Roadtrip Uganda - Rwanda on Your Own

Uganda and Rwanda are both countries often associated with civil wars, refugees, and poverty. Therefore, I was met with quite a bit of skepticism from friends and family when I mentioned my new travel destination.

Despite assurances that these destinations are very safe and a promise not to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo (which has the Virunga National Park and its resident gorillas, a dream of mine), my decision was reluctantly accepted. I'm not swayed in my choice of travel destinations anyway.

A good decision, as it turned out. Both countries are incredibly green, the people exude joy and energy as they strive to advance their nation's economies. I've never seen so many people working really hard (I mean really hard), tinkering, coming up with ideas just to ensure they have food on the table the next day.

The nature is indescribable. Every day and every moment we enjoyed driving through these breathtaking landscapes in our Toyota Rav4.

This trip has not only left me immensely impressed and presented me with new challenges every day but also served as a great learning experience where we got to meet inspiring people.

Since I don't want to keep all this in a private travel diary, here are excerpts from my diary documenting our 25-day road trip through Uganda and Rwanda.

I hope it inspires you to visit these two countries as well. It's definitely worth it!

Few travelers drive through Uganda and Rwanda with their own rental car. They usually book a driver right away. Although not everyone probably has the courage to follow the motto "close your eyes and go for it," it's definitely worth exploring these countries without a driver. Sometimes I probably outgrew my driving skills (I've never driven off-road or in a 4WD before).

Driving can sometimes be exhausting (hours of terrible roads with minimal or no road signs, especially in Uganda) or even dangerous (at one point we almost tipped over, multiple times we had to dodge reckless drivers, and once I lost control of the vehicle due to deep mud. We also encountered night driving at least five times).

Generally, Uganda and Rwanda are very safe travel destinations. Both countries are stable and relatively secure. However, there are unrests in some neighboring countries (especially in the north near the border with South Sudan at Kidepo National Park and in the Karamoja region near the border with Kenya).

We traveled independently through Uganda and Rwanda and never felt unsafe. However, we did not visit the aforementioned regions. We are two women.

The most dangerous aspect, in our opinion, is the poor road conditions in certain areas. Avoid driving after dark, as many poorly lit (and unfortunately often drunk) drivers are on the roads then.

Don't wear flashy jewelry or expensive clothing; people will be friendly and helpful if you do. The locals are just as curious as we are, so be nice and thankful for the chance to explore these wonderful countries.

Read tips for planning your trip to Uganda and Rwanda here

The time to travel to Uganda and Rwanda couldn't be better. Both countries are currently politically stable. The people are tired of war; at least that's what they assured us.

Dare to visit East Africa. Wildlife populations have largely recovered after the poaching during Idi Amin's regime; roads are gradually being paved, and many accommodations (wonderful eco-lodges) have emerged, and both countries haven't been overly touristed yet. In some places, children have never seen white people ("Muzungu") and run toward you excitedly waving. Or they cry because you look so different.

However, bring patience for your trip. Time ticks a bit slower here. Preparing a meal can take up to two hours. So going out to eat while hungry is a bad idea.

East Africans are patient-except in traffic. Here they speed, change lanes wildly, and choose the side of the road with fewer potholes or muddy puddles. Whether that side is your lane and you're heading straight towards them doesn't concern them.

Finally, it's happening: Our road trip through Uganda and Rwanda begins at the airport in Stuttgart. Turkish Airlines had the best deal (505 € round trip). So we're flying (Susi from Black Dots White Spots is also joining) through Istanbul and a short layover in Kigali (the capital of Rwanda) to Entebbe.

Before check-in, I need to quickly repack because Steven from funkloch sent me a 'small package' with 6 kg of clothes and soccer shoes for the small community in Nandere, where we will build a well.

Once everything is packed and sorted, we head to the check-in counter. It's starting off well because we both get upgrades to business class for both flights! We're thrilled!

I do encounter a small snag at check-in: thanks to Steven's gifts, my backpack is too tall for the scanning tray. I need to check it at the oversized baggage counter. Normally not a problem. But somehow the employee who checks my bag is not fond of me, and soon I find myself at the conveyor belt unpacking. My anti-mosquito spray is not to her liking.

