I and my wife, we planned to visit Uganda in year 2021 – 2022. But with the uncertainties of the Pandemic diseases that the entire world had just gone through and the war out break between Russia and Ukraine made us to hold on our journey to Africa.
Later on, this year 2023 February we decided to go to Africa. Before we wanted to go on an escorted expedition but on research via the trip advisor and consultations from our friends who had visited Africa before advised us if we want to take long journeys better, we take a 4×4 rooftop tent jeep for the suitable, easy free and flexible self-drive holiday.
Looking for the best car rental agency to arrange with our awaited experience, we found 4×4 Car Hire Uganda and from their endless list of 4×4 jeeps we found the 4×4 Land Cruiser GX, rooftop tent suitable for us. My self was interested in cruising a manual car and the reservation manager Mike questioned me so many questions whether am much experienced with the manual car and I told him yes and the jeep was confirmed.
The price for this 4×4 jeep with the rooftop tent and camping gears, fridge was so very competitive and I can say this is the exact car that we want, it was so comfortable and suitable to hit the off-track roads of Africa. By the time we traveled it had started raining in some parts of Uganda like the eastern region but as the jeep was so strong, we managed to maneuver in all slippering routes but without engaging the 4-wheel drive.
Before, I go any further let me tell you how our journey begun. Upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport, we were picked by the lodge representative and then we retire that night after the long flight journey. Then early in the morning Mike arrived at the lodge with this loving and suitable 4×4 jeep when you look on it parked, we had enough time definitely briefing about the route and the jeep and all the camping gears, also about the fridge.
After all this moment with the guy and the monster we agreed on the terms and conditions and definitely after reading the car rental agreement I signed since I was the only driver on this entire 04-week journey across Uganda.
Payment was done in cash as it was agreed during the time of booking, still Mike did great work helping us securing the gorilla and chimps permits in Bwindi and Kibale respectively. Sincere speaking what I can say all the team of this company is really experienced and why do I say this? Mike took an incentive advising us about the sector of the permits and in fact giving us the proper location of the sector we have to go such that we can match our gorilla trekking experience.
At my first driving experience of the 4×4 jeep from Entebbe to Mabira Forest, in fact I had some simple issues with my right leg and therefore balancing the driving accelerator I found it had and I had to contact Mike about this and in fact told the car has no problem and true it was not having problem but my leg was the problem.
But smart as this company is they definitely within 3 – 4 hours sent a mechanic engineer who upon arrival tested the car and he found it okay but later he told me that since you have a problem with one of your legs you want me to put the accelerator level high, I said yes and he said it will consume you much fuel are fine with this? Definitely I knew my problem and I said it okay and definitely he did so. Therefore, from that point the vehicle took us very well to all our areas of visit in Uganda.
Later, after visiting the Mabira forest where we wanted to spot some of the world interesting birds, we continued our journey to Jinja and here we stayed at the Base Camp but in our rooftop tent as the next day we wanted to go on a water rafting experience with Rafting Africa company which Mike recommended to us.
We did the experience and it was so amazing and worthy to do in Jinja and that very day we did not cook as from the experience we were give a complimentary lunch and some fresh Uganda fruits. Then at night around the camp there was a goat roasting and simple cost we enjoyed and some beers like Nile that is named after the River Nile.
The next day we visit the Busowoko Falls and this was so amazing being here and when I will check my gallery, I will be publishing the nice looking and taken images from this point of view of the River Nile.
After exploring a bit of Jinja one of Uganda tourism destination we continued our drive to Sipi Falls – Kapchorwa, then to Pian Upe and Moroto town experiencing the local communities of the area, then towards to Kidepo Valley National Park we had interesting en-route view to the Nakalemuro village one of the biggest villages in East Africa.
While in Kidepo Valley National Park we took two interesting game drives and much was spotted and also, we had a chance visiting to some of the local villages near this park and on one of our evening game drives with our ranger we were so lucky spotting the leopards and lions and seeing them it was like am losing my hair from my head and you can experience this seeing something you love at surprise. More so, on our 3 nights at the Kakaine campsite we enjoyed much more interesting sounds of lions roaring every night.
This seemed to be our ending point of the trip but remember we had our primate permits, from here we had to drive to Murchison Falls National Park and here we enjoyed the more game drives and again we spotted more big5 like Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Buffaloes and much more African wildlife species. Later, in the evening we took an amazing boat cruise along the River Nile towards the bottom of the Falls and more wildlife like elephants and birds were spotted at the banks of the River.
Thereafter, from here we connected to Kibale Forest National Park and here our climax was the chimpanzee trekking experience and the community-based tourism experience with the Bigodi Community Walk Association trying to learn the daily day life of the local communities and the economic based programs of the locals like agriculture and farming.
Later after the chimpanzee trek experience we drove to Bwindi via the Queen Elizabeth National Park and here we took another game drive and the boat cruise along the Kazinga Channel that connects the Ramsar Lake George into Lake Edward. Therefore, while in Queen Elizabeth National Park expect to spot the big herd of Savannah Elephants most likely from the banks of the Kazinga channel after taking the water.
Then on our next day via the Ishasha Southern Sector where we spotted the African tree climbing lions, we made it to Bwindi Forest National Park and here we experienced the gorilla trekking in the mist and after we had drove to Lake Bunyonyi and it was so amazing staying here our last 2 nights enjoying the beautiful sceneries and activities like boat cruise.
After all this long journey exploring Uganda we drove back to Kampala – Entebbe and on the way back we took en-route visit to the Lake Mburo National Park and here you will spot some of the rare animals like impalas among others.