Ultimate Guide to Driving a Rental Car in Uganda

Our legendary road trip Uganda is one of our favorite trips EVER and renting a car in Uganda was an essential part of our itinerary. After all, four wheels are a must have when you’re planning a road trip through three countries! We had huge plans for our rental car: a 3 week drive from Kampala taking in Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Murchison Falls, Tree climbing lions of Queen Elizabeth National Park and the incredible Ssesse Island beaches in the middle of Lake Victoria. Having driven over 4,000km on Uganda’s roads we wanted to share everything we learned about driving in the country to help you plan your trip. Here are our top tips for driving in Uganda!

Choosing a rental car

Rent the biggest car you can afford if you’re traveling for more than a few days. The vastness of the country means you are going to spend many, many hours in the car and it is more than worth it to spend a little extra for some comfort. We, as three adults, shared a Toyota Land Cruiser customized for safaris with a pop up roof, and it was perfect for a longer haul Gorilla trip. The tinted windows meant our luggage wasn’t too visible in the trunk and we had plenty of leg room during the trip.

Consider a 4×4 if you are tempted to go off-road. We ended up taking some hilly terrains, something which was only possible with a 4×4. We also encountered a number of roads which would likely be uncomfortable in a regular car due to their very poor condition.

Uganda Driving Etiquette

Driving is on the left hand side in Uganda and almost all vehicles are left hand. This is because the country was once a British protectorate.

Almost on the entire trip we generally found Uganda drivers to be very courteous and everyone we met on the way was very considerate when over taking and changing lanes.

When driving on a single lane road move to the left into the hard shoulder to let cars past. This can be quite counter-intuitive as a foreign driver but it was a common occurrence and caused us to sweat profusely when it happened on the brow of a hill!

If you wish to pass a slower moving vehicle indicate to the right and the car in front will typically move in when possible.

Climbing lanes are often available as the Uganda roads are quite hilly especially in the southern part of the country and there are lots of large trucks and Lorries. Use them to pass trucks and slow-moving vehicles when going uphill. If you are moving slowly than the traffic, move into the left lane to let traffic overtake.

Once you pass another driver a flash of the hazard lights suffices as a thank you. You’ll usually be greeted by a friendly flash of their headlights. It’s a friendly gesture so don’t be alarmed when it first happens!

Honking the horn is strictly prohibited in any national park and fined if you do it except in an emergency. We only heard a horn twice and definitely not in the park on both occasions the drivers were almost in an accident situation.

Watch out for the stop signs! Being used to driving in the US and Europe the stop signs on the main roads through the towns took us by surprise. Be sure to come to a complete halt at the stop sign and give way to cars along the main road onto the main road.

Driving Directions

A GPS is essential. We used an offline GPS app which we have on our cellphones and, on occasion, used the data on the local phone lines we purchased at the beginning of our trip. Our GPS was equipped with speed limits which although sometimes out of date, was useful for the ever-changing speed limits we met.

Double check your route before you start and have a general idea of the route before you set out each day. This is important especially when using the country roads. Sometimes the GPS suggested off-road conditions because the distance was shorter but don’t be tempted by the shorter predicted times as the roads can be horrific!

Driving at night

The number one rule is to avoid driving after dark whenever possible! Our car rental company advised us of this a number of times when we picked up our car. There are a number of reasons for this:

Outside of Kampala there were lots of people walking and running on the hard shoulder after dark and it was almost impossible to see them with the head lamps as they didn’t typically wear any reflective gear. It is especially common to see walkers in and around the townships.

Lots of animals come out at night and it is a huge driving hazard. We came across so many herds of goats and cows wandering on the road and it would not have been pleasant to hit them!

Many of the roads, including the main highways, did not have fluorescent line markings or cats-eyes. This makes driving after dark particularly difficult as it can be difficult to see the road!

