A self-drive trip across Uganda in 2025 is an exciting adventure offering a unique opportunity to explore the country’s rich wildlife, stunning landscapes and vibrant culture at your own pace.
Uganda is well-connected with roads but some areas can be quite remote and require a good 4×4 rooftop tent vehicle especially if you are planning to visit national parks like Kidepo Valley National Park among others. Fuel stations can be sparse in remote areas, so always keep your tank topped up especially on long trips.
Some roads can be slow, so keep a flexible itinerary and start early to avoid driving after dark. On self-drive trips, Nature Adventure Africa Safaris is always available to help you book for your trekking permits (gorilla and chimpanzee permits), park entrances, lodges among others.
Make sure you understand the agreement before the driver leaves and it is advisable that you ask for clarification before signing the agreement to avoid misunderstandings. Here goes my traveling experience on a self-drive trip in Uganda;
On my arrival at Entebbe International Airport, I was welcomed by Emma who briefed me on the kind of routes I should use on my Western Uganda trip. He handed over the car to me and we immediately started off our safari with a journey to Mabamba swamp. We took the Nakawuka – Kasanje route and this journey took about 01 hour. On arrival, we checked-in at Mabamba Lodge for lunch. After having lunch, we had an evening boat tour. While on the boat, we spotted a lot of wildlife species such as antelopes, hippos and crocodiles. Later, we returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight stay.
The next morning, we enjoyed our breakfast and after went for a shoe bill tracking at Mabamba wetland sanctuary. Shoe bill tracking experience in Mabamba Swamp is one of the thrilling birding encounters in Africa.
This experience involves a boat ride through the swamp’s waterways with a local guide focusing on spotting the elusive Shoe bill stork and other birdlife. We spent some few hours exploring the swamp, potentially witnessing the Shoe bills in their natural habitat and learnt about their behaviors and the swamp’s ecosystem.
Returned to the lodge for some snacks, checked-out of the lodge and embarked on our journey to Lake Mburo National Park after having lunch. We drove via the Masaka-Mbarara high way to the park and upon arrival, we checked-in at Kigambira Safari Lodge relaxation and in the evening, went for an evening game drive and we were so happy to spot animals like impalas, zebras, antelopes among others. Returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
The following day after having a heavy breakfast, we went for a boat ride on Lake Mburo where we spotted hippos and aquatic birds around the lake area. Later on, returned to the lodge for relaxation and lunch. After lunch, we set out for a thrilling horseback adventure. This was an exciting way of helping us to view different wildlife in the park. In the evening, returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
This morning, we woke up in a cool environment, had breakfast, checked-out of the lodge and transferred to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. A transfer from Lake Mburo National Park to Mgahinga National Park involves a multi-hour drive through varying landscapes. The journey passes through diverse areas including settlements, banana plantations and rolling hills.
The route takes through savannah grasslands allowing for potential wildlife sightings along the way. Along the way, we got an opportunity of stopping at local markets for shopping and at the Equator for photography. After a long journey, we arrived and checked in at Gahinga lodge for dinner and relaxation preparing for the next day’s adventure.
The following, we had breakfast, packed our lunch and headed to Mgahinga headquarters (Ntebeko) for a briefing about the rules and regulations followed on a gorilla trek. This is where visitors gather before gorilla trekking and golden monkey tracking experiences.
The park headquarters is also the starting point for treks deep into the forest. Gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is a unique experience allowing visitors to observe mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. The trek lasted for about 5 hours since this only gorilla family in Mgahinga had moved to go and search for pasture.
On finding it, we were given 1 hour of observing these creatures and also taking pictures and videos. Mgahinga offers a less strenuous trek than Bwindi with additional activities like golden monkey trekking and volcano hiking though we managed to participated in few activities.
After, we returned to the starting point, had our lunch, relaxed and went for a visit to Garama cave with Batwa experience. The 342m long Garama Cave lies beneath a plateau northern edge of the park, 3km from Ntebeko.
It is set in the former farmland zone but in earlier times, the cave forest when it was occupied periodically by Batwa who used it as a council chamber and a retreat. A visit to Garama Cave in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park offers a unique opportunity to explore the history and culture of the Batwa people who historically inhabited the cave.
Visitors can expect guided walks that reveal the cave’s layout and the Batwa’s former lives including their council chambers and other living spaces. There is also a viewing platform that provides panoramic views of the park and surrounding areas.
On this visit, we engaged with the Batwa people who narrated to us on how they used to survive while in the cave. Later returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Woke up on a cup of coffee, checked-out of the lodge and transferred to Queen Elizabeth National Park known for the rare tree climbing lions with a short stopover at Kisoro town, a small town located near the park’s entrance.
The route we used generally heads south from Kisoro following paved roads. The drive took about 4 hours while enjoying the scenic landscapes including the rolling hills of the region. We saw some of the cattle grazing in the countryside. Upon arrival in Queen Elizabeth, we checked-in at Elephant Plains Lodge for lunch as well as waiting for dinner and overnight.
Had early morning breakfast and set off for the game drive in the beautiful Kasenyi plains which is the main animal watching area of the park. The game drive gave us an opportunity of spotting various animals such as elephants, buffaloes, lions, hyenas, antelopes among others. After the drive, we returned to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation.
Later, went for the afternoon boat safari on Kazinga Channel and we spotted range of wildlife along the banks of the channel such as hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, elephants, monitor lizards. The channel offers incredible bird watching opportunities as several water birds flock the banks of the channel such as pelicans, herons, lapwings, plovers, African skimmers, fish eagles, kingfishers among others.
Returning from the Kazinga Channel boat trip, the drive takes through the scenic crater lakes region passing over ridges of various explosion craters and enjoying panoramic views of the landscape hence bumping into more wildlife. After having a boat cruise of about 2 hours, returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
Early in the morning, we departed from Queen Elizabeth National Park and began our scenic drive with an en-route stopover Fort Portal for lunch and also enjoyed the town’s atmosphere. We also passed by the Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru known as a cultural site for the Batooro community near Fort Portal though we didn’t spend there much time and then proceeded to Kibale National Park.
Upon arriving, we checked-in at Isunga Lodge and then went to Bigodi wetland sanctuary for bird watching. The sanctuary is home to over 200 bird species including the Great Blue Turaco, Horn bills, Kingfishers hence being an ideal place for avian.
A part from birds, we also spotted primates/mammals such as Black-and-White Colobus, Red-tailed Monkeys, Vervet Monkeys, bush bucks, otters among others and then returned to the lodge for dinner.
The next morning after having breakfast, we went for a chimpanzee habituation process with our packed lunch. Chimpanzee habituation experience is a full-day activity typically starting in the morning with a briefing at the Kanyanchu Visitor Center.
After briefing, we joined the researchers and guides on a trek to locate chimpanzees undergoing habituation. Chimpanzee habituation is a process where wild chimpanzees are gradually accustomed to human presence.
On finding the chimpanzees, we were allowed only 4 hours to observe the behaviors of these primates as they were feeding, grooming, hunting and nesting. After this long day tiresome activity, we returned to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
On our last day of the trip, we had breakfast, checked out of the lodge and embark on our journey to Kampala via Mubende – Mityana Road. Arriving in Kampala, we had a simple city tour around the Idd Amin Chambers. Had our lunch at Onomo Hotel and later proceeded to Entebbe International Airport to catch up with our flight to the next destination.
