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Guide to Choosing the Right Car for Self Drive in Uganda

Car rentals in Uganda comes with lots of advantages as compared to its other counter parts and this is why many travelers in Uganda have resorted to using car rentals other than any other transport means due to that fact that it is convenient, reliable and safe. The latter attributes are every traveler’s dream to have while exploring around a certain destination.

Put in mind that not all car rental companies offer good services to their customers so one has to be so wise to get the ideal rental for his/her journey. We bring what to look at when choosing self drive car rentals for your travel in Uganda.

1. Look at the chain of vehicles that are being offered by the company. Good car rental companies have different types of vehicle to hire to their customers. With variety, you has room to choose the best vehicle for your voyage other than being tied on one kind of car of which you may not like as a traveler.
2. Look for a rental car that is readily available for 24/7. This will help you as a travel to move at anytime of the day without any inconvenience. A traveler has not strict time of his/her movement since there are lots of attractions to discover and explore.
3. One should go for a reputable company while hiring a self drive rental car. to find out the reputation of the company simply look at the customer review from their testimony column and also other international travel forums like lonely planet and trip advisor to know what other customers say about it. Reputable companies are always credible and competent always ensure that their services are on point.
4. Look for car rental services that have insurance and other safety measures like road assistance. Comprehensive insurance on the rental car makes the client less liable for the damages that may be caused on the car while driving it and also road assistance also helps to get back on the road at the closest convenient time possible incase of the a car breakdown.
5. Look for affordability while renting a car. every consume of a commodity is a rational being whereby one has to be price sensitive due to the fact that money is a scarce resource. It is best for a traveler to look for a car rental that wont drain his/her pockets while on a trip. Go for a rental car that is pocket friendly in that you can spare some money to cater for other travel needs.
6. In addition to affordability look for car rental services that have extra incentives to make a traveler’s trip an interesting one. Facilities like tourist maps, gps, baby seats and camping gears must be put into consideration as these normally helps one while on a trip. It is best for a traveler to book with a car rental companies that offer these facilities to their esteemed customers.
7. Always look at the terms and conditions of renting a self drive car rental. Make sure that you understand each and every clause that is written in this black and white paper given to you to sign on. It is important to find a car rental company that has lesser restrictions in their car rental agreement so that you do not get deeply constrained with car rental in case of any accident.

With the above aspects look at while booking a self drive car rental in Uganda, you are most likely to have a great travel experience during your road trip.

6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Renting a Car in Uganda

Uganda is one of the best destinations you can visit in Africa for a safari due to the abundance of attractions that can be explored. No wonder, it was described as the “pearl of Africa” by Winston Churchill in his Book-“My African Journey published in 1908. This East African country boasts of small slices of everything Africa has to offer to tourists. In the past, tourists felt comfortable travelling in guided safaris but with the growth in tourism industry, this trend is changing as most tourists prefer hiring private cars for road trips in Uganda.

However, it is very important to be thorough and careful when hiring cars; hence this article brings you some of the common mistakes that you should not make when hiring cars for self drive safaris in Uganda.

1.Not reading and understanding the car hire contract

It is very important to thoroughly read and understand the terms and conditions of hiring the car, so as to understand your personal rights and obligations. Feel free to inquire about anything you don’t seem to understand before you sign the contract. You are advised to avoid signing a contract that you are not sure about its content or if you are not contented or satisfied with its terms and conditions. When hiring the car, pay extra attention on the fuel policy, the Insurance Policy, the type of insurance cover and whether you will have to pay extra fees in case of a claim, what is included or not in the contract, the breakdown policies, the driver policies and the return policies among others.

2. Returning the car beyond the time agreed.

It is a common yet bad practice to return the car beyond business hours since it becomes hard to determine the damages done on the car. Some companies even charge an extra fee for vehicles returned outside working hours because of the associated risks. Sometimes, you are required to take photographs of the car to ascertain its damage if you are to return it beyond business hours as evidence that any damage that occurred to the car didn’t happen during the rental period. Therefore, make sure to crosscheck the car and always return it early to avoid paying extra fees for the car.

3. Not checking the total price of the car you are hiring.

Have you ever wondered why the same cars are hired at different prices? You will notice that some cars are way too cheap to hire but you have to be very careful with such cars because they might be in bad conditions or lack some important requirements. So long as the price is cheap but the terms are favorable, then go for it but if the car you are hiring calls for extra costs on additional driver/s, additional distance limits, extra insurance, extra costs for returning the car beyond business hours, extra costs for crossing International boundaries/borders, extra fees for drivers below a particular age, extra child seats and costs for returning the car to another point rather than the agreed pick-up point, to mention but a few then that is very expensive to hire.

4.Forgetting to crosscheck your car hire deposit

Never take anything for granted but always make sure to check the deposit and ensure that it is deducted from the total price you are meant to pay for hiring the car. If you don’t check, the person hiring the car might forget then you end up paying double the Price of hiring the car.

5. Forgetting to fill the car hire damage check sheet

When you rent a car for a safari, first make sure than you check the car for any form of damages and should be put in form of writing before you accept it so as you are not held accountable for any damages that are not caused by you in the time you rented the car. Don’t just stop at checking before renting but also do it after returning the car to the company. The most important things to check include the tyres, lights, the windscreen, the air conditioners and the Dents on the outside of the car being hired.

6. Forgetting to check where you can go with the car

When you hire a car for a self drive, make sure to check the limits on distance that you can travel with the car within the rental period. This includes the limits of crossing country borders, checking whether an International driver’s permit can be accepted and the other required documentation in the country that you are renting the car from.

Luxury Gorilla Safari

As per the saying that every journey begins with a single step, we made our first step by searching for the ultimate gorilla tour in Uganda. I was surprised to find the best in a few searches and we had multiple replies from all Uganda travel agents contacted. However, the tour choice depended on the cheap price range with high rated good value accommodations in different destinations of our interest. My husband had always wanted to visit Bwindi, Murchison falls, Kibale forest, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo national park. Our favorite trip organizer designed for us an exciting trip program cutting across all destinations of our interest and reading through it felt like we were already experiencing the great attractions in Uganda. Our classic luxury tour in Uganda was perfect that we got introduced to many new adventures, historical sites, primates, wildlife, lakes, falls and above all the country’s capital Kampala. It is our highest rated and most exciting Uganda safari for those interested in exploring the country to its fullest.