It's supposedly flammable and not 'intended for personal care.' I've never heard such nonsense. It seems someone is taking things too seriously, and I'm getting quite worked up. My anti-mosquito spray is very much part of personal care. After all, it is somewhat the perfume of a traveler, isn't it?

After the initial annoyance, my carry-on undergoes an explosive residue scan, and finally, we are 'in.' No need to stress, Katrin; there are still 3.5 weeks in East Africa ahead! Thanks to the upgrade, we can also enter the lounge. In Stuttgart, Turkish Airlines uses the Lufthansa lounge. Coffee, sending last emails, and booking or confirming further accommodations.

Flight TK 7102 departs on time. Turkish Airlines treats us with the famous "homemade lemonade" even before takeoff. I love it and drink at least two glasses depending on the flight length. If you sit far back in the plane, this lemonade is often already gone.

We get served a delicious lunch, prepared by the accompanying chef. Before we know it, three hours of flying have passed, and we are already in Istanbul.

We kill time at Starbucks, where there is a 'WIFI machine' that's heavily utilized: With the boarding pass, all passengers can get a code for 2 hours of free WIFI. Quite the hustle, I must say, and funny to observe. I quickly design a logo for a new project of my brother, send various drafts back and forth, and soon it's time to check in for the next flight.

With a quick stop in Kigali (the capital of Rwanda), we continue to Entebbe. From above, Kigali looks anything but urban. This is partly because it is 2:40 AM in the middle of the night and also due to the lack of street lighting. Only a few houses have consistent electricity. At around 3:40 AM, we finally land in Entebbe.

The airplane parks right in front of the terminal, allowing us to walk the short distance into the building. Upon leaving the aircraft, we immediately feel how high the humidity is. I stagger into the terminal half-awake to fill out the entry form like everyone else. It's a tight squeeze, and later we realize: we could have skipped it altogether.

If, like us, you need an East African visa (for the countries Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya), you can line up directly at the left counters (you'll recognize them by the 'VISA' sign).

For this, you don't have to fill out anything at all, just provide fingerprints of both hands, have a photo taken, and lay a 100 USD bill on the table. This process went quite rapidly.

Quickly grab the backpack from the luggage belt, withdraw cash at the ATM (Yeah, I'm a millionaire), and go to the waiting driver from our accommodation, '2 Friends Beach Hotel.' The ride to our accommodation takes only 10 minutes.

Exhausted, I collapse into bed around 6 AM. Suddenly, a noise overtakes our fan: it's raining cats and dogs. Sure enough, it's rainy season. Our driver mentioned it often rains but not for long. We'll see...

When I wake up, it's still raining. The drops are loudly splattering on the roof. Since the 2 Friends Beach Hotel serves breakfast only until 10 AM, I set my alarm for 9:45 AM and stagger from my room to the breakfast room across the way.

Strangely, I'm in Africa and there's a jar of Nutella on the table. I start with coffee, watermelon juice, and scrambled eggs. A fresh slice of whole-grain bread. Just like home in Germany, right?

Besides me, there are two other solo travelers present. I enjoy the tranquility and listen to the rain. No end in sight. I had wanted to explore Entebbe. Guess I'll just have another coffee and send a quick message to Germany that we've arrived safely.

Eventually, Susi wakes up, it suddenly stops raining, and we become active. Through a back exit, we cross the street directly to the absolutely chill beach bar of the hotel. Of course, it's still closed. Nevertheless, we enjoy the view of Lake Victoria.

By the way: Lake Victoria is the third-largest lake in the world. Its area roughly matches that of Bavaria. It is part of Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.

As beautiful as the view is, swimming can be dangerous. The schistosomiasis parasite thrives in it. Warnings and recommendations against swimming in the lake are everywhere.

Since there's still some time until the rental car pickup, I stroll through the streets-or more accurately, the paths. As a 'Muzungu' (white person), you get approached and questioned immediately. So, two minutes later, I meet Moses, who comes cycling towards me. He tells me about his bike rental business "Bike2go Entebbe." We talk about Uganda, our tour, and he reveals that he is eagerly learning German because he has a German girlfriend (and now lives in Germany).

We exchange contacts, and he invites us to take a tour of Entebbe with him. Unfortunately, I have to defer him till the end of the trip. But we'll keep in touch.

