Are you planning to go on a road trip in East Africa? Your questions are answered yes with the various car rental agencies that are offering various type of 4×4 cars offered to suit your travel priority. Last year July 2022 we planned our self-drive holiday to visit Uganda and Kenya.
In our initial stage of planning this experience we had to cross check with the internet to find really the best car rental agency to help us plan this experience well.
In the due process we contacted 4×4 Car Hire Uganda and when you visited their website, we confidentially spotted a 4×4 jeep that we wanted to ride. Back we have a 4×4 Land Cruiser GX manual and it is the same machine that we fall in love to rent from this agency.
Reaching the reservation manager (Mike) name’s sake to my husband, he was so responsive and fairly gave us a good quote. In Uganda he charged us $ 85 USD and then Kenya, we took it at $100 USD per day without fuel and driver but both prices included the rooftop tent and camping gears. Well, this good rate came our way because we were on a long-term rental (04 – weeks) period.
Though we had so many emails exchange Mike didn’t forget to arrange us the logistics as it would be as we wanted it. After all the email discussions we agreed to make the full payments upon arrival and we only made advance payment of the gorilla and chimpanzee permits and what was so amazing is that after the permits were secured, he shared us payment receipts and we again got more confidence in this company.
Honestly upon our arrival at Entebbe International Airport, we found Mike and our jeep stationary packed waiting for us. Though we took some time at the arrival clearing for the visa formalities Mike was so patient and waited for us and as this day we were staying in Entebbe at Cycads Guest House – Entebbe which was booked for us by him at a very relative price and as a way of giving us back booking with them and them being partners we had enough time and good times relaxing after the long flight from Netherlands.
Thereafter, from here we were briefed about the 4×4 jeep and Uganda parks that we planned to visit on our journey. Then the next day we woke up early for the breakfast and excited to explore Uganda and our journey started with joy.
From our guest house in Entebbe, we drove to the Victoria Mall – super market and did shopping for some of the items that we needed while traveling. Thereafter, a round 10AM we started our journey to Lake Mburo National Park and on our way, we stopped at the interesting Uganda Equator and experience the narrative experience.
Thereafter our next stop over was the Masaka town and we have heard this town for so many times from music history. We stopped here for just few hours and then drive to our final destination, Lake Mburo and here we camped at the Leopard Camp and it being situated at the foot slopes of the park.
From this park we enjoyed the very educative game drive in the green Savannah and since we were still connecting to other interesting places after the game drive we drove to Lake Bunyonyi. Here upon arrival at the shores of the Lake it was so amazing seeing the beautiful dotted islands.
On our next day here, we took a boat cruise along the Lake visiting the beautiful dotted islands and learn more history about this Lake and we got it fully from our boat captain George and after we continued our journey to the Bwindi and here, we stayed again at the Rushaga Gorilla Camp a sister camp to Lake Bunyonyi Overland Resort.
For sure we shopped some of the food stuffs to cook but sincerely speaking we did not do it frequently as these campsites have got a very affordable menu restaurant’s offering nice and yummy catering services.
After that all we again prepared for the gorilla trekking experience in the mist and with this experience you have to head to the park head offices for the briefing about the park and the great apes’ behaviors in the wilderness.
We were allocated to the gorilla family in a number of 08 people and with our head guide and our porters we started trekking the jungle and once we met the apes it was so amazing and good enough our family had so many playful juveniles and the big silver back.
Well on this experience you stay with the apes for about 01 hour taking photos and unforgettable videos. After we move back and before we took a break off somewhere and ate our packed logistics and then moved to the park offices for our gorilla trekking certificates.
After being filled with the primate’s experience, we continued with our journey to the Queen Elizabeth National Park and as our route we visited the Kigezi Wildlife Reserve (Ishasha Southern Sector) famously known for the rare African tree climbing lions and so many other wildlife that we were able to spot on our game drives we took in this sector.
Thereafter, crossing to the Mweya peninsula we took another game drives in the Kasenyi mating grounds and so many wildlife was spotted and thereafter, we took boat cruise along the Kazinga channel that connects the Ramsar Lake George into Lake Edward and on this cruise, you will spot so many wildlife and birds along the banks of the channel.
With our leisurely drive we again embarked on our journey to Kibale Forest National Park and here en-route we had an amazing view of the fabled mountain Rwenzori ice cones and later on we spent the evening on local familiarization and involving in the local community activities.
Today, we enjoy the chimpanzee trekking experience in the rain tropical forest and on this experience, much was encountered like the other primates and birds. After back on our camp and since we were tired and exhausted from the walk, we had our meals from the Kibale Forest Camp restaurant and then in the evening we drove to Nkuruba forest reserve.
Here at Nkuruba Camp we enjoyed so many activities like the nature walks and cultural experiences. Much are provided but depending on the time frame you are in the area is what makes you do the least of activities and experiences you can manage. Next day we spent it exploring all the crater lakes in the area and also, we visit the “Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru” and here you will experience all the history of the Chwezi people.
After enjoying the Kabarole region we had to proceed to the Murchison Falls National Park and, on our way, we connected via the western escarpments enjoying the scenic view of the Lake Albert and the en-route spot of some nature in the Bugungu reserve.
Well, Murchison Falls National Park is so amazing in that from so many tracks and reserves you can take as many game drives you want in search of the African big5 and other wildlife and birds. We took various game drives and so many wildlife was spotted. Still from the game drives again the boat cruise is so much rewarding spotting more wildlife and birds at the banks of the River Nile.
After exploring the Murchison Falls National Park continue to Kidepo Valley National Park and here we had other game drives and visit to some of the cultural villages like Lorukul nearing the park. Then from Kidepo we drove straight to Kenya but with some stopover in Moroto ad Mbale town and before we went to Kapichorwa visiting the Sipi falls.
Visiting this place is so much rewarding from the scenic and undulating landscapes and on our stay here we enjoyed the coffee tour experience in the nearby villages.
Then from Kapichorwa to Nairobi was one way drive and we made in in like 09 hours’ drive and stayed in Kipepewo Guest House and then the next day we started our trip with the Nairobi National Park and later back in Nairobi visiting to the Giraffe Manor Centre, Elephant orphanage center and then retire to the guest house again.
Our main area of visit was the Maasai Mara National Reserve and we spent almost 05 days in this park and we did so many game drives and not leaving out the balloon safari. Since it was time of Mara River crossing of the wildebeest from the Serengeti plains to Mara plains the trip was so amazing seeing them arriving from Serengeti – Tanzania.
Just that we didn’t have authority paper work for the car to cross to Northern Serengeti – Tanzania but we wanted to cross and see what happens in there (Northern Serengeti) before they arrive in Kenya.
Therefore, if you wish to take such similar route like our ask the car rental company in Uganda to cross to Serengeti via Isabenia border to northern Serengeti and enjoy this expedition fully.
Even though we didn’t cross to the northern Serengeti we had an interesting trip and after this we drove back to Nairobi where we met Emma and handed over the jeep and we then in the night we were dropped to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for our return flight back home.
Therefore, with this company you can take the 4×4 one-way car rental from Uganda to Kenya or any other East African region and then the logistics to ease this experience are minimal and friendly.