Using our private comfortable safari land cruiser vehicle provided by our trip organizer, we explored the country like Africans with an expert guide by our side all times. The weather was warm, ever shiny during the day  thou some areas got cold in the evenings especially in Bwindi forest a great gorilla trekking destination in Africa. The country is ever flexible for tourist and for all adventures. A visit to the famous wildlife locations of Murchison falls, Queen Elizabeth and Lake Mburo was really fun because we had different tour adventures in mornings and afternoons. Legend has it that Africa is a gorgeous continent not only for holidays but in everything. Therefore, the more we discover new places are the more exciting it becomes. Long holidays are seemed expensive but are good when it comes to exploring the real nature beauty and scenic attractions around you without over driving and tiring. This was one of the lessons I learn’t during my 10 days safari in Uganda last summer. The two primate parks kibale forest and Bwindi impenetrable national park had less in common but all adventures where extremely perfect

Our first primate encounter was for chimpanzees in Kibale forest that made us excited wondering how great the gorilla one will be. Nature and the wild is all you enjoy together with fresh winds in quiet environment that can only be felt while here. The park is magnificent with lots of interesting playful primates including baboons that welcome you to their primate kingdom and they seem to be the park natural body guards that monitor whoever comes around. They don’t fear guests because they expect  to be thanked in return with ripes of bananas, fruits a thing that boost their moral of keeping the park entrance gate. Other primates encountered where the black and white monkeys, the chimpanzees and many more. Another amazing moment that I cherish in kibale forest was the morning lyrics of birds as they communicate to each other that made me wake up reminding that its morning. The comfort of primate lodge beds made sleep like a queen forgetting that I was in a foreign land. There is a lot to be said about primates but better to wined up with the terrific experience of the mountain gorillas. This was the most outstanding of all the tour activities we did here and thank God we did it last and carried home precious fresh memories that we cherish every day. This is something can recommend to friends and family heading to Uganda for safari holidays and if well planed, fun, happiness, excitement will never fail to follow you all through.

Best 5 Uganda Safari Deals for 2017

Cool off with Uganda amazing wildlife, game and Scenery on your upcoming Uganda safari tour to any part of the country and escape the city noise plus life hassles. When you think of great summer vacations in Africa, Uganda probably comes up among the best gorilla trekking destinations, chimpanzee habituation & trekking, wildlife viewing, bird watching and much more. Uganda wildlife and primates will change your mind to visit Uganda once again and even recommend it to friends and family. After tracking gorillas and meeting up with the silver back in the jungle forest, you will be surprised that you curious to check out other amazing country attractions including wildlife in Queen Elizabeth and Murchison falls.

A Glance at Uganda Safaris

Did you know that landscape, weather and the friendly people are just enough to make you love Uganda the Pearl of Africa and its fantastic holiday experience that it offers every day? Visit Uganda and get a classic African Safari experience of the Big five game viewing, beautiful landscape and the breathtaking scenery. The famous “Big Five”, that is, Rhino, Lion, Leopard, Elephant, and Buffalo can be viewed in Uganda. Uganda’s safari destinations complement each other, in terms of wildlife, scenery and adventures. Each game park possesses something unique and exciting to offer on a safari .However, a classic Uganda safari needs a minimum of 7 days in order to explore at least three national park and the city attractions. The 7 days wildlife and gorilla trekking safari to Kibale forest, Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi National Park is a paradise exposure for primates and wildlife and the most desired for primate and wildlife lovers. The trip takes you to most of Uganda best primate and wildlife park making experience only the best of Uganda.

Prime Game viewing Destinations

The best game viewing destination in Uganda is Murchison Falls National Park, which is the biggest with beautiful kinds of wildlife, followed by Kidepo Valley National Park a home to most of the world impressive wildlife species, Queen Elizabeth National Park a place to see rare tree climbing lions, Lake Mburo National Park the smallest but the most accessible when coming from any park of the country. Other wildlife sanctuaries in history are Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Sanctuary a place that no one misses out during a trip to Murchison falls. However, can’t forget to single out Bwindi forest, Mgahinga and kibale forest national park the best primate capitals for gorilla and chimpanzee trekking in Uganda. Also take a look at the most trending Uganda wildlife safari tour activities that will change your holiday into memories. Game drives done both in the morning and evening where you view plenty of wildlife, Boat cruise best enjoyed in the afternoons on the Kazinga channel , murshion falls and other uganda lakes, Gorilla trekking, done once a day either in Bwindi forest or Mgahinga national park, Chimpanzee trekking done twice a day,among others.

Uganda car hire requirements

What is the process of obtaining a car for renting in Uganda?

Before knowing the process of renting a car, you should know that the business of car renting involves a client who may be a tourist who may be in the country for safaris, tours or to attend business meeting of conferences. Before obtaining this car, you should know that this car belongs to the company and will never be your property. Because of this therefore, you be presentable to be given this car. This will include; having the best qualifications which permit the company to offer you the car. Some these qualifications are put to limit problems which may occur as a result of careless and reckless driving. Renting a car in company will involve having an approved process to go through in everything and involves acquiring the car for a short time.

What are the most common qualifications needed to obtain a car for renting in Uganda?

The qualifications you need to obtain a car in Uganda include; A Minimum Age of 18years, a valid international driving licence. You should put in mind that different car rental companies in Uganda do possess different criteria for you to be rented a car though those are the most common qualifications of you need to use when renting a car from any genuine company in the Uganda.

Why you need a good driving record to obtain a car from a genuine company in Uganda.

Before obtaining a car from any genuine company in Uganda, your driving history matters a lot. Your history involves the record you have taken driving a rented cars in the country. There will be some screening by most companies offering cars for renting as an approval process to be given a car for self drive. With the current advancement in technology, which is not only in developed countries but also in Uganda, the screening exercise has been made very easier. What is usually done is to put the particulars, of course this will be by putting driving license and the record is displayed automatically.  All the information on your driving permit will be displayed and once the company which is going to rent a car, then   finds out that you have been charged with under the influence of Alcohol and drugs or being it over speeding fines or be it you have ever been engaged in any driving irregulaties which made you an offender when the instance happened which made you an offender, then   you will be denied to be rented the car by that company.

