not drive at night (apart from perhaps in town), lorries and buses have priority, and beware of cyclists and pedestrians (and animals) doing the unpredicted so drive slowly and carefully and do not let the driver be distracted by the scenery

Can not help on where to hire

Firstly, have you considered being driven - not expensive, much easier and can learn much more about the country, as well as where game is, as drivers chat to each other about sightings in different parks, such as Murchison and QE?

I used alphacar hire in Kampala and was very happy with the service - were driven and worked out really well. Have also heard good stuff about roadtripuganda.

Roads are generally good, except in the area of the Ruwenzoris off road. Getting to Bwindi - according to where you trek the gorillas may mean at least 11/2 hours dirt road driving. Signposting not too bad - except getting out of Kampala. As BigAl said, don't drive at night, and don't take road etiquette for granted. Fill up in major towns. Diesel is about €1/litre.

Used world mapping project map of the Reise Know how series 1:600 000 about as good as they get - when off road e.g. Bwindi - Mgahinga, Murchison - just ask. People are very friendly and helpful as a rule.(By the way - South of the Nile in Murchison: Windows up as there are a lot of tse-tse flies - especially on the drive to the falls from Paraa).

ATMs in major towns (although on pay day the one in Kisoro has a two hour wait sometimes)!

Lastly, if you have space, try and bring some sports equiptment, such as volleyballs/footballs, pumps or even nets etc and deliver to schools en route as many have budget for basics, but sports stuff is in short supply...or if feeling flush, even any old unwanted IT gear or similar. Get picked up at airport and you won't need to worry about carrying round heavy stuff.

Hi,

We did a week travelling around Uganda with Road Trip Uganda

http://www.roadtripuganda.com/

They rent out 2 or 4 door Toyota Rav 4 which are smallish 4 wheel drive vehicles that are very popular un Uganda.

They charge between $50 -65 per day depending on the car and duration of rental. The best bit though is they chuck in all the gear you need for camping and cooking, so you can camp in the national parks and save a fortune as lodges are expensive in Uganda. They also lend you the latest Bradt guide and a map plus some leaflets etc. They can help with route planning too.

We travelled down to lake Mburu over to Ishasha, up to Fort Portal and Kibale Forest before heading back to Kampala.

The Kampala - Mbarara road was good, over to Ishsha was awful with bridges down and mud baths but the Rav made it while Pajaros were getting stuck. Fort Portal is an excellent road but watch out for speed traps.

All in all Road Trip Uganda were excellent and the car was very good for the price and the camping gear really helped.

Steve

Part of my 2 month trip to EA included 2 weeks in Uganda. I hired a Toyota Rav 4WD(would highly recommend..it did everything we needed it to do, and in the rainy season where some of the roads have been washed out) in Kenya with a Kenyan driver (a driver I already knew and have travelled with in Kenya)for about 90USD per day. I liked having a driver(friend) so I had time to stare out the window and take it all in...something one of you won't be able to do! Probably cheaper if you are doing it directly just in Uganda. We used a map bought at a local store, and while it was adequate for the major roads, finding your way around in cities was a different matter! We asked for directions frequently and always got the same response..."just go straight"! Most Ugandans don't often have the opportunity to travel in their own country, so better to ask how to get some place close by, and go on from there. A kind local in Kampala gave us a map of the city which helped enormously, and we even picked up a police officer who guided us to the UWA offices costing us a few cents to pay for his fare back to his post on a boda boda! Be very alert in Kampala for the motorcycles...they are everywhere and seem to be immune to the rules of the road!!!! And I would agree wholeheartedly with Geoff...the tsetse flies in Murchison were murderous...keep the windows closed in the forested areas, or you will soon find your vehicle full of the biting pests!!!

My main self drive tour in Uganda advice is that stay away from Kampala central business district during the rush hours 16:00hrs-20:00hrs and 07:00-10:00hrs. Driving during these times is only for the brave. There is no rules here, just survival for the fittest. Outside Kampala, driving is pretty smooth on sometimes very nice upcountry roads. Signage can be minimal and you will encounter the odd cattle crossing. Your car hire company should be able to arrange for a Uganda map for you, or you can easily buy one from a bookshop in Entebbe soon after you land at Entebbe airport.
I have posted this elsewhere, but think you may find it useful.
You may wish to contact hire@carhireandholidays.com. We rented a compact 4x4 Toyota Rav4 from them at a very reasonable US$65 per day. We only had it for 7 days, but I think they can offer you lower self drive rental rates if renting for longer days. Our rental vehicle turned out to be a very comfortable ride. The Rav4 is a very formidable 4x4. We travelled to some seriously tricky roads in Bwindi and Kidepo during the rainy season, but the rental vehicle coped extremely well. They delivered the vehicle to us at Entebbe airport at no charge. They also allowed us to pay cash on car rental pick-up at Entebbe, as we were not comfortable parting with a reasonable sum of money upfront before inspecting the vehicle and making sure it was what we were promised.
Enjoy Uganda. It is a very beautiful country with lots to offer, not just gorillas.