Best Cars to Hire for Group Tours in Uganda

Group Tours are generally exciting, but overwhelming as well because being on the road is slightly unpredictable. However, with proper planning, your group tour is likely to be memorable and worth the experience. While you need to arrange for the perfect transportation for the road trip, it should be large/spacious enough to comfortably accommodate every traveler in the group.

You will agree that there is no better way to bond and have maximum fun than taking a group tour with friends, sports trips, church members, family or work colleagues and these can be to any of the National Parks in Uganda, picnic spots and school tours. For your group tours in Uganda, Mum and Dad Safaris offers the best cars to hire and these include;

Coaster Buses

Coaster Buses are one of the top and best cars to hire for group tours in Uganda and are capable of accommodating between 20 and 30 visitors. It is perfect for Company retreats, school tours and sports trips. Most of them feature fridge boxes, ample space for cargo in the rear and ceiling, DVD/CD/MP3 players, comfortable seats with enough leg room and arm rests, air conditioner, in addition to having several windows that allow each traveler to take in breathtaking views of the surrounding areas.

Safari Minivans

The Safari minivans are mid-sized and also popular during group tours in Uganda. With seating capacity of 7-9 visitors, these vehicles also feature pop-up roofs that are perfect for wildlife and scenic viewing during your Uganda safari, as well as photography without necessarily opening the doors and moving out. Being spacious, visitors are likely to relish the comfort and stretching while napping.

Like most of the Rental Cars used during Mum and Dad safaris, our Safari Minivans are 4WD hence making it easier to drive through the rough terrains (rocky, muddy, slippery or hilly) without worrying about being stuck in the mud or potholes. There is also ample space for keeping your luggage, Camping gear and so much more.

Safari Land Cruisers

This 4WD Safari vehicle is another wonderful option for group tours in Uganda and are manufacture by Toyota, one of Japan’s top automobile manufacturers. It has a seating capacity of 8 passengers who comfortably sit and enjoy leg room. More still, land cruisers feature spacious cargo space in the rear, air-conditioner, pop-up roof that make it possible to enjoy game drives as well as scenic viewing, freezer box and MP3/DVD/CD Player.

The Super Custom Vans

Super custom Vans are also wonderful option to hire for group tours in Uganda and usually come with a number of features that include adjustable windows that visitors can open (when need be) to let in fresh air as well as air conditioner. They have seating capacity of up to 8 passengers, yet have enough leg room as well as slid roof that are ideal for game drives or letting in sunshine.

The seats are also comfortable and adjustable, with bottle holders in addition to freezer boxes for keeping drinks chilled, MP3 Player and many others. Besides game viewing, the super custom vans are ideal for City excursions and airport transfers.

Besides the coaster buses, Safari land cruisers, super custom Vans and Safari minivans, Mum and Dad Uganda Tours also offers a wide range of cars for smaller group tours and they include Toyota Rav 4 with a seating capacity of 2-4 passengers, the Toyota Ipsum and Noah among others. Our Vehicles are affordable and range between $40 and $150 per day, without fuel and a driver. Given the high demand, advance booking is recommended for travelers, to avoid last-minute disappointments.

3 Major Transport Means to Access Uganda Parks

Depending on the long-distance involved to access Uganda’s national parks, many travelers would love to know the top means of transport to use. The pearl of Africa has ten national parks, about 13 wildlife reserves, and numerous cultural and historical sites for tourism. However, most of these tourist sites are far from Kampala and Entebbe, the two starting bases for almost every tour in Uganda.

The nearest national park to access from Kampala or Entebbe is Lake Mburo National Park which is situated about 235 kilometers west of the two cities. It takes about 4 hours and a half by road travel for tourists to reach it.

Nonetheless, the long-distance involved to reach Uganda’s national parks is never a problem for tourists because of the great development of the transport system in the country. Uganda has a good road network, all highways leading to the remote areas where the parks are found are asphalt. For those who have limited time on their safari or need convenience and comfort, numerous airstrips are strategically established in the towns or areas close to the national parks.