What is the minimum age for you to be rented a car?

The most important thing you should consider when you are going to rent a car in the country from any genuine company is that you must be in position to meet that company’s requirements. Of course that is the minimum age. The standard age for obtaining a car is from any car rental company in Uganda is 21 years. It will be easy to establish your age since you will have to avail   a valid driving permit to   the company which will   rent you the car.

Why do you need a credit and Debit card?

When renting a car in Uganda, you will be asked by the company that is going to rent you the car to avail your credit card or debit card. This is because the car rental company will have hold a certain amount fee from your card as part of the security deposit.

5 Things to Look For in Car Hire in Uganda

Whenever renting a car in Uganda, You Ought to make sure that you are certain of the car and the company you finally decide leading you to a various destinations safely. It is very complex to know which company is going to provide you with the best services of car hire Uganda as being many car rental companies while there are a few legit and professional. To help you out, we have made a compilation of guidelines or Tips that can make you come close to getting the best car hire services in Uganda.

Safe Vehicles:  Most important is the car rented, the kind that stipulates safety and road worthy, a car that should be mechanically approved for road safety. To say, the vehicle must be in very good physical and mechanical conditions. First of all inspect the car before traversing to your journey through checking for damages, dents, scratches and also find out if all the systems in the car are perfectly working and so are the lighting systems, transmission system and so  should be the battery and the general engine. A car in a good condition leads the traveler to his destination without any havoc of breakdown. A clean and steady car gives a traveler comfort on the journey.

Value For Money: Is the car in question meant for a self drive safari worthy the monies paid for? This is an important aspect in car renting as the traveler has to make sure that the car hired to him/her has all the necessary services that can lead him/her safe and conveniently on the roads. For instance the car must have  enough luggage space with room for passengers, air condition, food and drinks handles, and any extras inclusive of the quoted price like a GPS and extra baby seat if required, music system and should be genuinely clean with a pleasant smell so that the travelers enjoys their inspirational once in a lifetime journey.

Qualified Drivers: Are you opting for a guided trip and still renting a car in Uganda tomantain your pace? Are you Choosing car hire services and you are going to use chauffeur car rental services? Consider making sure that the driver is well trained and experienced, a guide driver that is insightful. If you can always ask for the name of the driver intended or recommended for you, make use of the google search to find if any recommendations or more about the driver guide in question. There is always information on the internet regarding particular individuals. This is done through checking his driving license and also know the period of time he has driven the car by looking to the date of issue of the driving license. A well trained and experienced driver is more likely to lead a client safe on the road as he knows the style of driving on Ugandan roads and also knows all the easy routes leading to the client’s destination without any difficulties..

Reputable Company: Very important as it sounds.“Reputable”. It is commendable for a traveler to hire a car from a company that has a good reputation in the travel world. The reputation of the company can be found by looking at the testimonials of the people who have ever used the car hire services before and also reviews from famous travel sites like TripAdvisor and lonely planet. A reputable company is likely to give a customer very good car hire services for the cause of keeping its name high and also these companies have experience of service deliverance and customer care.

Easy Booking System: A great company to handle a self drive safari for its clients will always have options of booking and so are the payment options. Independent clients on self drive should look for car hire services that have very many options of booking the rental car that should be through email, telephone or physical booking that is by going to the reservation offices. With very many options of booking, the client has a choice of which booking method is more convenient to him/her.

Tips to Finding Car Rental Deals in Uganda

In whichever travel activity you are planning through Uganda, be it vacation, business or family commitment, car hire services can offer you the luxury to be independent, flexible and explore different travel destinations at your own pace with all the convenience you need on a travel expedition through Uganda.

However, not a guarantee that self driving Uganda can give you the independence and convenience as when you do not carefully choose a car hire company your dreams or expectations might go into shambles. These are some of the ways that one can partake to find the best car hire company Uganda:

Search the internet: As soon as your dates are confirmed for taking off work, get straight to the internet and search for car rental companies in Uganda. There are many online car hire companies in Uganda with very attractive price but you have to be carefully while choosing. All you have to do is go through as many as possible look at their services and then get those car hire companies with a good reputation. This is done by looking at the customer reviews as these explain the moment of truth of using a certain car hire company’s services.

Inquire from a number of the car rental agencies: When you choose the possible car hire companies to book a rental car from, contact them directly through email or telephone to hear what they have in offer. The prices that are the websites might not be the exact price of hiring a car as these can be narrowed down when you really contact the car hire company reservation officer and negotiate for affordable prices. in addition to the negotiation by contacting the car hire company makes you know what is really on ground which cars are available at the moment and the you have an opportunity for the car hire company to advice on the best car that can suit the nature of your travel.

Seek for comprehensive insurance: It is also commendable to seek for car hire companies that have comprehensive car rental insurance. This brings down the customer’s liability of the damages that may happen to the rental car in case of an accident or theft.  However, good you might be at driving a car, sometimes accidents are an unavoidable due to the bad roads, bad drivers and car malfunctions. So you have to safeguard yourself from paying the damages caused during an accident as they dent your financial budget since these damages are not planned for in your travel.

Consider the rental Price: The price of the rental car is a key factor when getting a car hire company. Any customer cannot go for what he cannot afford. Always look at those companies that have affordable prices with standard services. Furthermore you should go for that company that included all the expenses in a price quotation so that you do not get inconvenienced when you hit the counter to make payment for the car rental services and then you give extra costs that you did not plan for.

The type of vehicle your choice: Before you book a car make sure you go through the fleet of cars the car hire company is offering to know which car best suits your travel and needs. Go for a car that is affordable, comfortable and serve the purpose of your travel. For instance if you are going for Uganda safari tour and you are a sole travel go for a Toyota RAV4 which is affordable, comfort and a Full time four wheel drive car that can hand traveling on the roads of the national parks and maneuvers the Uganda terrains upcountry.

Visiting Big Five Animals on a Africa Safari Holiday.

Africa is blessed with so many wildlife animals but has the exceptional BIG Five.

