Hiring a Car is a wonderful, stress-free and surprisingly cost-effective way to discover Uganda (the Pearl of Africa). For travelers that desire freedom or to make their travel experiences more convenient and memorable, hiring a car in Uganda is the way to go. Whether you wish to undertake a safari, get around the City, transfer to/from the Airport, especially in areas were public transportation is scarse.
If you are undertaking a wildlife safari in Uganda, you will find hiring a Car to be more convenient, flexible and full of freedom as you will feel free to make stops at unplanned places for photography, leg stretching or answer the calls of Nature, something you won’t have when using a bus or Taxi.
However, in as much as hiring a Car is a wonderful way of discovering this beautiful country, some travelers still don’t know the nitty gritty of hiring Cars in Uganda and we are here to ease the process. Therefore, how do you hire a Car in Uganda?
Before we take you through the simple process on how to hire a Car in Uganda, it is worth noting that Uganda is a safe destination for self-drive tours and you will most likely enjoy your road trip and leave Uganda desiring for more.
Book for the Car in advance
Booking for the Car early enough will save you last minute disappointments (as you fail to get the desired Car), save you from spending more than expected and allow you to plan for the trip. Just like you do with accommodation and flights, we recommend booking for the Rental Car at least 6 months in advance and you can even do this online prior to your arrival into Uganda instead of waiting to walk-in the Company offices when you are already in the country. Anyone who has hired Cars before will tell you that booking in advance (via telephone or online) is less costly.
Imagine the disappointment of finding that your Car of choice has been hired out by the Car Rental Company, then the only available options are more expensive that you had budgeted for. Therefore, avoid hefty Car Hire rates by making your booking at least 6 months before your arrival into the country.
Choose a credible Car Rental Company
There are numerous Car rental Companies in Uganda and across the borders through which you can hire your dream Car via telephone, online or physically in their offices. Some of these Companies have offices at Entebbe International Airport and in major Towns (especially Kampala, Entebbe and possibly Mbarara) where you can pick your Car or have it delivered to you. However, as there are many Companies, there are also many fraudsters and therefore before you choose the Car Rental Company to book with, there are a number of things you will need to consider and these include reviews from past travelers (via TripAdvisor, and Google reviews) where you will find information on other travelers’ travel experiences. From this information, you will have a general overview of the Company with the best terms and conditions or rates.
Another factor to consider while searching and choosing Car rental Companies is the location whereby we advise our clients to always find out the rental rates in different places. For instance, a car will be cheaper when hired from the City than at/close to the Airport.
Compare Car Hire Rates and policies/or terms and Conditions
Having checked a number of Car Hire Companies, the next thing to do is to compare them in terms of rates (how much particular Car types/categories cost) as well as their terms and Conditions. Rates usually vary from one Car Rental Company to the other and besides that, take your time to read through their terms and Conditions (especially issues to do with mileage, administrative fees and Insurance covers)