Due to the remoteness of Uganda’s national parks, many tourists request the most convenient means of transport to reach them. Based on tourism statistics in Uganda, there are three means of transport frequently used by tourists to travel to the various tourist destinations in the country.

Car rental

Car hire is the most popular mode of transport used by tourists visiting national parks in Uganda. Car hire services are regarded as cost-effective, safe, convenient, and relatively fast and the aforementioned attributes are what the tourists look for when choosing a means of transport to tour around. Car rental in Uganda comes with two options which include hiring a car with a driver and self drive. Car hire with a driver is the option used for classic Uganda conducted by tour companies.  The drivers hired are seasoned tour guides who have vast experience and information about the road routes, the locations of the parks, and the wildlife within them. The drivers are the custodians of the safari trip, they assist the tourists with lodge check-in, navigating and driving to the tourist destinations and tour guiding on game drives, and other activities.

Self drive is the new trend in the country. Travelers have become brave enough and are driving themselves to tourist places. All they do now is rent a car from a reputable company and take on the mantle of being their own driver guides around Uganda.  Self drive in Uganda provides the freedom and independence to be in control of your itinerary. Though self-guided tours are adventurous and fun, travelers are cautioned to be vigilant and careful. They need to follow tips like not driving at night, adhering to the traffic rules, and traveling to only safe places.

Public means

The public means are available leading to the towns close to the national parks.  The public means are in form of buses and taxis (passenger vans).  The buses which are usually 60-seat vehicles are the main means of transport in Uganda for long-distance travel. The Matatu or vans are used for short-distance travel but a few take long routes as far as Mbale, Fort Portal, Mbarara, and Gulu.

If you wish to use public means to access Uganda’s national park, buses are recommended because they are safer and cheaper than taxis.  You don’t have to worry about how and where to book the bus services. You have to simply visit their stations in Kampala. Various routes have varied stations situated in different areas in the city center.  Note: some bus routes have scheduled times while others have frequent commutations, as soon as one bus leaves the other is ready for boarding.

To get to the station, you can ask locals around the city center by informing them of the route you wish to take and you will be directed to the station. Or take a boda boda, the riders are more or less city tour guides, they know each and each corner of the city, they simply lead to the bus station.

The public means normally drop travelers to the nearby towns to the national parks and then take a boda boda or a local special hire to access the park premises. For instance, if you wish to go to Murchison falls national park, you will board a bus to Masindi town. Upon reaching Masindi, you will get a special hire (normally an old saloon car driven by a freelance driver) which will take you to the park premises.

Chartered/scheduled flights

For travelers who have limited time on their safari and are of affluent background, chartered flights to the airstrips within or close to the game parks are available from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip in Wakiso district.

The recommended airstrips within or close to the national parks include Pakuba/Chobe Airstrips for Murchison falls national park, Mbarara Airstrip for Lake Mburo national park, Apoka Airstrip for Kidepo National Park, Mweya/Kasese/kihihi for Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kisoro/Kihihi airstrips for Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.  When tourists arrive at the airstrips, ground transport arranged by their tour operators is always present to transfer them to their actual destination which is normally the lodge.

The charter flights to Uganda’s National parks are managed and operated by Aero Link. A tourist can directly contact them or indirectly reach out to them through the local tour operator to book a flight. AeroLink own a fleet of light airplanes with a carrying capacity of five people that fly to Uganda parks.

Tourists are advised to plan their travel considering the daily schedule time for the flights and booking of the flight must be done in advance, especially in the high season of travel in Uganda.

The above 3 explained means of transport are the most frequently used by tourists to travel to the game parks. However, car hire and charter flights are more convenient and recommended.

Guided Safaris Vs Self Drive Tours in Uganda

Uganda is popular not only for its most stunning mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park but also for its countless wildlife species that range from the rare bird species (10% of world birds all are confined in Uganda), the big game (African lion, African elephants, buffaloes, leopards and the white Rhinos).  Besides, there are several cultural encounters, stunning scenic views, the mighty Nile, the Ssese Islands and the historical Kampala city that all reward visitors with the most fascinating experiences of life time. Whereas Uganda has become the leading safari destination in Africa, most visitors flocking across the world still ca not choose between self drive trips and guided trips.