Travelling in Africa is such an extraordinary experience that should not be missed by every traveler around the world. For any exciting safari around Africa, everyone should transfer to spot the BIG five which are the wildlife animals that are very challenging and difficult to hunt on foot. This is not the only reason but also the extent of danger entailed other than the size. These include the Lions, Buffalo, Elephant, Leopards and Rhinos and are most prominent in countries like Uganda, Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malawi.

At primate safaris Rwanda, a Big five safari can be combined to get the Gorilla & Wildlife Safari to visit the apes and the various National Parks in Uganda to Spot the big Five , or Tanzania on a 8  Days Rwanda Gorilla & Tanzania Safari adventure tour with the top Wildlife Safari Company.

Below is the list of Big five animals to be seen on the Gorilla & Wildlife Safari in Uganda.

Elephants; Also referred to as Loxodonta Africana, the elephant  is a very big herbivore i.e feeds on leaves, shoots, roots with a thick almost hairless skin, an elongated stretchy prehensile trunk, upper incisors forming long curved tusks of ivory and large fan-shaped ears. There are two different species of the African elephant and these include the African forest elephant and African bush elephant. Despite their large size, elephants can hide with in tall grass and get more violent than other wildlife animals making hunting them very complex.

Rhinos; the Rhino is a thick skinned big herbivore (feeds on leaves, roots, shoots) found very prominent destinations in Africa. It has one/ two vertical horns on the nasal bridge which it uses for defense /protection from enemies. However, their populations are declining to extinction after massive killings for trade of their horns by humans/ poachers who sell them expensively on the black market. These include both black and white Rhinos and are very challenging to hunt due to their aggressive violence for it can penetrate its horn in the enemies body hence leading to their deaths.

 Buffaloes; the African or Cape buffalo is a large horned ruminant known to be the most difficult wildlife animal to hunt. They are short sighted animals that sense smell more and wallow their bodies in mud which protects their skins/ bodies from direct sun rays. They feed in the evenings or late evenings since at this time the sun is less stingy/ hot. Records show that many hunters have lost their lives trying to hunt them just like the crocodiles and hippos. This makes them the most dangerous among the big five.

Lions; the lion also known as Panthera leo is a large carnivorous sly of Africa and northwest India with a petite short orangey coat, a dump tail, a heavy mane around the neck and shoulders in males. These are one of the most difficult to hunt due to the fact that they stay in challenging habitats which include thick Savannah which includes tall grasses, shrubs, bushes that provide the best hideouts to camouflage hence sometimes hunting the hunters even without provocation.

Leopards; the leopard is one of the most difficult of the big five to hunt due to the cat’s unique nocturnal and secretive nature of embracing their habitat. They are fond of inhabiting the thick Savannah grasslands, shrubs for camouflaging from any danger. They hunt at sunrise and sunset and are cautious around humans hence escaping when faced with danger. The leopard is introverted by nature i.e is always isolated into the bushes and grasslands.

Make a comparison of car rental companies in Uganda.

Many individuals and families plan their business trips or vacations intricately so as to make every moment of the tour enjoyable and even make memorial days of their lives. These tours are planned well in advance in order to avoid any last minute hitches.

Information related to their travel, hotel accommodation, local sightseeing and local conveyance are gathered from the Internet or from travel agents and even some procures pamphlets and even leaflets. Of the many arrangements to be made for a trip or before any travel, whether business or leisure, securing your car hire in Uganda is an important consideration

When these travelers reach their destination, they are actually advised to search information related to the various car rental companies in the city and inquire or acquire any relevant information that can be useful. In most cases Local newspapers and telephone directories are good sources of information for this purpose. After scrutinizing and assimilating a list of different car rental companies whose information is accessible, travelers should compare the services and prices being offered before taking a strategic decision. There are many popular car rental companies, some of which are offering their services nationwide.

Among the car rental companies, some of them actually allow customers to pre-pay and save 15% on weekday and weekend rentals and sometimes on long travel where large amounts of rent is paid. Most car rental companies on land provide a wide variety of services which actually include flexible fuel and coverage options and 24-hour emergency roadside assistance including an experienced tour or travel guide.

There are special rates for companies planning conferences, conventions and those requiring 11 or more cars at a time. Rental cars are also available for citizens or nationals planning to tour or travel within the country or outside in other nations and even travelers and tourists coming into the country.

Thrifty Car Rent is a car rental company that provides rental cars in both airport and local car rental markets this is actually common on land where different points and airports have been put in place. Through corporately owned and franchised shops, most of the car rental companies manage their car rental services in majority of the locations and the regions across the country, especially in urban centers

As it’s mandatory for anyone interested in carrying any dealing to be having and identification card or something to identify him or her, Customers with a valid driver license and a credit card in their name will find it easier to rent a car. The age requirement for a person to rent a car from most of such companies is typically different in different car rental companies however, most of them lay age requirement at 25 years. Younger customers can also rent cars but might be required to pay extra charges or have someone co-sign for the car, as well

Discounted gorilla permits in Uganda.

During the low season, Uganda gives a discount on Mountain Gorilla trekking permits. This is during the period of April, May and November. These permits are issued by Uganda Wildlife Authority. Tourists intending to trek during these months are most likely to pay at a discount. The off season prices for discounted gorilla permits in 2017 will be at USD 450 per person  for foreign none residents and USD 400.00 for  the East African residents who hold working permits for the countries of Uganda,  Republic of Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi.

The Association of Uganda Tour Operators in conjunction with the Uganda Wildlife Authority the issuing body of Gorilla permits will always continue to offer discounted Gorilla permits in Uganda and are sometimes referred to as low season Gorilla permits. Contact any genuine and registered tour company for these discounted Gorilla permits for trekking in April, May and November 2017. This will allow you to save USD 150 per permit as they are sold at USD 450 compared to USD 600 during the rest of the months. If you are an African resident, you will save up to USD 200,00 since the issuing board, the Uganda Wildlife Authority  charges them USD 400,000 and it has been so much welcomed  as the country looks to improve her tourists inflows.

