10 COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID ON A SELF-DRIVE UGANDA SAFARI
A self-drive in Uganda can be a thrilling undertaking as you enjoy the different sights, especially
in the wild life and the beautiful landscapes. When you rent a 4×4 vehicle for a self-drive Uganda
safari, there are mistakes that first time visitor often make that an intended adventure turns out to
be a catastrophe.
These are the common mistakes a visitor, especially a first timer having a self-drive in Uganda
safari should avoid.
Renting an unsuitable vehicle: As a result of the different car rental pricings of the vehicle,
some on may end up choosing a wrong car for your intended purpose. For example, if one comes
to Uganda intending to self-drive, and have an off-road safari, you will need a 4×4 rental vehicle,
which are usually high priced. These include Land Cruiser Extended which goes for $180, Land
Cruiser Prado that goes for $70 per day, Toyota Rav4 at only $45 per day or the Land Cruiser V8 at only $80 per day.
But because of one’s pocket size, you may intend to hire a cheaper car that does not fit your
purpose of game driving, and then you end up of having car break downs in the field.
Driving too close to wildlife: There is a tendency of visitors to drive close to the wildlife, in a
bid to get a clear view. However, visitors should desist from this action especially when they see
predators or the big game (elephants, buffalos and hippos).
It is wise to leave at least 30-50 meters from the animals and this is to protect the visitors from
danger and also conserve wildlife.
Late booking of permits: When you are intending to undertake activities such as gorilla
trekking or habituation, it is very wise to book permits in advance.
This should be done several months before you set foot on Uganda’s soil.
This will help you not miss out on the adventure you would like to have because of missing a
little surf on the internet to make bookings.
Not packing cash: Cash is the major and easy way for transactions in Uganda. All things are
always paid in cash in Uganda, as it is not as tedious as using cards like in other countries. Cash
will be very important especially when you intend to buy souvenirs and also enter parks, as park
entry fees are paid in cash.
Getting out of the vehicle in unsafe places: In the parks, it is very dangerous to get out of the
car and doing so is also against park rules. Tall grass is a vivid characteristic of game parks and
is a favorite hiding spot for predators such as hyenas, lions, leopards among others.
In addition to this mistake, Uganda being an unfamiliar land to visitors, it is safe not to come out
of the vehicle in unknown places that are difficult to reach even on the map. You will never
know who you will encounter in the remote areas during your off-road safari in Uganda.
Ignoring fuel levels: Whenever your fuel tank drops to half, it is wise to refill before you go
deeper to remote areas. This is because filling stations are rare in remote areas such as those in
national parks such as Kidepo and Queen Elizabeth National Parks.
Night time driving: It is dangerous to drive at night as a visitor since you are unfamiliar with the
environment and you do not know which place to park or who to call for help in case you need it.
Therefore, it is incumbent of the visitor to drive during day and make it a point to be in a safe
place such as your hotel residence by dusk.
Not packing essentials: There are must packs for those intending to have a safari especially in
the wild. Essentials such as hiking boots will preserve your feet from injuries during hikes or
walks, raincoat incase the weather changes along the day from how it started, among others. Not
having them may cost you your enjoyment.
Physical fitness: If you are interested in engaging in challenging activities such as hiking, it is
wise to check your physical condition prior to your activity. This will save you from getting too
exhausted mid-way the trek or even passing out. Exercising or seeing a doctor before your
activities will make you fit for your activities.
Breaching rental contract: There is a tendency of people who hire cars in breaching the car
rental contract. There are policies in the contract such as no repairs without the company
consent. When a car gets a problem in the field, they tend to fix it and expect repair refunds from
the company. This will be an issue between the company and the renter as the latter doesn’t give
refunds when there was no consent. Therefore, it is wise not to repair without company consent.
For you to have an adventurous off-road safari, you need to avoid making these mistakes so that
you don’t have any misunderstanding with the car rental company, Ugandan authorities and the
people at large.