For the past 5 years, self-drive has become on its peak in Uganda and the rest of East African countries, previously it was very hard for a traveler to hire a car and drive it on its own (Self-drive) in a strange country. However, hiring a car with a driver has become an old version, many want to explore the entire East Africa on their own with a hirer behind the seat. Although a few are still on the old version of hiring a car with a driver, this method still exist and many enjoys leaving everything to the driver. Many factors contribute to the reasons why self-drive has become the order of the day and why many travelers wand to go on self-drive.
Flexibility: Hiring a car on self-drive in Uganda gives one flexibility and planning while on his/her tour to entire east Africa. One has a chance to bit 2 birds with one stone in that you have the freedom to camp. You have the chance to talk to your car hiring agency to get you a car with camping gears. Camping gears includes tents, seating tables, cooking utensils, touches, sleeping bags, mattress among many others, this can help you to save a lot of money you could have used on accommodation and spend only $5 for you to pitch the tent for an overnight stay. Some of the accommodation in the parks are very expensive and sometimes gets fully booked as easily as possible, so if you a person of all style, to get a way of all these hassles hiring a self-drive car with camping gears is a good option if you a driver.
Self-drive is inexpensive: A big number of people who have gave it a chance to hire the car on self-drive have realized that it’s very cheap compared to hiring a car with a driver. In that one doesn’t incur the costs of a driver. The cost of hiring a car in Uganda on self-drive is relatively very low compared to other car hiring countries. You can hire a car in Uganda on self-driver from as low as $35 per day excludes fuel. You can as well get discounts on car hiring service, there various companies that offers discounts however this mostly come if you are taking it for many days ranging from 10 days and above on any car. Many think that the price may be hiring if hiring the car with a tent, however this won’t cost you a lot, and tents costs only $5-10 per day
Unrestricted travel: once you hire the car from any rental hiring company, the car becomes ‘’yours’’ during that rental period. It’s you to determine when and where to go and you the one behind the seat. In your self-drive tour, you can reach to each and every part of the country including national park while driving at your own pace. However, if your itinerary involves crossing boarder, you are advised to inform the car rental company in advance so that they can write you a letter that gives you authority to cross the hired car to any East African country. And also you are advised to get an East African Visa for easy access to all these East African countries. If you are travelling within the capital city Kampala you can hire a 2WD. however, for any tour outside Kampala you are required to hire 4×4 WD car rental like the land cruisers, safari van/supper custom, Rav4 among others.
Better game viewing experience: Remember when hiring a car from the car hiring agency, it’s your choice to choose which car that will suit your desire while on the safari. If you are coming for a wildlife tour, hiring a car with a pop-up roof is very essential. Cars with Pop-up roof include Land-cruiser both long and short, supper custom/Van, these pop-up vehicles will give a chance for a better game viewing in the park, and you can sit at the top of the vehicle and view games from a long distance and also take good photography. Uganda is gifted with a wide biodiversity of animal species so a self-dive safari to one or two Uganda national parks will give you a wonderful wildlife memorable experience during a game drive. you can drive anywhere in the park for better viewing of animals,
Total and memorable experience: One will have a total experience, given the fact that one is in the driving seat, he/she is capable of exploring the entire country depending on your designed itinerary. It’s you to determine where to stop or going at your convenience, you’re the one to determine driving speed from one destination to another, however, you should remember that the driving speed in Uganda is 80km/h and the driving speed in Uganda’s national park is 40km/h. On your self-drive safari, you get a better feel of the country and you are free to make a stopover to admire nature.
You have the right to hire the car you need: If you want to hire the car on self-drive, you have the right to hire the car you need depending on your destination. If you are going for a business, you need to hire a luxurious car that will make you look cooperate, if you re going for a town tour, you can hire a 2WD since the roads are not tough like in many remote areas and for a safari you are required to hire a 4×4 safari vehicle. You must also consider the number of people you are travelling with, for a group tour, safari van or supper custom does it better, and if you are 2 or 3 a Toyota Rav4 OR land cruiser are better. So ask the car rental company the car you need, they will provide.
Echoes of the bush: If you hire the car with camping gears, you pitch your tents in the bush, so this is more adventurous as you will be in position to feel the sounds of the bush in a safety of your roof tent something that will really make you feel that you’re on an adventurous safaris in Africa. You will hear birds sing in the forest, insects, animals and many forest dwellers.