According to Lonely planet, Uganda was voted the best tourist destination and ever since, the country has recorded the highest tourism growth in the whole of Africa in 2012. The field of Tourism has been sighted by the president of Uganda as sector to bring development. Following these discounts, during the low season the country does not only increase on tourist’s inflow but rather create awareness, for the betterment of the tourism sector. These discounts should be copied by Rwanda as it has persistently refused to reduce on the gorilla permits. Her gorilla permits were increased from USD 500 to USD 750. Basing on the fact that Uganda has got a lot of attractions including beautiful parks, the source of the Nile, Rwenzori  and Elgon mountains and Lake Victoria among others which has been coupled  with relative stability, Infrastructural development, this has made Uganda to go positive in her tourism development.

Why it is wise to Trek Gorillas in April, May and November

It is wise to trek Gorillas in these months because during this time, it is time for discounted Gorilla permits and it is always announced every year for the months of November April and May to enable tourists travel during low season. If you wish to trek, you are encouraged to take advantage of these months since even the accommodation rates also tend to go low, making the price of gorilla safaris to low. It should be noted that to issue discounted Gorilla permits it is not as a result of raining highly which makes the activity a bit tough because for the case of Bwindi, it receives a lot of rain since it is a tropical forest and means that Bwindi receives rain throughout the year.

How one can get a discounted gorilla permit.

You should get a discounted gorilla permit from Uganda Wildlife Authority. In case you are not able to purchase directly, you can use a genuine tours and travel company which is registered. This however can only be done when these Gorilla permits are announced and will be purchased for you when you organize a gorilla tour that fits you.  You will be required to   give details to the travel company arranging your trip information pertaining   exact date when you intend to trek. The availability of gorilla permits at Uganda Wildlife Authority which is the body which mandates to sell gorilla permits on behalf of Uganda Government and the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. If there is availability, you will need to send your names as they appear on your passport and your nationality which will be then forwarded   to Uganda Wildlife Authority which will issue you gorilla permit.

How to pay for discounted Gorilla Permits.

After you have decided on the dates, an invoice will be sent   which will include a bank account to enable you effect your payments. A full payment will be required for a Gorilla permit. For your   safari, you need to deposit at least 30 percent and then the rest in the next 6 weeks. This 20 percent will enable most of the work to be done mostly ground work to make your safari/tour/safari a success. It will be used to deposit on accommodation, telephone calls, Uganda wildlife Authority and transportation.

How to know that my permit has been purchase.

For most tour companies money will reflect on the account. A staff will then be sent   to Uganda Wildlife Authority to check for your preferred dates with your passport details and as soon as your permit issued, you will scan and send you a copy.

Why to book a Uganda self drive safari with Us?

Driving your self has never been so superb like one when you utilize the right car hire company. Some individuals end up losing their cash during the time spent selecting which organization they ought to use for their safaris. It’s generally vital for somebody to make a careful overview of a particular organization he/she has gone with before making any exchange with them. It ought to be noticed that there are some unlawful organizations in Uganda which are set up by cheats who need to exploit outsiders and burglarize off their cash in misrepresentation of arranging for them Uganda Safari Tours. Indeed, even some car rental organizations are not enrolled and before one makes any arrangement with any of them, he/she ought to first guarantee that it’s a settled and enlisted organization. Here at Uganda Self Drive, we generally encourage our customers to trust us in the wake of inquisitive about us from other individuals furthermore testing our credibility by performing surveys on the diverse tourism portals. It’s generally something worth being thankful for to put the trust in our customers before making any exchange with us and we generally instruct them to first read about us furthermore converse with us in person.

Our administrations are the best in Uganda and our cars are dependably in the best conditions for use and a visitor ought not to have any stress over safety. We provide our clients with exceptional services and make a comprehensive review of all the services we offer. However, there are some reasons why one ought to utilize our organization and underneath are some of them;-

We offer the best prices to our clients and our costs are pocket-accommodating to everybody. In the event that you are to contrast our costs and those of different organizations, our own are better since they attempt to suit everybody regardless of their monetary status. We generally put our customers as a top priority while thinking of an evaluating system so they get the best esteem for their cash.

Unwavering quality;- Our organization is the most dependable organization in this field of tourism and car hire and along these lines one ought to go with us realizing that he/she is moving with the best in Uganda. We have managed numerous individuals from various nations and every one of them has given an excellent feedback about our services.

We guarantee wellbeing for our customers. As said above, security is key while selecting which organization to go with. Here in our organization, we generally ensure that safety comes first before anything else. We generally service our vehicles and sell off the old ones with the goal that we don’t put the lives of our clients in threat. Nobody would need to go with an organization which does not deal with its customers’ wellbeing. Thusly, book with us and we should give you the best services you require.

We have been doing business for quite a long while and we are experienced. Our organization was setup in 2008 and from that point forward we have been working effectively in Uganda. Hence we have the most extreme exposure and experience with regards to car hire service delivery. Arrange your Uganda safari with us or rent a car from us and we will be prepared to give you the best you deserve.

Gorilla Trekking Guide to Bwindi and Mgahinga national park Uganda

African is the only destination for gorilla trekking in the world, when many travelers think of gorilla safaris, the next step is which place to visit the mountain gorillas in as they are only found in four national parks where by Uganda is the only one with two national parks, Congo with one and Rwanda also with one. Always it takes travelers more time to find out which destination will be the best for their Mountain gorilla safari in Africa.

Gorilla trekking takes place in two national parks in Uganda. These two national parks are Bwindi and Mgahinga. Other places that provide an opportunity for gorilla trekking are Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda as well as Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo. So before you decide to book a gorilla tour in Uganda, you need to convince yourself that you have made the right decision on where to trek these gorillas.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is UNESCO world heritage Centre located in south western Uganda in the districts of Kisoro, Kanungu and Kabale. It is best known for its Mountain Gorilla populations and gorilla tracking although, it also offers some of the finest montane forest birding in Africa and is a key destination for any birder doing a Safari to Uganda. Amongst the numerous possibilities are no fewer than 23 of Uganda’s 24 Albertine Rift endemics, including spectacular, globally threatened species such as Shelley’s Crimson wing and the African Green Broadbill. Bwindi is one of the few in Africa to have flourished throughout the last Ice Age and it is home to roughly half of the world’s mountain gorillas.

