Self-drive safaris are the best idea for travelers, who are similarly worried about the journey as they are about the destination. Driving unendingly through desert areas, dense forests, or on superhighways will surely get you really excited and thrilled about your destination. The best thing about this kind of exploring destination is that you get the opportunity to visit different tourist attractions at your own pace with full flexibility and freedom. How amazing does it sound that you don’t need to pursue any itinerary while on a safari? On a self-drive safari, you choose to do what you want, when, and why you want to do it. You can change the itinerary at any time or even prolong the safari in case you like.

Another amazing thing is that you can enjoy such a safari any time of the year. Regardless of whether it is summer, winter, or the rainstorm, a self-drive safari can be organized whenever you like depending on the destination you plan to visit.

History of the Activity

Self-drive safaris have been around for quite a long time in the Western world. You can say that this idea is as old as cars themselves. Self-drive tours are very common in European countries like Australia, the United States, New Zealand, and more European countries and the idea is picking momentum in also African countries like South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, and many others.

What to do in Uganda on a self-drive safari

The idea of self-drives may not be as old in Uganda as it may be in different parts of the world, however, it has positively has picked up ubiquity in the recent past. Rather than booking buses or flights, most travelers are now hiring vehicles for self-drive to visit different destinations. Different car rental agencies have opened up in the country 4×4 Uganda Ltd, Self Drive Uganda, Rental Cars Uganda Ltd, Road Trip Uganda, and many others. These companies are committed to offering good and affordable vehicles for self-drive to different interesting destinations in the country like national parks for example queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Kidepo Valley National Park, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park among others.

Where to go for self-drive in Uganda

Kidepo Valley National Park is among the most favored self-drive destinations found in the northeastern part of the country. The park is 1,442 square kilometers in Kabomgo district and is found approximately 520 kilometers from Kampala the capital of Uganda. Tourists always travel this long distance to visit this park because of its amazing wildlife, also to explore the Karamojong culture and many other activities in the park.

Still, on a self-drive safari, you can also visit the most famous forest in the country (Bwindi Impenetrable Forest) in the southwestern part of the country and the main attraction which makes it more famous is that it’s one of the three destinations from where you can safely visit the rare and endangered mountains gorillas in the world and it’s home to almost half of the worlds remaining mountains gorillas. The park is not only home to these amazing primates it provides habitat for over 120 species of mammals, 348 species of birds, 27 species of frogs, 220 species of butterflies, and many others.

Another fabulous destination you can visit on a self-drive safari in Uganda is the Murchison Falls National Park in the northwestern part of the country it’s most visited because of its amazing wildlife since its home to many wild animals, for example, Nile crocodiles, elephants, buffalos, warthogs among other with 450 bird species are present ranging from an easy variety of water birds, including the rare shoe-billed stork among others.

In case I am to start mentioning self-drive destinations to explore in the country it can take us a full day but you can get more information about tourist destinations in Uganda on this side and even on the website of the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

Best season for Self-drive Tours in Uganda

The best time to visit Uganda for self-drive safaris depends on the destination you want to travel to. For example, when planning to visit the northeastern part of the country in Kidepo Valley National Park during the rainy season you will have a 4×4 vehicle that is powerful enough to penetrate the bad roads in those areas. So if you don’t have a strong car better you avoid such parks in the rainy season.

Self-drive safaris in Uganda can be done at any time of year, but always the best time is during the dry season. Because some roads in the country used to flood during the rainy season the thing which can ruin your safari.