Below are differences between self drive safaris and guided safaris. We hope this can help while you are choosing the best safari holidays in Uganda’s remotest destination. Visitors also know that taking a self drive tour does not mean that you are absolutely on your own.

A self drive safari is pocket friendly because tourists do not pay the daily costs for guides or even lodge and food.  Your option of the car ca also make a distinction in the whole cost of a self drive safari. For guided safaris, they are more expensive since tourist will be required to pay for guiding services however the total cost per visitor all depends on the number of people.

While on a self drive safari, tourists do not have the freedom to ask a guide to explain other things, wildlife or bird species that come by their way and this leaves out several questions not answered. Whereas guided safaris, tourists feel free to ask questions at any time and this helps to widen visitors understanding about the attraction.

A self drive safari in most cases is done by tourist himself or herself. This is interesting but bear in mind that while driving you have to keep track of any interesting things along the road at the same time and at the end of the day you enjoy half way of the most stunning sceneries of this beautiful country and not forgetting that you can get tired compared to other travelers. Whereas guided safaris visitors have a freedom to chill and enjoy the beautiful sceneries as you will be driven by a tour guide driver.

Although most tourists think that self drive safaris do not have a guide, most tourist activities may need a guide. Whereas guided safaris even if tourists engage in guided activities planned by the lodge and with local tour guide, our guide is also readily available to provide more explanations that in turn enhance your travel experiences in the destination.

On self drive safari, tourists are in a given destination are responsible for themselves while on game viewing. This also denotes that the tourist can be depending on his or her skill and luck which in turn end with either not viewing several wildlife species or an animal but with out understanding what it is or its behavior. In most cases, visitors carry many travel/guide books but this equally adds on the load for tourists. Whereas guided safaris, it is advantageous especially when it comes to game viewing since there are trained guides to take visitors through various wildlife trails while explaining each and every wildlife species that visitors can spot. This also increases the chances of tourists to sight at many species than driving on your own through the national park. We have well trained guides who understand how to find specific wildlife species, what to search for and they are in position to recognize and follow trails, differentiate sounds among others.

Most tourists associate self drive safaris with privacy, however even guided safaris it is possible to plan a lone time for tourists. Whereas it is misunderstanding that guided safaris offer no privacy to visitors, our guide equally requires this. The best we always do is make it balanced, the guide is ever available at a point when he is needed but he will at regular times allow you to have your wonderful evening during your dinner at restaurant.

Locating your way while on self drive safari is not a problem because with tailor made trips, tourists don’t only get detailed itinerary but also satellite navigation system which comes at a cost depending on how long the trip can be. For self drive safaris, tourist enjoy more flexible trips as it allows them to make stop over at any point of their choice and take as many photos of the beautiful sceneries along the way.

In conclusion, whereas there are usual differences between guided safaris and self drive safaris in Uganda, tourists normally expect an enjoyable, well planned safaris which together fit their requirements and budget. Most importantly, both categories include the same destinations and they all include tailor made safaris for visitors.

The Top Safety Tips for Self-driving Safaris in Uganda

The self-drive safaris are becoming very popular in Uganda and the car hire companies are increasing in Kampala and the nearby towns like Entebbe, Mbarara, Kabale and Jinja and many others. Driving in Uganda is becoming a challenge due to the old cars, insecurity, poor and narrow roads and many more. The tips below will keep you safe throughout on your expedition of self drive in Uganda.

Always check the car thoroughly before starting your journey. The tyres must be in good conditions and always make sure that the spare tyres are in good shape. And for the long trips, we recommend that you have 2 spare tyres. It’s however worth checking the water level, lights, wiper blades, oil, as well as leakages. The service tag on the car will show you the last date when the car was last serviced. It’s therefore advised to always do a proper check especially when you are going for a long journey.