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park is best known for its outstanding gorilla tracking, but it also provides refuge to wild elephants, chimpanzee, monkeys and various small antelope and bird species. When you a book a Uganda safari without Gorilla trekking then you will have missed an opportunity to see these rare and threatened gorillas, the variant biodiversity is supported by the fact that Bwindi is extremely old and also its slopes extend over a broad altitudinal range of 1447m above sea level.

Mgahinga Gorilla national park is located in the southwestern Uganda on the border with Congo and Rwanda. Covering an area of about 33.7 sq. kilometers, the park is a habitat for man’s closest, the mountain gorillas which roam about the whole forest in search for food. This park is one of the few places in the world where the endangered mountain gorillas live and it attracts people from different countries to come on Uganda’s Gorillas. The park has one habituated gorilla group, although this group sometimes crosses the border into Rwanda, which means Mgahinga is not a reliable spot for viewing gorillas. There is no doubt that Mgahinga Gorilla national park is one of the leading tourism sites in Uganda since it harbors these rare primates. The national park also covers three of the eight Virunga volcanoes: Mount Muhabura, Mount Gahinga and Mount Sabyinyo, all of which lie on the Uganda/Rwanda border. Any of these can be climbed in one day from the park headquarters.

One may wonder why gorilla Safari should be done in Mgahinga and Bwindi and no other places but the secret behind it is that these parks have a thick rain forest with a wide variety of tree species and gorillas are known to be vegetarians. There is enough food for them in the park and this is the reason why some even migrate from Congo and Rwanda to this place. Though not in large numbers, gorillas of Mgahinga are easily seen in their natural habitats and this makes tracking more easy compared to other parks.

How to get there

Both Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park can be accessed by road or Air. You can assess Mgahinga using services of fly Uganda or Aerolink scheduled flights to Kisoro Airstrip. The flight is about an hour or so from where you can then transfer by road to your accommodation facility. Kisoro Airstrip severs both Mgahinga and the southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. On the other side the north and southern part of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Buhoma and Ruhija respectively) can be assessed by air through Kihiihi Airstrip followed by road transfers to respective lodges. If driving from Kampala, you will pass through Mbarara, Kabale to Kisoro and then to Mgahinga National park. This is the same route used by those tracking in the southern side of Bwindi Impenetrable National park as well. Should you be trekking gorillas in the north and east of Bwindi, then you can branch off from Ntungamo then to Kagaba to Rukungiri.

When to Go To See the Mountain Gorillas in Uganda

Although tracking mountain gorillas can be conducted all year round in these two national parks, due to the somewhat damp seasons experienced by the national parks in which these gorillas stay, the majority of tourists prefer visiting from June to September as well as from December up to February. You can visit Bwindi and Mgahinga at any time of the year, the low season calls for cheaper gorilla permit price.

How to Get a Gorilla Trekking Permit in Uganda

Within Uganda, Gorilla trekking is conducted in Bwindi National Park or in Mgahinga National Park. But because of the inconsistency of gorillas in Mgahinga, majority of the sold permits are for Bwindi NP. In Uganda, every gorilla permit goes for US $ 600 while in April, May and November 2016 they will go for US $ 450. On a single day, nearly 72 people travel into Bwindi to see gorillas and only 8 people are allowed to see a gorilla family. We strongly encourage you to book your gorilla permit with a safari agents the most prominent mistake is to book a gorilla family which is far away from your choice of accommodation. The routes to Bwindi and its various regions are often tricky; this is a remote area. If you would like to do the gorilla trek on your own so as to save costs, you might end up incurring more. Safari guides have been trained to help you with this.

What to Wear?  Choosing the right Clothing

Gorilla Trekking gear guide, Good quality walking boots if trying any hikes or even climbs, warm layers of cloth for the cold evenings and clothing for wet weather remember it becomes cold and wet at this high altitude.

Accommodation

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park provides several accommodation options in all sides of the forest. You will find budget, mid-range or up market lodges options and then you decide accordingly. In Mgahinga, there few options to choose from as the only up market lodge is the Gahinga Lodge only. Other options are located in Kisoro town.

Safety & Security

Just like any other African state, Uganda is no exception as far as crime rate is concerned. However much there are a few crimes that take place in Uganda, the country is generally safe to visit.

There is a huge disparity between the haves and have-nots in Uganda. The former regime government’s exploitative economic policies led to widespread poverty, which bred crime, and the cohabitation of the rich and destitute has led to an informal redistribution of wealth through robbery. While no plan is foolproof, there are common-sense tactics to reduce your likelihood of being targeted.

Valuables

Avoid wearing flashy jewelry, keep your camera packed away until you want to use it, and opt for a place to stay with 24-hour security guards. ATMs in Uganda are a hot spot for robberies, so when you need to withdraw money, look for an ATM in a busy city center or mall. If possible, withdraw money during the day. Never accept help from anyone when withdrawing and immediately put the money in your wallet.

Road Safety

While other African countries are famous for carjacking, the incidence of this kind of crime is totally not heard of in Uganda. Most tourists to the bustling city will find the traffic very manageable and the roads very normal and easy to drive at thus end up considering rent a car.

Outside of Kampala, the biggest threat on the road is reckless, aggressive drivers. If you rent a car, know the rules of the road. Uganda drives on the left side and measure speed in kilometers per hour. Be wary of minibus taxis that are often driven by unlicensed drivers. Their rates are fixed, so drivers try to maximize profits by getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Many do not heed speed limits or traffic signs.

Safety of Women

Uganda is not very prone to rape and women assault and so neither are tourist targeted and the vast majority of violence towards women occurs in the townships. Still, women visitors to Uganda shouldn’t worry at all Ugandans are totally hospitable and civilized. Ugandans living outside the cities tend to be conservative, both in mindset and dress. Outside of urban areas, women should cover up to avoid unwanted stares. Many Ugandan women travel alone on minibuses, trains and in their own vehicles, but visitors–both men and women–are wise to travel in groups.

Diseases

While mosquitoes will bite during the sticky summer months, most of Uganda is malaria-free. If you are planning a trip to Murchison falls National Park or other wild areas in the northern part of the country, malaria pills are a good idea. If you decide against the pills, bring repellent and cover your ankles and wrists. The only other health risk is HIV, with more than a quarter of Uganda infected. If you plan to engage in sexual activity, bring protection.

