Top Self Drive Parks in Uganda

Top self-drive parks in Uganda include Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, and Murchison Falls National Park. These are the top savanna National Parks in Uganda and offer excellent self-drive safari experiences. With a 4×4 self-drive rental car, you can safely drive and explore the wonders in each of Uganda’s self-drive parks.

Top Self-Drive Parks to Explore

Queen Elizabeth National Park

If you are searching for the ideal destination to explore on a Uganda self-drive tour, then Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of them. Dubbed the Medley of Wonders, Queen Elizabeth offers captivating self-drive game viewing safaris, a great opportunity for you to unearth the rich wildlife and cultural heritage. The park lies along the Equator crossing and was created back in 1952. Today, Queen Elizabeth National Park sits on a land area of 1978 sq.km and holds a diversity of wildlife.

While in Queen Elizabeth National Park, expect to encounter a range of animals from the savanna to aquatic species as well as forest dwellers. About 95 mammal species reside in this park alone, including buffalo, elephants, Uganda Kobs, hippos, spotted hyenas, jackals, leopards, waterbucks, lions (including the tree climbing lions at the Ishasha region) plus primates like olive baboons, vervet monkeys, chimpanzees, and black & white colobus monkeys.

The birds to explore, in addition to wildlife, include the black-bellied bustards, Ruppell’s griffon vultures, African jacanas, elusive shoebill storks, lesser flamingos, saddle-billed storks, Great white pelicans, and hooded vultures. Martial eagles, red-throated bee-eaters, bateleur, papyrus gonoleks, African fish eagle, and African emerald cuckoos.

What should you expect to engage in Queen Elizabeth National Park? The possible safari experiences to enjoy in Queen Elizabeth National Park –Uganda include guided game drives, boat cruise tours, birding, nature walks, chimpanzee tracking, and others.

Lake Mburo National Park

Created in 1983, Lake Mburo National Park is one of the most accessible self-drive parks in Uganda. Getting to Lake Mburo for your self-drive adventures takes between 4 and 5 hours. The park extends up to 260 sq. km and holds a diversity of wildlife. Regardless of its compact size, Lake Mburo National Park promises amazing sightings of wildlife, including savanna and aquatic species.

Among the diverse wildlife to explore in Lake Mburo National Park are klipspringer, bushbucks, impalas, Defassa waterbucks, elands, zebras, warthogs, giraffes, and sitatunga. The park is also famous for abundant predators such as spotted hyenas, leopards, and these are often spotted during the night game drives.

The popular aquatic species to find here include the Nile crocodiles and hippos. Over 350 bird species also exist and can be explored in Lake Mburo National Park. They include black-collared barbets, white-winged swamp warblers, giant kingfishers, elusive shoebill storks, green wood-hoopoe, Ross’s turacos, African fish eagles, and Southern ground hornbills. Lake Mburo National Park also supports birds such as malachite kingfishers, lilac-breasted rollers, common squacco, long-toed lapwing, bare-faced go-away, and brown snake eagle.

Lake Mburo National Park is popular for its unique experiences, including game drives, launch or boat cruise, nature walks, cycling, community visits, quad biking, and more. Visit Lake Mburo National Park to experience the best of your self-drive adventures.

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa is one of the best places to consider a must-visit for you to experience on a self-drive tour. Created in 2005, Ziwa offers refuge to not only rhinos but also other diverse wildlife species. While at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, expect to find wildlife such as white rhinos, waterbucks, Aardvarks, Jackson’s hartebeests, and varied bird species. The birds of interest in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary include hadada ibis, eastern plantain-eaters, red-eyed doves, woodland kingfishers, western cattle-egrets, African jacanas, white-crested turacos, little bee-eaters, and wattled lapwings.

At Ziwa, expect to indulge in guided rhino tracking. The rhino treks offer you a rare chance to meet the rhinos in the wild. Visitors embark on a guided walk to locate where rhinos are residing and explore them at close range. Besides tracking rhinos, expect to also enjoy guided birding tours with a great opportunity to find the elusive shoebill storks. Nature walks are also ideal experiences awaiting you at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Visitors on a self-drive tour of Uganda can reach Ziwa by road. Depart from Entebbe or Kampala and navigate along the Gulu highway, but when you get to Nakasongola, branch off to Nakitoma. Ziwa is an ideal spot to explore together with Murchison Falls National Park. The two protected areas can be visited on one itinerary of at least 4 days.

Ajai Wildlife Reserve

Ajai is a compact reserve located in Northwestern Uganda. It is a 148 sq. km protected area, home to diverse mammals. At Ajai, expect to locate diverse mammals, including the relocated rhinos, Uganda Kobs, bushbucks, hartebeests, hippos, and more.

How to plan a self-drive safari in Uganda

A successful self-drive safari in Uganda can be organized but requires prior preparation. Take a look at the useful tips below to guide you on how to plan your next self-drive adventure in Uganda.

Rent a self-drive vehicle. There are lots of rental cars suitable for self-drive road trips. Get the car that is affordable and suits your desires when it comes to self-driving in Uganda. At Maranatha Tours and Travel, it is possible to find a good 4×4 RAV4 or a Land Cruiser that you can embark on a road trip to any of the top self-drive parks in Uganda.

Understand the road regulations. Before you embark on a self-drive, you should have at the back of your mind the set regulations. Know the speed limit that you should drive while in the National Parks and on the highway.

Pay for the park entry fees. Do not forget to clear the park entry fees, including car entry and any logistics involved.

Know when to go for self-driving. Uganda is an all year round destination, but the peak dry months offer ideal conditions for you to explore your self-drive parks with peace.

Book with an expert. Do not forget to contact the reliable tour operator (Maranatha Tours and Travel) to guide you and secure your self-drive expedition in Uganda.