Despite these warnings we actually ended up doing quite a lot of night driving as our itinerary was so jam-packed and we underestimated some of the driving distances. We encountered all of the above as well as an incredibly foggy mountain pass and it made for very stressful evenings!

Speed Limits in Uganda

Watch your speed! We noticed that the Uganda drivers rarely, if ever, broke the speed limit.

The police presence was very heavy in most areas of our trip, particularly on the Garden Route portion of the drive. This meant there were mobile speed cameras setup everywhere and we found cruise control invaluable for staying within the speed limit. Fixed speed cameras were prevalent in Cape Town and we saw a number of them during our time there.

The speed limit varies frequently and it was common to go through zones of 50, 80 and 100 km/h interchangeably. Driving through most of trading centers and towns strictly keep 50km/h follow the sign posts on the highways

Road Conditions in Uganda

Generally speaking the roads were very good throughout all of Uganda, especially the western routes to the African standard. The roads in Rwanda from the Katuna Pass to Kigali were, somewhat surprisingly, excellent due to the new road upgrade. The Northern roads were fine but we did encounter some patches poorly maintained roads. There are of course a number of caveats to these:

The Katuna pass road has a fantastic new surface on the Rwanda border side; however the road is still 4×4 only between the Kyanika border and the Uganda entry point. Only 4×4’s will be allowed to enter, you have been warned!

There were occasional long stretches of road works. Outside of Kampala we passed at least 10 instances where roads or lanes were closed because of temporary and road works. This can drastically increase your drive time!

On many occasions we came across roads in quite bad condition in the rural areas. Potholes, dust roads and roads without line markings were relatively common on our road trip through the country.

Gas Station stops

Fuel/Petrol stations were available frequently during our drives throughout the country. The only exception to this was up-country in the northern part of the country where we didn’t pass a single major fuel/petrol station on our drive. We had read this before we travelled and planned accordingly. The stations were less frequent on the Northern side of Uganda but were not sparse enough for us to be concerned about the distances.

Don’t fill your own car. There are petrol attendants at all the fuel stops who will fill you up, bring the credit card machine and wash your windows as you wait. If you need it any way, they can check your oil, water and tyre pressure. As a tourist, it’s customary to tip a small amount such as $5 for the service.

Parking Security

We loved the parking attendants who were present in the car parks at all the popular spots. A small tip e.g. 2000shs was sufficient and we felt very secure leaving our car. In Kampala there were official parking attendants on most streets, charging a standard price for parking and monitoring.

Use common sense when a parking attendant isn’t around. Do not leave anything visible in the car. We were warned on multiple occasions by locals about this. We didn’t have any bad experiences; however they warned that even leaving a charging cable visible was enough to increase the risk of a break in.

Driving in other African Countries

Most of the major rental companies allow their cars to be driven into Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Southern Sudan, Burundi and D.R. Congo. For Rwanda you drive on the right and for most of the highways keep the speed at 40km/h

If you are considering driving outside of Uganda be sure to mention it to your rental company when you pick up your car. We rented our self-drive Safari Car from Rent a Car in Uganda and received a letter (free of charge) which gave us permission to enter Rwanda and Tanzania with the rental car. These letters were required at the borders. We were still liable for the vehicle border crossing fees.

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Luxury Car Hire in Uganda: Things to Know

What every traveler ought to ruminate is the worthiness of the services to the huge mount. Luxury car hire in Uganda always reflect on the huge amount for a super comfortable. Besides the comfort, renting a luxurious car rental fleet bargains for privacy and freedom of ones travel plan. When opting to drive throughout a country with such uncompromising style considering to rent a car for a freewill is an echoing decision.

Hoping for the luxury car hire in Uganda, there’re varied comparisons to select from whenever one opt for a super and comfortable luxury trip. Renting a car for either a self-drive or with a driver has taken another course with the 21^st century, as well in Uganda there’re number of car rental companies that have tended to propose wider range of car hire selections. A posh self-drive in Uganda is now made possible with variety of 4×4 car rental considerations for a remarkable pearl of Africa.