Right at our location, I see the first "butcher" that I absolutely have to photograph. As soon as I do, an older woman comes storming toward me from 100 meters away. She insists I delete the picture, claiming it ruins her business. I apologize and ask if I can take a picture after all. She's cautious and wants to see all the pictures on my camera. I'm slightly baffled. I don't just take shots of people. But an abandoned hut with a piece of meat? Seriously?

Then Julius arrives and hands over the rental car, gives us the carnet we need to cross the border from Uganda to Rwanda and back, along with maps and a Bradt travel guide for Uganda. Great, so far I only have the ebook version. Printed information is always better (and will become important here).

Departure to the supermarket at Victoria Mall in Entebbe. First, we buy SIM cards at Airtel (which takes over an hour) and then stock up on water, cola, snacks (cookies and nuts), toilet paper, mosquito spray (mine was sadly taken at the airport), and samosas. The journey can begin.

At 7:45 AM we get up. Unlike the residents of Nandere, we sleep in. Everyone is already up and has already attended the morning mass. Not for me, even though the singing (gospel in Luanda) sounds pretty good.

In the living room (the actual living building is currently being renovated), there is coffee, omelettes, and chapati. Of course, fresh fruit (the rainy season is harvest season) and Luanda vocabulary.

After that, Father Joseph shows us around the community and introduces us to fields, wells, and schools. Everyone is very friendly and greets us warmly. The good German girls who dare to drive on their own through Uganda have garnered a lot of respect, especially for the drive through Kampala.

Around noon we say goodbye to Nandere and set out over Bombo and Masindi towards Murchison Falls National Park to Bakers Lodge.

We make good progress as the paved road to Masindi is in excellent condition (A tip for everyone planning to drive: fill up in Masindi!). From Masindi, it's another 92 km to Paraa. The well-maintained road between Masindi, Budongo Forest (one of the largest and best-preserved rainforest areas in East Africa) and Murchison National Park is made of dirt and is in relatively good condition depending on the weather (as we will find out on our further journey).

Potholes or deep ruts caused by heavy rain are just part of the regular road scenery. You always have to drive attentively or trust the shock absorbers of your vehicle...

A brief and intense thunderstorm, along with various baboon families on the road, slows us down. The oversized spider webs above the road in Budongo Forest not only astonish us but also lead us to stop and marvel (try taking a look up while passing through, but make sure to close your sunroof before doing so).

At Baker's Lodge, we are welcomed and settle into our luxury tent. We learn that our tent is something special on the first night: hippos leave the water at night for feeding. They do this night after night right in front of our tent, crunching through the lush grass. The soundscape is incredible! The food here is amazing too.

Here are all tips about Murchison Falls National Park (and plenty of photos)

The alarm goes off early at 6:30 AM for breakfast, as we want to catch the first ferry at Paraa to the northern sector of the park at 7 AM. Many cars are already waiting. But we made it. As one of the last vehicles allowed to board.

At the park entrance, we are greeted by Vivian, our ranger, who takes us on the game drive in Murchison Falls National Park. The cost for this is $20 (More about the game drive in Murchison Falls NP).

We spot Rothschild giraffes, warthogs, antelopes, oribi, vultures and marabous, buffalo, and hippos. There are quite a number of bird species, especially many African fish eagles and black-and-white colobus monkeys. We wouldn't have needed a ranger for this; the tracks are also well marked.

Here, there is (still) no radio communication among the rangers like I'm used to from South Africa. I would actually skip the $20 for a ranger on the next visit. No added value, animal information only upon inquiry and somehow exhausting.

We take the Victoria Track, which branches left after the airfield. Then right onto the Queen Track and towards Lake Albert/Nile Delta, where the hippos frolic. On the way back, unfortunately, we miss seeing the lions. Too bad; I need to catch up on that; they were also scarce in South Africa.

For more info on Murchison Falls National Park, the game drive, and other activities, you can find it here.

After our game drive, we quickly stop at Paraa Lodge to refuel. The only opportunity to fill up within the park can be found here. First, pay at the main building, then drive to the gas station, show the receipt, and fill up the tank. Around 11 AM, we take the ferry back to the lodge.

After lunch, we set off again for a boat tour on the Victoria Nile upstream to Murchison Falls. Departure is at 2:30 PM, and the tour costs $30.