Medical Treatment

Private hospitals in the urban centers of Uganda offer first-world medical care. If you are visiting remote areas, it’s wise to purchase travel insurance, which generally covers the cost of a helicopter ride if you need to be flown to a city for treatment. Adrenaline junkies beware: Many travel insurance plans do not cover adventure sports like mountain biking, water rafting, bungee jumping or even hiking. If you forego travel insurance, check with your home insurance provider to see if any hospital in Uganda is covered. Keep their names and phone numbers with you when you travel so you can direct ambulances.

Do Local Communities Benefit from Tourism?

Uganda is a land locked country situated in East Africa. It is bordered by Kenya in the east, Tanzania in the south, Democratic Republic of Congo in the west and Sudan in the north. According to lonely planet, Uganda is among the top tourist destinations in the world having host a variety of wildlife, wonderful relief and drainage among others – thus SIR WINSTON S. CHURCHILL stated that Uganda is “the pearl of Africa”.

The Lonely Planet Travel Guides: Uganda voted #1 Best in Travel for 2012, the ranking was based on National Parks in Uganda include Bwindi Impenetrable National Park – the park is known for hosting half of the world’s mountain Gorillas. Today there are 14 habituated gorilla families that are visited by tourists who take gorilla safaris in Uganda‘s misty tropical rainforests of Bwindi. Mgahinga Forest is another Gorilla park with only one gorilla group known as Nyakagezi though unreliable for being mobile and some times cross the boarder to Rwanda or Democratic Republic of Congo. Queen Elizabeth National Park is the second largest in Uganda and well known for hosting a variety of birds and animals- boat cruises of Kazinga channel is also amazing. Murchison Falls National Park is the largest in Uganda with lots of animals including four of the “big five” ; Cape buffalo, elephants, lions, leopard are best to be seen in the northern part (above the Nile). Mountain Elgon and Rwenzori are among the world heritage sites and hiking is the major activity there. Lake Mburo National park is the smallest National Park in Uganda but with lots of wild life including the giraffes which have just been introduced from Murchison Falls National Park. Semliki National Park is well known for hot springs and Kidepo valley National Park in North Eastern Uganda.

Other famous tourist attractions out side National Parks include Ziwa Rhino sanctuary, River Nile, Mabamba Shoebill sanctuary, Ishasha tree climbing lions, the Uganda Equator, Kasubi Tombs, Uganda Martyrs shrines Namugongo, Ngamba chimpanzee sanctuary among others. It should be noted that around each tourist attraction, there are communities of people who are benefiting from tourism in the following ways:

Many people are employed in Lodges, Hotels, parks, game reserves among others. They serve as rangers, Hotel attendants, guides, guards to enable then earn a living.

Local communities are secured in terms of security- the guards keep on patrolling the areas around the tourist potentials – Therefore, people operate their business with our fear.

Tourists provide markets for Ugandan products like art and crafts, local food stuffs, local shoes among others.

Visitors to Uganda bring in near ideas and empower citizens with new skills of producing quality products – tourists with special skills trains Ugandans in industrial work and so on.

Some visitors sponsor Ugandan projects like schools, health centres, small scale industries, babies homes/ orphanages among others.

Profits from tourists’ income are used to improve Ugandan infrastructures like roads, accommodation, health centers and so on.

Tourism has led to the general development of the country in terms setting up of new Hotels/ Lodge, road hence developing the remote areas.

People projects are empowered – people around the tourist attracts have set up local music, dance and drama groups to entertain tourists to earn a living.

Uganda has become famous internationally because of tourism – the country exhibits her potential in world tourism markets per annum.

Contests like Miss Tourism have been initiated and many people have benefited.

15 Giraffes Relocated to Lake Mburo National Park

15 Giraffes have been removed from Murchison Falls National Park to Lake Mburo National Park situated in Kiruhura District. Uganda Wildlife Authority executive director Andrew Seguya flagged off the transnight journey on Tuesday. Eight giraffes, including two bulls and six females, were the first batch to be transported. They arrived at their destination on Wednesday morning. The major objective for translocation of the Giraffes is to boost tourism in Lake Mburo National Park.

The initiative is also aimed at reducing the number of Giraffes in Murchison Falls National Park to different places where they can feed and breed freely. Murchison falls National park has 900 giraffes. Andrew Seguya said that the Introducing the giraffes in Lake Mburo will help diversify wildlife and consequently, attract tourists and Lake Mburo is expected to receive more tourists in the near feature. Lake Mburo National Park has been without giraffe species since it was gazette since they became extinct about 50 years ago.

According to Jossy Muhangi, the Uganda Wildlife Authority public relations manager, said that ecological studies had been conducted before the relocation exercise to ensure the safety of the animals. He noted that Lake Mburo is well endowed with shrubs and Acacia trees which are food for the giraffes.

Being the smallest National Park in Uganda, Lake Mburo has been known for hosting zebras and the introduction of Giraffes is a big deal for promoting tourism in Lake Mburo. Lake Mburo National Park is located conveniently close to the highway that connects Kampala to the parks of western Uganda. It is a home to 350 bird species as well as zebra, impala, eland, buffalo, oribi, Defassa waterbuck, leopard, hippo, hyena, topi and reedbuck. Though this park is less known for wildlife safaris, it is one of the ecoparks where one can enjoy a weekend escape while in Uganda.

13 Lakes are found in the park and among them include Lake Mburo which forms part of a 50km-long wetland system linked by a swamp. Five of these lakes lie within the park’s borders. Once covered by open savanna, Lake Mburo National Park now contains much woodland as there are no elephants to tame the vegetation. In the western part of the park, the savanna is interspersed with rocky ridges and forested gorges while patches of papyrus swamp and narrow bands of lush riparian woodland line many lakes.