A luxurious car rental adventure comprises of various services used and among the considerations include transportation, accommodations as well there are luxurious adventure undertaking which also vary with tourist destinations. Renting a luxurious car rental is a shift which makes a classification in travelers among which are the Luxury travelers, Mid-range travelers and budget travelers. So, all classifications can be catered in respective to one drawn inquiry. In this write-up we have drawn below some of the things to consider when opting for a luxury car rental services in Uganda.

What to note with a luxury car hire in Uganda?

Would one like to rent a car for a self-drive or renting a car with a driver? Right all are possible with car rental in Uganda. Why go for a luxury car hire? It to cruising around like a boss, with this consideration one comfortably enjoys the behind seat, only be like a boss, and rent a car with a driver. There’re possibilities of a luxury car hire in Uganda on either a self-drive or rent a car with the driver. Though most of travelers think of renting a 4×4 for self-drive but luxury car rental services in Uganda mainly comes with a driver to ensure that uncompromised freedom of traveling like a boss. However, one’s motive is for a self-drive in Uganda then should possess a valid driving license to drive comfortably on Uganda roads. But it’s also important to note that mainly car hire in Uganda a number of car rental agencies is available only with a driver.

However, this depends on which kind of car rental is taken for a self-drive. There’re odds of having a luxury car hire to drive your way, but should note that these vehicles are have tracker locaters but this doesn’t interfere with one freedom of cruising around.

Vehicles available for luxury car hire in Uganda

As well in Uganda there’re wider range of fleets to reflect to make a superfluity trip. With any purpose of renting a car let it be wedding, honey moon, educational, volunteering, charity or an adventure trip. What brands a luxury trip is mode of comfort one receives and the having a touch of comfort with car rentals matches with the mode of the vehicle offered. The considerate Luxury car hire fleets include Mercedes Benz cross country, Land cruiser TX, V8, and range rovers these can be accommodative for solo and groups of about 4 travelers. And for group travelers of 5 plus can consider taking a 4×4 Land cruiser pop up, super custom or Toyota Haice (drone) and luxurious coasters for a bigger groups.

How to get a Luxury car hire in Uganda?

Wider ranges of car rental agencies avails in Uganda stretch service accessibility of luxury car hire. The best way to rent vehicles is basing at you comfort office, home in your residing country and browsing through endless list of car rental for the convenient online.  Whenever making an inquiry on car rental make let all your request be made for full. To ensure that luxurious car rental it’s advisable to make installment payments in advance.

It’s not guaranteed that all car rental agencies can offer that superfluid luxurious car rental, however, a wider range of car hire in Uganda they have that offer. When the purpose is an African adventure on the land of the pearl of Africa then it’s advisable to reflect on hiring a 4×4 car rental which camouflage the holly, muddy and stony roads of the upcountry remotest places and the fitting fleets are the 4×4 Land cruiser V8, land cruiser hard top, Land Rover, Rang rover, Benz cross country.

Inclusive on a luxury car hire in Uganda?

Whenever renting car for either a self-drive adventure or with a driver comes with extras and other extras comes with client’s request of which some attract an extra charge. On receiving a car deal expect a guide map, and a driver which is sometimes included on the rental rates for Luxury hire in Uganda. As well, other inclusive come by client’s request and these are GPS, Camping gears among many as maybe requested for.

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Quick Guide to Planning Uganda Safaris

When it comes to Uganda holidays, a striking feature that is most often seen in the areas near the rain forests is the use of terraced agriculture, which rings the hills in thousands of shades of green. Beginning at the main point of arrival in Entebbe, most safaris will head west to the broad belt of national parks that form the western border.