Avoid driving a night; Most part of the country have go no street lights most especially those going to the main tourist areas and these have got high way robber and it gets so dangerous to travel most especially at Night. So in case you are to move at night, always make sure you have got enough security with you for safety driving.

Always use maps and the GPS; In case you are driving in a foreign country, it’s advisable that you use road map and GPS navigation. The car rental companies in Uganda provide cars with GPS and the road maps at no extra cost.

You should always follow traffic rules and laws; the traffic laws will save you from dangers on the road, always read the road signs, don’t drink and drive and always wear your seat belt and get your passengers to wear their seat belt to avoid the charges and accidents.

Always take breaks, eat and fuel your car; it advisable to always take breaks to refresh, eat, and buy enough supplies as well as fuel. Always remember to refill before leaving big towns because you might not know the distance to the next gas station. You need to know that there are no gas stations in national parks and that means that you need to go to the park with enough fuel.

Always don’t drive when feeling tired; always avoid driving when you feel tired. You can always park and get a rest before proceeding with your colleague if he or she has got a driving permit.

Always take care of the weather changes; the driving speed will change with the weather. Always control your speed when it’s raining because the roads are slippery. The murram roads are the worst yet very dusty with potholes, and so impassable when it rains. That why we recommend a 4×4 Vehicle.

Always pay attention to other road users; the Ugandan roads are so narrow and some without pedestrian walks. Therefore, the drivers should be attentive to observe other road users like the boda boda riders, cyclists, students as well as cattle crossing. Therefore you must mind many other road users.

You must always know the park rules; you must always observe the park rules and regulations for your safety, don’t feed animal, don’t walk alone in the park, always stay inside your tent and don’t keep the items in the tent since animals like the hyenas and lions can always smell it. You will be made to pay ug shs 100,000 for over speeding in the park and $150 for off track driving.

About the mobile Network coverage since some parts of the country don’t have clear network coverage. Therefore you are advised to always have satellite phones.

Top 10 Safety Tips when Driving Uganda National Parks

Uganda, known as pearl of Africa is one of the most visited place in in Africa and the world at large. Uganda is so beautiful a country with so many things ranging from water bodies, natural vegetation, mountains and national parks. Though national parks make it more beautiful each having unique attractions i.e gorillas in Bwindi, chimpanzees in Kibale, wildlife in Queen Elizabeth, Murchison falls and Lake Mburo national parks.
Today we are to look at how you can have a safe drive though the national parks where game drives are made even when you are not without a ranger or guide. National parks are located in remote areas away from the city centers where roads are rough and in bad conditions so you are advised to 4×4 car. The country has got over 5 national parks where you can do game drives for game viewing out of the 10 in the country. The wildlife life found in these national parks in interesting flora and fauna

Where are these National parks found?

Uganda’s national parks are distributed in the country though they are found in Uganda’s remote areas which are deep in the village. This therefore for calls for a good guide/driver who is well conversant with these places so that you avoid getting lost on the way.

Which tourism activities are there in Uganda’s national parks?

In Uganda’s national parks, there pronounced tourism activities which you can participate in , while relaxing and having leisure. The most pronounced activities in Ugandan national parks include; game driving, nature walks, boat riding, research, hiking of hills and doing some research as needed by you. Of the above activities, the most pronounced activity in the park is game drive.

What does the game drive involve when you are in a national park?

When you are in one of Uganda’s national park, a typical game drive will involve you driving around and in the national park by a 4X4 safari car. While driving, you will you will enjoying watching different flora and fauna within the national parks. The fauna which will be viewed will include; wild animals like elephants, crocodiles, lions (with tree climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National park and Kidepo valley National Park)

You should however note that in Uganda, not all national parks do offer game drives. In some national parks, there are very fragile lands that can diversely be affected when you are driving the car you have rented and this may damage the car you are driving leading to problems in the long run. If you want to experience a typical game drive in Uganda‘s national park, you will get these game drives in five (5) of the Uganda’s national parks. These major national parks include; Elizabeth national parks. This is found in the western part of the country, and while you are on the game drive in this park, you will view tree climbing lions along the Ishasha route. Other parks where game drives can be held include; Murchison falls national park, Kidepo valley national park, Lake Mburo national park and Kibale National park.