Mabira Forest – Home to Endangered Species

Embattled by those who want to ¼ of it into a sugar cane plantation, assaulted by illegal loggers seemingly enjoying protection and eating deep into the core of Mabira, as recent over flights amply demonstrated, the forest never the less still has much promise and holds the key for at least part of Uganda’s future, as a green lung and water tower for sprawling and polluting Kampala, spewing out Carbon dioxide which the 28,000 hectare forest then helps to absorb.     Mabira’s integrity is a way of life for those who through the ages combed through it in search of medicinal plants, edible berries, fruits and roots, which if sustainably harvested can provide a continuous livelihood for the communities living at the edges of it and it holds yet more promise a s a resource for research, as many answers for questions raised by modern medicine for cures may be contained in it. But over and above those issues, which could fill a book of course or make for some added dissertations. Mabira is also an important source for nature and wild life based tourism, and that is the focus of this particular article, to show just what amazing bio diversity can be found 60 odd kilometers outside Kampala.

Surprisingly few people actually visit the forest, or stop at the Eco Tourism Centre established by the National forest authority (www.nfa.org.ug).The figures given vary between 2000 and 3000 visitors per annum, many of them school grouse for that matter, commendable co-circular activity to bring the need to preserve our forest closely to the next generation but talking foreign visitors or residents, the number seems abysmally low. It is understood that NFA was lacking the promotional and marketing efforts, unlike their wildlife counterpart UWA, where PR marketing and in particular the use of social media has made waves. Several trained guides are ready to take local and foreign visitors on to one of the four main hiking trails, or else on one of four cycling trails, the later requiring some experiences with mountain bikes of course.

As the map of Eco tourism shows, the four trails for hiking are red-tailed monkey trail, which can be done between 45 minutes and 15 hours, while the buttress tree trails, about 5 kms long, may take us as much as 3 hours to complete. The grey Cheeked Mangabey Trails is the longest of the four,6 kilometers long and can take as many as 4 hours to complete, at times longer as the guides try to track the famously elusive primates, seen in about one in three attempts according to peter Nsubuga ,one of the guides I found on site during my visit. The more recent discovery of the black mangabey is even rarer to find and would indeed take several hikes, even off the trails, accompanied by one of the guides with knowledge where these rare primates are actually located on given day.

A short ‘Picnic Loop’, almost not worthy to be called a hike, as it is rather a stroll, of less than a km can be completed in 20-30 minutes and at least gives an insight, a peak really, of what to expect when venturing deeper Into Mabira forest. The cycling trails, mountain bikers are welcome to bring their own bikes though basic models are available for hire at the at the centre at a modest cost of 25,000 Ush for the day, are notably more demanding in terms of time and come from ‘easy’, the blue trail of 5 km length taking about an hour or so even for novices, over the ‘medium’ rated yellow Trail of 12 km, taking depending on skills and fitness between 2 – 3 hours, to the longer and more demanding sections of the red trail, which has a shorter version of 30 km-seeing cyclists take between 4-5, and even more hours.

The ultimate challenge is the ride to the Griffin Falls, of late in the news over alleged contamination and pollution from a nearby sugar factory, which is called the White Trail and takes up to 8 hours to and from. Before I moved to the rainforest lodge I obtained a few of the impressive facts from the guides, including an eye opener when I compared the mammal inventory by nature Uganda with the ‘official’ guide books.

312 shrubs and tree species, 287 types of butterflies, 316 species of birds, many of them endemic, 23 species of reptiles, 97 species of moths and according to nature Uganda 51 mammals, where as the ‘regular’ guides only talk of thirty. If truly so, a marked improvement over the past and all the more reason to actually visit Mabira forest and hike it or cycle it.

And then it was a very careful crossing over the Kampala – Jinja highway, and be careful as you do because the number of food vendors at this spot at times make it hard to spot the cars, trucks and buses, which zapped at at high speed.

I moved for a few nights to the rainforest lodge, to enjoy the forest, the hospitality and facilities the lodge offers. Set just about 2.5 km off the main highway, this lodge is the only one within the NFA frame work of national forests. Access is via a good murram track, soon entering the forest proper. The mood immediately changes into anticipation as eyes scan the trees for monkeys, for bright flowers, orchids perhaps, the birds and butterflies, but not taking the eyes off the road for too long as there are some steep hills and sharp blind corners ahead.                          Bookings can be done with ease by email though payment still requires to be processed at the lodge office in Kampala, and all meals are included in the price. Ugandans and residents get special rate for a stay in any of the 20 wooden cabins. Meals are taken in the main restaurant but above it, almost as perched between the trees, is a bar and ‘lookout’ from an elevated vantage point, which permits for bird watching or simply looking into the evergreen foliage while sipping ones favorite cocktail, wine or spirit.

Depending on occupancies, there is either a buffet with a variety of dishes to choose from, starting with a soup all the way to the desert or salsa meals are served by the waiters, with a choice of dishes also available from the daily menu. Accommodation is spread out, the cottages well set apart from the next, and that allows for total privacy and the quiet, if not silent enjoyment of the forest. This is a ‘silent’ lodge, walkways to the cottages often steep but well lit to come for dinner and then return to the solitude of one’s own cabin securely.

The eerie calls, of the forest hyrax echo through the night from deep in the forest. Surely causing goose pimples to those who hear these screams for the first time, when the guests at the Mabira Rain forest lodge retire to their rooms after their dinner. The best magic in the forest is experienced at full moon of course while at new moon the darkness is almost overpowering before getting used to the various night sounds that emerge from the thickets, crickets, insects, moths flying circles around the balcony light unless it is switched off, or the whoosh of bat wings, the calls of the night owls or the rustling of leaves in the breeze, to permit a close up experience of sounds and scents of the forest, engulfing those seeking this special solitude.

A resident guide is available to take guests for walks around the lodge and beyond, explaining about birds; the red tailed monkeys, the shrubs and trees and has answers for just about any questions the visitors may throw at him. And for those not wishing to hike, there is a swimming pool and a sauna available for resident guests to use, and many in fact do to take advantage of steaming hot visit to the sauna as outside the evening chill creep up on the swimmers at the nearby pool. Mabira, so near and yet it feels so totally removed from the hustle and bustle of the city that it is always worthy a visit, for a weekend or a mid week break which will be remembered for long, at the Rain forest lodge inside Mabira forest or using the basic bandas at the Eco Tourism Centre. Just as long as you go and do visit.