Due to the fact that the country is situated right on the meeting point of the eastern savannah and western jungle ecosystems, Uganda has excellent terrain for a wide variety of safaris, from traditional game drives through golden grassland seeking lion or elephant to strapping on your hiking boots and trekking through lush rain forest. The birding is superlative, with the variation in habitat attracting a vast array of species, including the crowning glory of the shoebill, a highly sought-after sight for the true birder. The traditional Big Five parks of Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls, do not yet match the game densities of their contemporaries to the east. That said, the game viewing is still very much alive and well and the parks boast a mere fraction of the tourist numbers that may dilutes the experience for those visiting the more developed destinations. A sighting of lion, elephant or leopard here is a moment to treasure and is seldom shared with other vehicles and we believe in clients or customs desires   in traveling to all the tourist attraction in the national game park.

Who Are Uganda Safaris for?

Uganda safaris are for all travelers! We provide tour services to all our customers at the low price. Whether you are looking to guided safari or a self drive in Uganda, there are options that will suit you.

Uganda is a dream destination that attracts travelers interested in primate safaris. Chimpanzees roam in numbers in Kibale and Queen Elizabeth National Park, as do colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, de Brazza monkeys and a host of other species. The last mountain gorillas are carefully protected in the Impenetrable Forest of Bwindi. There is absolutely no exaggeration in gorilla trekking as life-altering. The destination is just as much sought after by birders, as Uganda boasts over a thousand species among its varied habitats. A keen birder can hope to encounter the handsome francolin, dwarf honeyguide and purple-breasted sunbird, among many other species that are very difficult to see anywhere else. And, like the gorilla, there is the highlight of seeing the unforgettable shoebill. Uganda outshines all other safari destinations in these two areas, but, in addition, it remains a superb destination for traditional safari by vehicle or by boat, thanks to its lush habitats and variety of species. For those in search of something fresh and vibrant, Uganda is the perfect choice we shall take you through all our national game parks in Uganda.

How long to stay?

The length of a typical Uganda safari will vary. Those seeking to track gorillas will fly into Entebbe and often overnight on the shores of Lake Victoria before flying out to the south western parks the following morning. Experts recommend tracking the gorillas twice, as the first time is often a little overwhelming and guests don’t take it all in. After the gorilla experience, visitors usually fly back to Entebbe to continue their safari elsewhere or to head out onto the Nature Adventure   circuit with visits to Kibale, Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls. Further north, at the very tip of the country, travellers can explore the untouched open spaces of lesser-known parks like Kidepo. On average, however, stays range between four to six days.

When should I go?

Uganda is a good year-round destination, but the rainy seasons (March to May and November to December) can make logistics a little tricky. Rain also increases the difficulty of tracking in Bwindi, Mgahinga and Kibale, rendering the mountain slopes muddy. Uganda has a major advantage in terms of temperature although its location is equatorial, the high altitude eases the heat, meaning that the weather remains temperate all year round. The high season for in line with other East African destinations, which means during the winter months in the southern hemisphere, from January to December every year.

if you’ve ever wanted to sit with mountain gorillas in their natural rainforest habitat then a Nature Adventure will deliver on your expectations. Boasting a 90% success rate at finding habituated gorilla family groups in the extraordinary Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, gorilla trekking in Uganda has become one of Africa’s most powerful wildlife experiences and such is its success that the gorilla population is actually increasing.

But don’t think that Nature Adventure is only about gorillas in rainforests: this landlocked East African country is home to a range of diverse national parks and is a strong contender for one of the world’s best bird watching destinations. Head for Murchison Falls or Queen Elizabeth National Park for classic big game viewing, chimpanzee trekking and river cruises but we also provide accommodation to our clients or customers at low prices.

Kibale, in southern Uganda, forms a massive wildlife corridor with Queen Elizabeth National Park that is used by migrating elephants in search of water. A mixture of tropical rainforest, swamp and grasslands, Kibale supports Africa’s biggest population of chimpanzees as well as at least a dozen other primate species. It is a top destination for those wanting to trek primates, including gorillas, and with over 320 recorded bird species, is also a haven for twitchers.

