Most visitors to Uganda fly and hire a car to use while on their vacation. Very few bring their own cars from other countries.
If you are hiring a car, you need to know that the bigger and more luxury the vehicle the more you will spend on both fuel and rental fees. Fuel in Uganda is currently 5,120 (about $1.50) per litre of petrol or 4210 (about $1.20) per litre of diesel. Though diesel sounds a lit bit cheaper, its almost the same no matter which option you go for. Forinstance, a litre of petrol in a Landcruiser TX that common for rental can take you 8 – 10km and that of diesel 5 – 7km.
You can get surprised as some visitors do by how big Uganda is. Though popularly known for only mountain Gorillas, but if you are here for a tour to all major parks it can take you a minimum of 19 days travel around the country. Uganda’s top tourist destinations are majorly in the West but there are a lot more interesting in the East too such as Jinja city, Mountain Elgon, Pian Upe game reserve and Kidepo Valley National Park just to mention but a few. In the west, it’s where the country’s tourism activities boom most with worldwide popular destinations such as Bwindi Forest & Rwenzori mountain and regional popular destinations such as Queen Elizabeth and Murchison falls National park among others.
Most of the main roads have been improved and tarmacked and many feeder ones are still in dire state. A reason you should always look out for a 4×4 vehicle. The highway speed limit is 80 km/hr, the speed limit on National park roads and urban centres is 40km/hr and in rural areas between 20 and 60km/hr depending on how good the road is.
Speed limits are enforced by the Traffic police that puton khaki uniforms with white long sleeves. These are always positioned where you least expect them to be most especially on highways. In towns, they are always found on round abouts and ring roads to regulate traffic.
Besides speed control, these traffic officers will stop you for driving license and vehicle insurance and general vehicle mechanical and safety conditions such as wearing seat belts, state of the tyres and widscreens among others. If you have hired a car, ask for your car rental company to show you all correct documents of the car before you set off for the journey.
All in all, driving in Uganda is generally not easy. Poor roads, bad drivers, unpredictable weather conditions and sometimes traffic police can harass you for a very simple reason. It is extremely hazardous driving between 10pm and 6am and many rental companies strongly prohbit this. Drink driving is common, seat belts are rarely worn and drivers are aggressive and totally discourteous. Less chances of getting help in case of an emergency as all businesses close before sunset.
While driving anywhere in Uganda, never expect another driver to give way if he has the right of way. Drive defensively and always expect the absolutely ridiculous to happen.
