I and my wife wanted to visit Uganda but definitely on a low budget such that we can explore the country’s most tourists’ places. When you read about Uganda online it is a very nice place to go, this country has got 10 national parks and so many reserves. Therefore, if you are planning a trip to Uganda, it is better to make it round circuit such that you visit every park as each park has got a nice attractions and activities to enjoy.
To suitably plan this self-drive holiday, it took us almost two years planning. At first, we wanted to take the escorted and fully organized trip but we found it expensive since this country has got few safari lodges and camps as compared to Tanzania and Kenya.
During the planning of fully organized trip in Uganda we were planning with Ugandan tour which we found online with very positive reviews. From the start the travel expert that was helping us to tailor this trip (Moses) was so intelligent and accommodative.
Sincerely we wanted a 04 weeks trip but from start he advised us to prepare enough funds to facilitate logistics of such trip and we too got prepared and just after few days he provided a very suitable program and well recommended safari lodges and camps and all self-contained and offering very nice international hospitality services.
Our communication with Moses was both by email and Whats App. So, when we discussed with my wife about this fully organized trip, we found it to be a bit expensive yet we wanted also to visit Rwanda and Kenya. We again had to talk to Moses that we may find it hard to take on this trip and when we engaged with Moses about the price, he straight away came up with a new advice and we found it accommodative.
Though this company offers suitable eco tours in Uganda and other East African regions, they too offer the very friendly other services like the suitable road trips across East Africa with the well maintained 4×4 Rooftop Tent Jeeps and we went with this option. From the endless list of the 4×4 jeeps that were provided with the very competitive price quote we chose to go with the strong 4×4 Land Cruiser with rooftop tent and with our safari guide “Emma” we had a very nice and amazing route across Uganda and Rwanda.
We arrived in Uganda a day before our trip and we met with Moses and Emma alongside our 4×4 jeep and then on this day free of charged we stayed with Emma in Entebbe doing our shopping and preparing for our trip the next day. Then very excited on our next day we continued our journey to Lake Bunyonyi via Lake Mburo National Park where we had an en-route game drive looking for the African wildlife and birds.
Lunch at Igongo restaurant in Mbarara and after we drove to Lake Bunyonyi and the trip was so informative and thanks to Emma is well informed about African culture, weather and climate, politics and so many ideas. At Lake Bunyonyi we had interesting overnight stay at Lake Bunyonyi overland camp that is situated at the shores of the Lake.
Today we will take scenic boat ride along the shores of Lake Bunyonyi visiting to the beautiful dotted islands and visit to the various families living on these islands. Have lunch and thereafter, we drove to Kigali city, Rwanda via Katuna border and upon arrival at the Nyabugogo village we started scenic view of the city. Here we had our night retire within our rooftop tent at Rujo Hostel Kigali. Then the next day we had a full Kigali city tour excursion visiting various places like genocide memorial, local markets and craft shops. Rwanda – Kigali has got so many international eat out places and we had our lunch and dinner and Khana Khazana restaurant where we really had a very delicious continental meals and the nice loving coffee.
Though our interest in Rwanda was to explore Kigali after the Kigali genocide memorial we got interest of visiting more of the interesting places that we had heard in Rwanda and in our discussion with Emma we tried asking him the inside of Intore dance and he told us this is the paradise of Rwanda culture.
Then the next day instead of driving direct to Ruhengeri we drove towards the Butare town and since we were having enough time for this trip we reached here at this museum and then we enjoyed the evening experience and good enough we visited the place during the normal days but when you visit on the festive days the price varies from what we paid.
Therefore, I do recommend and advise you fellow travelers that if you are to visit some places always have enough discussion with your tour organizer such that you secure some discounts to some of the places to visit. After this cultural experience we had to proceed to Kibuye and we found a nice local garden with very nice scenic view of the Lake Kivu and with our jeep with rooftop tent we had to set it overlooking the Lake and Emma definitely secured a local room at the garden’s corner and then my wife as usual started to prepare our dinner and this time round Emma joined us and the local chicken and Irish was so delicious.
From Kibuye our next destination was the Gisenyi and still we are exploring the shores of Lake Kivu and from this town we had to retire at the Discover Youth Hostel and this night we stepped into the Lake Kivu Serena Hotel and here my wife surprised me and she suggested that she the one to pay the meal and drinks for two of us.
We started our day with the visit to the Dancing Pots where we enjoyed again more Rwanda cultural experience and from this point you deeply get involved in the typical lifestyle of the people. Learn more of the skills of the crafts making like the pots, baskets and marts.
Drive to Ruhengeri and here we enjoyed the interesting and informative episodes of the Dian Fossey Museum and camps about the conservation work of the great American primatologist in the Virunga massifs.
Exciting Rwanda was so amazing with the scenic visit to the twin Lakes Ruhondo and Burera that are suitably located at the slopes of the mountain Volcanoes – Rwanda. It is interesting viewing the down warping filled up with the water and take beautiful pictures.
Cross to Uganda via Cyanika border and head to Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and we spent the evening taking the Batwa trail and experience the historical and current lifestyle of the Batwa in the park.
Gorilla trekking experience was our next adventure to enjoy in the Virunga massifs and after this our long-waited experience we drove to the shores of the Volcanic Lake Mutanda and here we stayed at the Mutanda Eco Camp and staying here you will enjoy the scenic view of the beautiful landscapes of the area. Today, we relax at the camp with the educative walk around the camp and then evening we took a scenic boat ride along the shores of Lake Mutanda.
Game drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park via the Kigezi Game Reserve and here search for the rare African tree climbing lions in the branches of the fig trees. To highly see these rare lions is between noon and evening and here we had to retire at the Ishasha River Camp and staying at this camp in our 4×4 rooftop tent was so amazing listening to roaring sounds of the lions and birds in the night.
After exploring the Ishasha sector we drove to the Mweya peninsula and stayed 4 nights at the Mweya Camp and we had so many game drives at the Kasenyi mating ground looking for more wildlife species like the elephants, lions, leopards among others. Afternoon boat ride is so amazing offering wildlife and bird life viewing at the shores of the channel. Enjoy the chimps walk in the Kyambura gorge reserve at the buffer zone of the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
In conclusion, I highly recommend taking road trip across Uganda and Rwanda with 4×4 rooftop tent jeep and very experienced safari guide driver from 4×4 Car Hire Uganda a very reliable and trusted car rental agency.