A green, hilly and elevated country with many lakes and mountains, Uganda’s appeal lies in its simplicity. Infrastructure is limited but growing and there is now a good range of safari accommodation and city-based hotels. Ideal for seasoned safari-goers, bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts, Uganda’s star is on the rise – combine it with Kenya or Tanzania for a holistic East African safari experience.

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7 Forests for Nature Walks in Uganda

Uganda is gifted with very many gorgeous forests where tourist activities such as forest/nature, walks chimp tracking can take place. Some of the forest include; Mabira Forest, Budongo Forest, Kibale Forest, Bwindi Forest, Mpanga Forest Reserves,

MABIRA FOREST

Mabira Forest is just about54km from Kampala Uganda’s capital and largest city and 20km from Buyikwe District between Lugazi and Jinja and trails the main from Jinja to Kampala road.  It has been protected as Mabira Forest Reserve since 1932. It is covering an area of about 306 square kilometers and it’s regarded as one of the last remaining rain forest and biggest in central Uganda. It is home for many endangered species like the primate such as the black and white colobus monkey, the red tailed monkeys, Vertvets, grey-cheeked mangabeys not only primates but the forest is also a home to over 315 bird species including the Cassinis hawk eagle, Grey long bill the list is endless, different species of butterflies and tree species. The Mabira Forest offers several activities which are enjoyed by travelers who make it at the forest these; Forest/nature walks. This is regarded as one of the most fascinating activities carried out in the forest reserve, while at the forest walk you cant fail to site very many forest dwellers such as primates like the red tailed monkeys, vertvets, gre-cheeked mangabeys, bird species, butterflies, different tree species, all be spotted out.

birding, the forest houses over 315 species of birds some of which are rare to other forest reserves and national park to mention some of these birds include the Nathan’s francolin, paradise fly catcher, purple-throated cuckoo shrike, sooty boubou , different species of sun birds the list is endless. Other activities carried out the park include; cycle trails, mountain biking, or even relaxing and have a picnic lunch at the forest centre.

BWINDI FOREST

Bwindi Forest is one of the richest forests in Africa. Home to nearly half of the total remaining population of the mountain gorillas in the wild, Bwindi is famous for its gorilla safaris; trips that involve walks and treks in search of the endangered mountain gorillas within the wild. It is a UNESCO heritage site located in south western Uganda. Many travelers visit this park for mountain gorilla trekking, one of the most rewarding treks you will ever take in the wid.

BUDONGO FOREST RESERVE

Budongo forest is located in North western part of Uganda in Masindi district approximately 3-4 hours drive on the way to Murchison falls National Park. It covers an area of about 825sqkms of which only 53% is forest and it has been a forest reserve since 1932.The remaining 479 is grassland forest. This forest type is classified as medium altitude semi deciduous moist forest. Budongo forest offers an extremely rich biodiversity including 24 species of small mammals, and 280 butterflies and over 9 species of primates. It is also the natural habitat of more than 600 chimpanzees, of which a small community has been habituated for eco-tourism purposes. This family consists of 80 individuals, allowing visitors the exceptional opportunity to view these amazing apes in their natural environment. Other primates that can be observed are the Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys, Olive Baboons, Red-tailed Monkeys, Blue Monkeys and Grey-cheeked Mangabeys.

KANIYO PABIDI

Here visitors can enjoy chimpanzee tracking, birding and wonderful accommodation in a beautiful natural setting while Busingiro offers birding and a bush comp .The royal mile is a popular birding sites also managed –by the Jane Goodall institute -Uganda which is accessible with a guide from Busingiro.

