The freedom to explore Uganda at your own pace is a fantastic adventure and the most flexible way to travel and meet all your travel expectations. Driving on the open road, dust tracks and game park trails on a self-drive is an incredible experience especially when you know which routes to use.
Prior knowledge of the routes to take, road distance plus duration is taken to get there and the available accommodation to stay in during the road trip is the best way to have fulfilling travel experience in Uganda on a self-drive. Below are some of the major self-drive routes in Uganda by tourists. All roads are tarmac with signposts and clear demarcations.
Kampala- Jinja highway (86 km)
This journey stretches from the busy city of Kampala in Central Uganda to the riverside town of Jinja in Eastern Uganda. The journey is approximately 86 km and getting there by car which is about 2 hours or less depending on the level of traffic on the roads in the city center.
Most tourists love visiting Jinja for a chance to see the Source of the Nile and also due to its wide variety of thrilling adventure sports which include white water rafting, bungee jumping, quad biking, cycling and boat rides among other activities. Along the route, you pass by lots of small towns, trading centers, Mabira forest, Lugazi sugar plantations plus amazing landscape scenery and local people.
Kampala-Masaka
The Masaka road is another busy route that stretches about 130 km from Kampala and then joins the Mbarara highway which is about 148 km in distance. These two routes lead to several popular tourist attractions including the equator and if a traveler wants a self-drive to Kibale forest, Ssese Islands, Lake Mburo national park, Bwindi Forest National park, and Lake Bunyonyi among others. The drives last about 2 hours or less with both roads in good condition.
Kampala-Entebbe highway (43 km)
This is among the most commonly used road in Uganda as it links the capital to the main airport hence all visitors coming in and departing the country use this route. It stretches for about 43 km from the city to the airport which is about 1 hour without traffic jams. It will take you to the Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEZ) also known as the Entebbe zoo, botanical gardens for bird watching, resort hotels, access to over 20 beaches on Lake Victoria and most importantly get cheap accommodation near the airport.
Kampala–Masindi road (285 km)
This road connects to the main Gulu highway and is regarded as the best and shortest route when driving to Murchison falls national park, one of Uganda’s largest conversation areas blessed with a wide variety of attractions including big game, primates, birds, as well as the beautiful Murchison, falls. It stretches for 285 km which is about 4 hours and 20 minutes’ drive traveling by road.
Kabale-Mbarara road (472 km)
A self-drive in Uganda to Bwindi impenetrable forest is one of the longest journeys but enjoyable to take with great sceneries. It will take you about 7 hours to get to Bwindi from Kampala passing via Masaka, Mbarara, and Kabale. The journey takes you through several trading centers, small towns, parks, local villages, rugged western landscapes among other attractions up to the home of the endangered mountain Gorillas.
The highway from Kabale to Kisoro
If you are coming from Kampala capital, you will increasingly see the vegetation change from Swamps (in Masaka) to dry low hills (Mbarara) to higher and green lush hills around Kabale. From Kabale, you will drive high up in the hills with fantastic views over Lake Bunyonyi and further ahead volcano tops. Spectacular views from the highway on your way to Kisoro.
Kitgum to Kidepo(Maram)
The first area is flat and plain and after Orom, you follow the signposts to Kidepo Valley National Park and the steadily the landscapes turn into the boulder landscape that is so exclusive for the area. You will drive into the hills and pass through a valley of stunning beauty.
Kotido to Moroto to Nakapiripirit
Another very scenic road takes you through barren lands rotated with humongous boulders that are so typical for the Karamoja region. Some breathtaking scenes will make better your day.
The Road from Ishaka to Katunguru
The road condition is here being quite poor, with lots of potholes in the poorly tarmacked road between Kichwamba and Katunguru, you need to be a good driver to dodge them and drive through. Though the views on this road, after you have passed Kichwamba are breathtaking.
Kisoro–Hamurwa–Kanungu to Ishasha
This route gives the highlight of the beautiful Kigezi hills around Bwindi. The terraced hills covered in mist in the morning hours, you will be able to look at the beautiful tropical rain forests that cover part of the hills. It also gives you an idea of the daily life of a Ugandan woman or Ugandan family lifestyle on daily activities and ways of living as they go to their gardens. You end in Ishasha to find the rare tree-climbing lions.
Conclusion
The diversity of Uganda landscapes is just unforgettable, flat swamp lands alternate hilly savannah grassland, bushy rain-forest, and snow-capped mountain peaks. It makes traveling through the country an adventure on its own on self-drive.
