(content by Christopher)
Travelling to a destination for the first time often comes with its own challenges that sometimes leave you wondering and wishing someone had given you a heads-up. The same applies to Uganda road trips for first-timers. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid on your first Uganda road trip.
Itinerary without breaks
Most of the time, people plan their trips with the intent of reaching every destination possible. Unfortunately, they rarely plan or leave room for breaks. What would have been a Uganda road trip holiday turns out to be a hectic adventure that requires you to have another break shortly after it.
It is wise to plan for a maximum of 200km a day. This will give you ample time to relax and recharge. There are many things to do and see during a Uganda road trip, but the wise thing to do is to plan breaks that will help you be more relaxed at the end of the trip.
Not Accounting For Timeline Change
This mostly affects people from the United States of America. There is quite a huge timeline gap between Uganda and the United States of America. If you simply travel to Uganda without planning for a day or two for acclimatization, the first days of your Uganda road trip will be affected.
It is therefore wise to plan for a day or two at the start of the trip to allow your body to adjust to the change in timeline so that you will not end up feeling sleepy throughout the day and keeping awake through the night.
Starting the Road Trip the Day, you receive the car
It is your trip, and therefore, you are responsible for its success or failure. One of the most common mistakes is people receiving the car the very day they intend to start their trip. This leaves very little room to change to another car or even cancel and look for another option in case the car is not in the best condition.
We recommend people to plan the start of their journey a day or two after their arrival, but ask the car to be delivered on the day of their arrival. This will give you an opportunity to test drive the car. In case there is something you notice that requires adjustment, then it can be worked on in a day or two because you are not in a rush.
When you leave Kampala, road assistance becomes a little bit harder. There are places where you will lose a full day to simply fix a flat tire, yet in Kampala, it will not even take 30 minutes. With this at the back of your mind, it is wise to receive the car on the day that you do not intend to start your road trip.
Last Minute Car Rentals
Last-minute 4×4 car rentals in Uganda are not a good idea. By last minute, we mean booking a car the very day when you intend to start your Uganda road trip, or the following day. This does not give you room to examine the car, and even if the company needs to do final fixes, there would not be enough time.
We highly recommend that if someone is to book a last-minute car, it should be with in the timeline of a week or two weeks.
Looking for Gorilla Permits During the Trip
All gorilla trekking permits are sold at the Kampala office of the Uganda Wildlife Authority. On top of that, the permits often sell out more so in the peak season. It is always recommended to reserve the permits at least a month before the start of your trip.
This will leave room for the money transfers. It is important to note that money transfers sometimes take up to a week to be complete. With that in mind, it is recommended to reserve the permits at most a month in advance, but six months in advance is ideal.
When you reserve the gorilla permits six months in advance, you have the opportunity to choose a preferred gorilla trekking sector. If you book at the last minute, you can only go by what is available.
Applying for a visa in Your Week Of Travel
We are concluding with this for one reason: it is the most costly mistake. Many people book flights in advance but never apply for a visa. Some are surprised to find out that they cannot get on a flight without a visa, while others attempt to apply for a visa in the very week they intend to travel.
It is important to note that a Uganda Visa can take up to five working days to be processed. In case there is a Ugandan Embassy in your country, you can always rush there and get your Visa in a day or two. If you are to stick on online Visa application, then give yourself ample time.
In conclusion, there are several other common mistakes to avoid during and before a Uganda road trip, but these are the most common and highly costly mistakes. Avoiding these will save you a lot of money and from a great deal of frustration.