Several activities can be carried out at the reserve to mention some include

Chimp Tracking: this is the most sought after activity at the reserve during the guided walk in the green tropical forest. This is done with your guide who will be in position to give you detailed information about the animals and plants species that you meet on your way. Chimp tracking can be experienced daily with two viewing times per day, tracking can go between 2-4 hours depending on the movement of chimps, ounce they are found you strictly allowed spending one hour with them in the wild while enjoying their daily activities such as playing, taking photos and also observing their behaviors. Not only chimps can be seen during the chimp tracking but also other primate species such as black and white colobus monkeys, Red-tailed Monkeys, and different type of birds, tracks of mammals and much more.

BUDONGO FOREST

Forest walks: Budongo forest has well developed forest trails give you the perfect opportunity to explore the beauty of the tropical rainforest. While on a forest walk opportunities of seeing more bird species, butterflies species, and some primates in a close range is so high.

Birding: Budongo Forest is some times referred to as a heaven for birders with over 360 species of birds. While in the forest the guide will help you to look out for different types of birds some of are rare to other game reserves. Bird watching safaris are available for a half or full day and guided by keen birders. If you have more than one day in Budongo then a visit to the ‘Royal Mile’ is a must. It is located about 60 km from Budongo Eco Lodge and offers a spectacular wide forest avenue with a high density of birds, including the Chocolate-backed Kingfisher and Paradise Flycatcher.

Other activities include Chimp Habituation Experience. With the Habituation Experience you will spend a full day with our ‘cousins’ and learn about their way of life

KATONGA WILDLIFE RESERVE

Katonga wildlife reserve is located western Uganda, along the banks of River Katonga in the districts of Ibanda and Kamwenge. The reserve was established in 1998 covering an area of about 211sq km.  It is just about 4-5 hour’s drive from Kampala up to the reserve. There are over 40animal species such as bush buch, statunga, and reedbuck, warthogs, colobus monkey the list is endless and over 150 bird species found within the reserve. The reserve can best explored by canoe or by foot.

MPANGA FOREST RESERVE

This forest reserve is a beautiful forest which has been conserved as a scientific research site since 1953, It is located 37 Kms west from Kampala Uganda’s capital and largest city along the Masaka Rd. the forest has various trails form which visitors can view the plentiful bird life, butterflies, monkeys and so many other attractions. There is a drum making industry at Mpambire village near Mpanga forest. It is a home of the Royal drum makers. The trees for making these drums are got from Mpanga Forest reserve.

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How to Find Affordable Car Rental in Uganda

If you are looking for quality and cheap car rental in Uganda, you have found the very right contact. We are a car rental company based in Uganda offering preferably the lowest costs for hire, we are very reliable, whether you need self-drive or chauffeur driven car hire service in Uganda.

We are flexible either you need us to get you the car at the airport (Entebbe international airport) we can pick you from there, or Kampala, Jinja or direct from our offices in Kampala. We can drop off your booked car at nearly all town locations in Uganda. So its better you advise us in advance about your convenience place where we can drop the car or pick-up the car from.

We are not only operating in Uganda, but we do also extend our services to Kigali in Rwanda, Nairobi in Kenya and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. However if you are to cross boarders its better you advise us in time so that we can write you a letter that allow crossing the car at any boarder point. We have a good and sounding car hire fleets that are well maintained ranging from saloon car, min vans, min bus, and all our cars are 4wheel drives and all our safari cars are customized for safaris just waiting for you choose, we have a solution to every one’s interest and budget.

We have been in the field of serving our clients with our unequaled services for quite a big number of years offering supreme personal customer service and unbeatable prices on car hire in Uganda. Our friendly and qualified staff plus our new and well maintained fleets at affordable price put us in the number one list of car rental service in Uganda. You can reach us by sending us an email for the best deal, our team is readily available to get back to you before 3 hours immediately after sending us an inquiry.

You are advised to include whatever you want to be included in your car rental fleet wither you need a either you need a car on self-drive or you need a driver, include also the number of days you will be using then car and the type of you are interested in. you can also advise if you need us to book for you accommodations or gorilla/chimpanzee permits or any other extras you will be helped accordingly and we will do it at no other extra costs We charge what we promise and agreed upon.  This among many others makes us exceptional compared to other companies that ask for extra costs for other services needed.