The tour was okay, but thanks to the Danish bird enthusiasts, it gets amusing at first and then becomes exhausting. As soon as a bird is sighted, one of the men calls out the name and everyone jumps up, pulling out their binoculars. The cameras with giant zoom lenses are mainly for show. Quite strange.

They also seem quite disapproving when we enjoy a drink on the Nile.

After 3.5 hours, the tour is over, and we head back. The rest of the day will be spent enjoying the peace and sounds of the hippos at the lodge's main building, securing photos... until a staff member suddenly appears before us and asks if we want to see a crocodile? Of course.

All the curious visitors walk in the dark across the lodge's lawn, which is truly unthinkable in South Africa, as the shore and thus the hippos and other crocodiles could be nearby... Before the crocodile disappears back into the water, we catch a glimpse. Huge!

You can find all information about Murchison Falls National Park here.

Last night was restless. I was repeatedly woken by animal sounds around our hut. It wasn't hippos. Nevertheless, it's early to rise again today. Our boat tour to the Nile Delta starts at 7 AM.

Since Baker's Lodge is on the "way" to the delta, we save half an hour and are directly picked up. Even with our own small boat, as no one else booked the tour.

The morning tranquility in this landscape is indescribably beautiful. I don't understand why the tour to Murchison Falls is so highly praised. I enjoy this one more. We sail past countless hippos that quickly submerge when we get too close. Still, our guide must be careful to ensure that no hippo comes too close. The boat could easily capsizes due to a hippo.

We also catch sight of one or two Nile crocodiles on this tour. Plus, plenty of birds and primates. Especially the black-and-white colobus monkeys show themselves high up in the trees.

I'm surprised by how many hippos we pass on our return journey, standing in the water or even on land. It seems to be due to the morning freshness. It's amusing to observe how hippos run in the water. They always seem to have a smile on their face.

After four hours, we're dropped off back at the lodge. During the tour, besides a few fishing boats, we only saw one other boat. This means: as soon as we sighted animals and stopped, the motor was turned off and absolute silence prevailed. Except for animal sounds, especially hippos, of course. Incredible.

I've written extensively about the boat tour in the article on Murchison Falls National Park with tips and information.

The rest of the day, apart from sorting photos and planning the next drives and days, I didn't do anything. Baker's Lodge helped me really slow down and simply enjoy.

Since the drive to Fort Portal takes longer, we leave right after breakfast around 9 AM. First, we refuel in Masindi and meet Godfrey, who hands over my urgently needed jackets (softshell and fleece) that I accidentally left in Nandere.

Great how the network works in Uganda. Everyone knows someone who happens to be driving in our direction and is conveniently in Masindi when we are there too. Unbelievable.

The road to Hoima is good. We are very excited and plan an earlier arrival in Fort Portal, situated 1,500 m above sea level. But we're eager too soon. From Hoima on, the road is in dreadful condition. It doesn't look too bad in pictures, but from now on we're driving on what feels like a washboard.

For over six hours we're shaken continuously as the heavy rains have left deep ditches every 10 cm in the road. The regular deep potholes have become commonplace.

The drive is exhausting and takes a toll on our nerves. We just turn up the music, enjoy the lush green landscape, and laugh our heads off, even though we narrowly avoided crashes four times and have sweat profusely.

After what feels like an endless nine-hour drive, several bathroom breaks (bush toilets - everything isn't so easy in the most densely populated country in Africa) and photo stops, we finally reach Fort Portal and the Rwenzori View Guesthouse.

We arrive just as the rain starts to come down. From that day onward, we repeatedly say, "at least it didn't rain on the drive." We have to laugh again.

The guesthouse is simple, the rooms are clean, and there's electricity and hot water available. Additionally, there is a large room with a long table where all guests eat together. While there, we meet a middle-aged Dutch couple, who are managing their travel experiences in Uganda with backpacks, matatus, and boda bodas. Respect.

On the way to Fort Portal, we saw tea fields and factories everywhere the day before. We would like to visit one of them. For this, we need to gather information at the guesthouse. We have no rush this morning since it's pouring rain. One of the staff writes down the names of two tea factories (Tooro Kahuna Tea Factory and Kamusanga Tea Factory) and mentions that we should just give them a try. Alright then.

The two Dutch travelers are eager to join us, so around noon, the four of us set off on our exploration tour.

