Planning to go on road trip in Uganda and feeling like traveling as a relaxed traveler it is advisable to hire a driver/guide and it is the best decision we’ve ever made. Here’s why:
- When you hire a driver you hold no responsibility for the car! You do not even have to sign a rental contract! How that is for a worry- and hassle-free rental?
- The main roads are actually in really good condition and driving is not that crazy. But once you go off the main roads, there are endless mazes of dirt roads through villages with no signage. I have no idea how we would have found our way around without our driver – seemed impossible!
- When it rains – and even when it doesn’t- some serious 4wd skills are required occasionally on those dirt roads. Whilst some have been recently graded, others are in really bad shape. Again, it’s great not to have to worry about liability for under body damage.
- Efficiency of the trip was so much better with the driver. Our driver knew everything! Where to eat safely, where to buy stuff, where to stay overnight. We wasted no time trying to find stuff and got everything right the first time around. We would have missed out on a lot of great things if it wasn’t for the driver’s tips! There was not a single moment of stress, just sit back relax and enjoy the ride.
- Extraordinary wildlife viewing! The driver is not just a driver, but also very knowledgeable about Uganda, its history and all its wildlife! He provided ongoing commentary on all species we came across, interpreting their behavior. He also had a really good eye for spotting animals, tracking footprints, observing their behavior. We may not have found lions and leopards without him. And we learned so much from him!
- Having someone that knows the local language and culture was extremely helpful in times where we got ourselves in a pickle. We felt much safer having this local knowledge and language by our side.
- Our driver had pretty good mechanical skills too which came in handy!
Our driver was Emma. He is an all-round great guy. Very courteous, polite, respectful and easy to get along with. His English is probably better than mine and he has a great sense of humor. He’s an excellent driver! We were very lucky to have him onboard as it has really made our trip stress free and enjoyable in every way.
In general Uganda has been an amazing camping experience and 4 weeks was highly enough. If nature/wildlife is what you’re after, Uganda is offering all what you need.
We felt very safe everywhere we went. We went in April/May which is low season. It rained only twice and we felt like we had the country to ourselves, the parks were so quiet and nowhere near as touristy as other African countries.
If you like to bush camp like us, the 4×4 rooftop tent jeep is definitely a good call. You’ll hear lions, hippos and hyenas throughout the night and being off the ground is great so you can enjoy those sounds without being freaked out.
In our month-long trip, we visited all the national parks and camped at the most stunning campsites we had ever been to. They are all so different and the wildlife is abundant in all of them. We could have easily spent another 2 weeks there.
Needless to say, gorilla tracking was amazing (01-hour tracking was a better experience than the 04-hour habituation). Chimp trekking in Kibale was really fun too. Very interactive experience. Thank you again to 4×4 Car Hire Uganda for providing a great car and thanks a million to our legendary driver Emma!!!!