You can as we advise the type of fleet you need we will provide, however our team will advise you accordingly with the best fleet in store at affordable price that best suits you in order to have your dreams comes to reality. We don’t charge any cancellation fees until up to 24 hours before pick-up of the vehicle.

We have no problem if you advise us that you need a car hire upgrade, notify us in time about your preferred upgrade of the vehicle we can give you the car of your choice to come your experience come true while in Uganda either for safari or conference. We Offer regional car hire deals for everyone interested, Trustworthy and best price guaranteed any time. We also cater for those who prefer hiring on weekends and we have special rate for those categories of people, hence allowing you to make the best of your weekend away with friends and family.

We valve our clients’ money and over 98% of our clients save if they trust and book with us at 4×4 Uganda Car Rentals. Don’t look no further, just contact us you have your dreams come true.

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Gorilla Trekking Vs Chimpanzee Tracking in Uganda

In Uganda, gorilla trekking is done in two destinations namely: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga National Park. The mentioned two gorilla parks are situated in western Uganda and can be reached in a duration between 7-9 hours drive.  You can easily link the two parks and basing on your budget, you can decide to encounter mountain gorillas in both locations.

On the other hand, Uganda offers chimpanzee trekking in five destinations namely: Kibale National Park, Budongo Forest (Murchison Falls National Park), Toro- Semuliki Game reserve, Kalinzu Forest and Kyambura Gorge (Queen Elizabeth National Park).

As far as primate trekking is concerned, gorilla trekking is more organized that chimpanzee trekking in the amazing tropical rain forests. Its because, Gorillas form and lives in families unlike chimpanzees which lives in communities but separates during day to avoid high competition for food. To back up my statement, look at the variation in prices: the highest amount of Chimpanzee trekking permit is US$200 compared to US$700 for Gorilla trekking.

Gorilla trekking receives more attendants compared to chimpanzee trekking. Amidst high cost of Gorilla trekking, statistics shows more sales than chimpanzee trekking per annum.

In terms of convenience, chimpanzees are more convenient than gorillas for the following reasons:

• Uganda keeps captive chimpanzees in Uganda Wildlife Education centre (Former Entebbe Zoo) and at Ngamba Island. For guest who can endure the hustling of walking in the jungle to search for chimpanzees can engage chimpanzees up close while in captivity. On the other hand, strong and fitter guests can move to find chimpanzees in any of the five destinations if not all.
• In terms of transport, most of the Uganda chimpanzee destinations are easily reached: Budongo Forest can be reached between 4-5hours drive, Kibale National park between 5-6hrs drive, Kyambura Gorge and Kalinzu forest between 6-7hrs drive.
• Chimpanzee trekking competition is a bit lower than that of gorilla trekking. In other words, you can easily get chimpanzee trekking permit than Gorilla pass.
• Chimpanzee trekking is done in two shifts: Morning and afternoon shift especially in Kibale National Park. Gorilla trekking has only morning shift and more restrictions are set.

Mountain Gorillas are among the world’s rare primates compared to chimpanzees. Statistics shows that mountain gorillas are found only in Virunga region and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Good news is that, Uganda has the majority and being rare primates, the country offers a unique gorilla safari experience that is inexpensive and memorable to travelers looking for primate safaris.

A maximum of eight people is allowed to meet each gorilla group in Uganda but chimpanzee trekking permits six people.

Gorilla trekking exercise is highly challenging compared to chimpanzee trekking. The rangers recommend a porter for each trekker. Porters carry guests’ luggage and sometimes carry tourists in case of failure to finish the exercise.

Gorilla habituation is done in Rushaga Sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National park while Chimpanzee Habituation in Kibale National park. Primate habituation is aiming at making them familiar to human hence facilitating primate tracking. In conclusion, both chimpanzee and Gorilla treks are memorable and one should complement another.

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