Recommended Places to visit on Self Drive Safari.
- Entebbe town
Most self drive Safaris in Uganda start from Entebbe town which is located near Entebbe International Airport and Self Drive East Africa offers free airport Pick and drop of your rental Vehicle at no extra Charge.
Entebbe town is the entry point to Uganda, generally because it is where the international airport is located. Just on the peninsular of Lake Victoria. Entebbe is proving to be an unbeatable urban destination in Uganda for tourism.
Explore the Uganda wildlife Education center which is a zoo with activities like wildlife viewing, behind the scenes program, keeper for the day, chimpanzee viewing, among others. When leaving Entebbe, join the roadside markets popularly on days like Tuesday in Kitoro town for some little shopping before proceeding to Kampala.
- Kampala city
Just about 40 kilometers north of Entebbe is Kampala city, the capital city of Uganda which is located in the central region of Uganda. Kampala is a perfect place to have a road trip because the city is absolutely rich when it comes to city tours. The city has variety of sites that any visitor can enjoy during a road trip in Uganda.
- Lake Victoria
Anyone who has heard of river Nile has obviously heard of Lake Victoria somewhere in the middle of the same conversation. However this does not mean that Lake Victoria is all about river Nile; there is more to experience and learn about the biggest fresh water lake in Africa.
Your experience of this lake will much be determined from which location you approach it from; in case you are in Entebbe, it will be a gate away point to some of the most amazing islands in Uganda.
- Queen Elizabeth National park
Located in the south west of Uganda is Queen Elizabeth national park. This is the best next destination after Lake Mburo national park during a road trip in Uganda.
This park offers the best wildlife safaris in Uganda due to its diversity with wildlife. Visitors having a road trip can visit Queen Elizabeth national for some of the amazing safari activities like game viewing. Animals include, elephants, lions, and buffaloes, Uganda Kobs, among others.
The launch cruise allows travelers to float along the 40 kilo meter Kazinga channel while watching the abundance of bird species flying over, the water thirsty animals like the crocodiles, hippos, and monitor lizards, Buffaloes on the channel.
Later, join the Ishasha sector for the tree climbing lions. The most amazing secrets of this park are the multiple crater lakes like Lake Katwe where salt is mined traditionally.
Queen Elizabeth is the park to watch for with no worries when it comes to accommodation because there are varieties of accommodation facilities ranging from luxury, midrange and budget like Mweya safari lodge, Ihamba lodge, katara lodge, mazike safari lodge, Kyambura game lodge, Bush Lodge, Simba safari Camp and various camp sites at Mweya peninsular
- Kibale forest national park
It is one of the most attractive national parks of Uganda. It also doubles as one of the rewarding destinations that one can explore on foot. Found in the outskirts of Fort Portal, this park is the capital of primates in the entire world with up to 13 species of primates including the Chimpanzees, Black and white Colubus Monkeys, Red Colubus and L’Hoest monkeys. The major attractions in Kibale forest national park are the Chimpanzee and over 300 bird species. The park is best for activities like chimp trekking, day and night nature walks and birding in the Bigodi wetlands with variety of bird species.
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
This is a home to half of the world’s last remaining population of the endangered mountain gorillas in the World. Today, the park has over 15 habituated gorilla group available for tracking. Gorilla Tracking and habituation experience is the main tourist activities to this park. Other tour attractions include bird watching, batwa community tour and Forest walks.
Gorilla tracking permits are on high demand throughout the year, and each costs US$700, and US$1500 for gorilla habituation experience! You must book and secure your permit in advance through Travel Agents and tour operators. No more selling of gorilla permits at the park headquarters!
Among the popular safari lodges and campsites in Bwindi Forest include Clouds Mountain gorilla lodge, Nkuringo gorilla camp, Lake Mutanda resort, Rushaga gorilla Camp, Gorilla Mist Camp, Havens Gorilla Lodge, Bakiga Lodge, Buhoma Community Rest Camp and many others.
Rwanda – Self Drive Safari
Rwanda is known as a charming country of countless hills and natural beauty. The capital Kigali is no exception. Kigali has a population of over one million people and is built right at the centre of the country making it easy to access by road from all of Rwanda’s neighboring countries. Kigali has become known as one of the quietest, safest, cleanest and most organized cities in Africa. It is the centre of arts, transportation and culture in Rwanda.
Rwanda has four national parks, they are all protected by wildlife reserves and ecosystems. And these include the Akagera National Park, Nyungwe National Park, Gishwati – Mukura National Park and the Volcanoes National Park. Gishwati- Mukura was created in 2015 and is hence the youngest national park created.
After this Gorilla experience in Uganda , your advised to cross into Rwanda visiting the magical Volcanoes national park.
- Volcanoes National Park
While most African hinterlands away from the Great Rift Valley are forced to compete with the likes of Kruger and Maasai Mara, Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, when it comes to the wild, mist-topped back country of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, all bets are off! Yep, this truly breathtaking conservation area – contiguous with Virunga across the border – is topped by the once-smoking calderas of mighty mounts like Karisimbi and serrated Sabyinyo.
All around these craggy volcanic peaks, visitors discover lush montane forests and thick groves of African redwoods. And within those there’s another treasure: the uber-rare mountain gorilla.
- Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is the same savannah and riparian swamp mosaic you’d expect to find in the super-famous game parks of the East African Rift.
That’s because its 1,200 square kilometers of land abut right up to the border with Tanzania, giving rise to roaming herds of giraffes, antelopes, jackals and more.
Safaris are slowly becoming popular, with outfitters now organizing game drives and game walks from the smattering of lodges that exist.
And the environments are beautiful too, with the meanders of the Kagera River giving way to shimmering Lake Shakani, oodles of papyrus swamps and protected birding areas aplenty.