What happens when you are driving in Uganda’s national parks?

In case you have ever visited Uganda’s national parks, it is not the same way as you are driving on road surface. When you are driving on the road, usually there are measures and guides being put for you to follow when you are driving. Whereas in national parks, the game drives start as early as 7:00 am and end exactly as 7:00 Pm. Beyond this, then you are not allowed to drive inside the park and when you are got, you will be penalized. Remember most of the roads in national parks, there marram roads.

What is the maximum limit of driving in a national park?

The recommended speed in the national parks is 35-45 km/hr. This is because of the need to avoid accidents such as knocking animals within the park which may be crossing. You should never overtake in the park because it has never been allowed. Just abide by the speed limit as you will enjoy viewing the animals when you driving at a low pace that when you drive at a high speed.

How do demarcated parks in national parks look like?

There are good demarcated routes which are designed for vehicles during the game drives in the park. When driving, you should not go off the track which may involve going off the roads because this will lead you to affect the vegetation. You should not that when driving in the park, you should always keep in mind that the game animals are given the first priority than anything else because these are the cores of the game drives in the park. Since these parks are found a bit far places from the town, then you should use cars in good conditions. do you want to have achance to drive through Uganda’s national parks on your own? Just click here

Photography Tours in Murchison Falls National Park

One of the largest and modern safari fleets in Uganda including several custom-built and new model 4×4 Land cruisers driven by some of Uganda’s best and most experienced safari guides. With our depth of experience and hand-picked safari consultant team we specialize in tailor-made, luxury, customized safaris in Uganda, the Pearl of Africa.

If you can dream it, we can make it happen! Murchison Falls National park contains a wide variety of wildlife including big game, forest primates and 450 bird species. The mighty Nile, the longest river in the world, flows through the heart of the park for a distance of 120km, on its 6500km journey from Lake Victoria to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. The park’s centre piece is the explosive, 40m high Murchison Falls where the Nile is forced through a 6 metre gap in the rift valley escarpment.

The Falls separate two very different rivers. Upstream, the river races down a turbulent 80km channel punctuated with rapids. Downstream, the Nile flows quietly towards Lake Albert which it enters through a large papyrus delta.

Duroboats are the perfect craft for small groups hence giving you photo and filming expedition when you are few. Their light aluminium hulls each provide comfortable seating for up to four people plus a skipper/guide. They are also suitable for filming since they are open sided.

Medium sized Alligator game viewing boats with their 8.5m long, shallow V-hulls have been designed for use on African rivers and provide comfortable seating for groups of up to 14 for excursions. A carpeted upper deck allows views of wildlife beyond the reeds that fringe the shoreline and also provides additional height for those that like to cast their rods. With this photography and filming are more perfect.

More to that is the big double-decker (Garyboto) river vessel with capacity for 35 guests. It has two decks with flexible seating arrangements and our on board river guide moves around on board providing interesting information and pointing out animal and bird sightings as you are filming. The covered lower deck provides welcome shade while the semi-covered, upper deck – standing 3m above the river – allows excellent views close to the shore as well as further afield and solid wooden decking provides a stable photography platform. A toilet is also on board. Nature Adventure Uganda provides you with all these amazing services. Its real excitement traveling with us, making your dreams come true as well as a memorable life time safari.

How to Choose the Right Car Rental Agency in Uganda

It’s so vital that people have started realizing the importance of renting cars when they reach their destinations other than using their own cars. As it is prescribed, car rental is a way of commuting service where the customers can rent a car for a specific period of time at a reasonable price. That’s by definition. The car renting service is actually becoming most popular among tourists, particularly those who plan to travel overseas. Tourists no longer move with their cars from their homes to different tourism destinations. In Uganda, they are multiple of car rental companies that offer a wide variety of cars including Rav4, Toyota, Landcruisers, Vax Wagons, Pic Ups and even camp-cars. When you visit the website, there are so many car rental companies available these days and sometimes it becomes hard for the tourist to select the right one.

Once you opt to rent a car in Uganda, make sure you check the driving terms and conditions of that particular company. This is because some countries have a restriction on age limit and will prevent people from renting a car. Like in some countries, minors are not supposed to rent or drive a car. Make sure that you check out the rules of Uganda once you choose to come to Uganda.

Another essential part is that you have to do some proper in-depth research before you rent a car. This is because of emergence of fake car rental online that end up taking people’s money. There are several car rental websites online offering car hire services; as a customer you should check different prices offered on different cars rented from their websites. Customers can also check if the company has an outlet of their company in other cities and their pick and drop locations.

When you are making an online booking and you find anything unclear and its hard to understand, make a call on the respective contact number given on the website. Or you can browse the website and make the notes of the things you need to ask, after that you can visit the nearest rental office of the company or give them a call. The customer representative is the best source of information as they can provide the precise details according to the query of the client.

Also a Customers, you should think about the type of car they need. There are a good number of car types on website with different price tags. Will they need a vehicle which can serve the purpose of a mobile home or do they just need a simple car to drive themselves around? Most companies list the types of vehicles they offer on their websites so that the customer can make the booking easily and quick and find when they are already as soon as they reach the prescribed destination

Lastly, customers need to focus on the amount of charges they need to pay before hiring the right car rental company. The charges don’t only include the fees of the car rental, but also include several other car related fees including hidden charges. Customers should read the fine print of their contract and ask questions if they are not clear about anything.

6 Tips for Traveling With Children on a Safari in Uganda

Are you planning on travelling for your next holiday in Uganda? Are you planning to take a self drive in Uganda? And are you planning this with the Kids? Oh!…..The excitement and joy children feel travelling with their parents on a long trip brings preparation in them like an early bird… They can’t wait for the promised day to reach. They are prepared as early as they could not to forget their playing materials packed in the travel bags. Toddlers like any other human being need company of their parents not to be left behind for the impressive journey ahead as they are unhappy and uncomfortable at home.

Check out for various rental agencies of your choice to have a memorable tour on the source of the Nile, the Murchison Falls, the Entebbe Zoo, the dwelling large gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and all sorts of attractions that you meet along your planned safari to the pearl of Africa in a self drive car. Below are tips to put in consideration while travelling with kids.

1. Pack Snacks
   Nobody wants a hungry toddler to become a grumpy toddler. Along the journey children always love to eat sugary snacks,biscuits,cakes mention them to sustain the hunger for long hours and get the calories to make the weaver bird noise, blow the vuvuzelas, sing their most memorable songs at school. However try your level best to avoid packing such snacks since they cost their health. Oh! What a joyful journey with friends.
2. Bring Entertainment
   Since babies and children are one of the vulnerable people that need attention,keep them with fun making materials; baby toys, vuvuzelas, game toys so as to keep them focused and interested in a safari trip eager to see strange and memorable unforgettable features through the van’s wind screens, the seemingly movable trees through the wind screen, mountains and hills for the first time. Provide them with child-proof cameras if possible to keep them entertained with fellow children
3. Get Reinforcements
   Worried of toddlers, plan ahead of the trip in case you ought to travel with a nanny. Toddlers need maximum attention to feel the comfort of the trip. To change the clothes, feed them and stop the baby from crying. Or one of you can be the alternative if a nanny is expensive to travel with.
4. Sing Together
   Pick a song that you are all used too, sing to one tune and have fun with the kids remix. They become happy when they see you sing along with them.
5. Stop Frequently
   The beauty of self drive is that you can stop at your own pace. Frequent stops make children get stretched after long hours of travel, get a glance look to the seemingly moveable trees and mountains, get exposed to nearby people and ease themselves.
6. Medical Kit
   For quick delivery a First Aid kit should a companion in case of stomachache. Never the less some children asymptotic to weather affiliated diseases like asthma which requires them to move their inhalers in case the climate worsens. Lastly travelling with kids on a self drive safari is the best decision one can share with the society to have a memorable experience in a life time.