The first tea factory is easy to find. Unfortunately, we aren't allowed inside. Top secret; no photos are permitted. The search for the other factory is a bit more complicated. But a friendly boda boda driver seems to know the factory and rides ahead. We soon find out that the Kamusanga Tea Factory is actually called Kijura Tea Company Limited. Nice.

At the gate, we have to register, and we're allowed in!

The joy is even greater when the boss takes time to personally show us his tea factory and explains the entire tea production process in intricate detail.

In the end, we pay 10,000 UGX per person, and each gets a 250-gram bucket of black tea!

But then it happens: the car won't start because I forgot to turn off the lights. The workers immediately show up, along with a full car battery, and the car is quickly jump-started. We're good to go!

We thank them and hand out cola bottles, which the workers ask for as a "thank you." In Fort Portal, we buy snacks in the form of cookies and chips and continue on our way.

Now we head towards the crater lakes and a viewpoint from which the view of the lakes is said to be particularly beautiful. We try our best to find the best road using Google Maps. A big mistake, as it turns out. Never, ever use Google Maps in Uganda or Rwanda. It shows streets that don't even deserve the label 'path.'

I'm at the wheel, feel like I'm dying ten times over, and have no idea how we managed to master this path with deep mud and water holes without skidding, getting stuck, or having something else happen. Unfortunately, there are no pictures as we all had to really focus and worry about not getting stuck.

We pass through villages where no one owns a car. After surviving this road intact, we understand why no one owns a vehicle here. I've never seen such a terrible path, let alone driven on one (no one suspected things would get worse later in the trip).

A car full of white people has probably never been seen here either. Time is tight, the roads are too poor from the rainy season, and we decide not to tackle the only road to the viewpoint. We turn to the campsite, which supposedly has the best view of all the crater lakes. At least that's what the boss claims about the camping site.

To access the lake, he also asks for 10,000 UGX. The adventurous drive here hasn't been very rewarding so far. Apart from the gained driving practice. Colobus monkeys are also frolicking in the trees here, and the campsite currently has no guests. It's low season.

Shortly after 6 PM, we arrive back at our guesthouse, really relieved to have made it through the day without an accident.

Dinner takes place again at the long table. This time with a group of Americans and another couple from the Netherlands. Both groups are quite religious. Since we've both left the church, we can't relate to these people at all. Our Dutch friends can't either.

After a cozy breakfast, we set off just before 11 AM to Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP) in the Kyambura Gorge.

Just before the national park, we make a stop at the equator. It's my first crossing of the equator by car. The second will be on our way back to Entebbe (this monument, however, is less picturesque and much more touristy with shops and overpriced cafes).

The road through Queen Elizabeth National Park is in incredibly poor condition and riddled with potholes. We follow the lead of the locals and drive on the less bumpy earth as often as possible.

Around 1:45 PM, we arrive at the wonderful Kyambura Gorge Lodge, where we unwind for the day and consider our upcoming activities.

Today, we head out early for chimp tracking. We must leave at 7:30 AM as we need to navigate the rough path in QENP to reach the starting point. We nearly miss the sign to the Park Entrance; it's so old and unreadable. At the entrance, we meet our ranger and hand in our permits.

Then we have to drive a short distance between savanna and gorge to get to today's starting point. We're off and first descend into the gorge before we trudge up and down muddy paths. At first, we see the prints of the knuckles in the muddy ground, but eventually, we lose track of them... unfortunately, we cannot find them again.

After nearly two hours without any signs or chimpanzees, we set off toward a different entrance on the road. There, too, no chimpanzees. Another group and other trackers have had the same lack of success.

After our ranger and the trackers put in so much effort, we have to give up today after 3.5 hours. No chimpanzees. What a pity.

We briefly return to the lodge to have a small snack before heading to Queen Elizabeth Park for the boat ride on the Kazinga Channel. The boats for this set off at Mwyeya Lodge at 3 PM. We had to purchase the ticket at the main entrance of the park.

The boat ride is fun, and we see buffalo, elephants, hippos, crocodiles, pelicans, cormorants, African fish eagles, marabous, and kingfishers through the camera lens. We also pass fishing villages where fishermen are preparing to set off. Punctually at 5 PM, we dock again.

After this, we decide to drive through the eastern sectors of the park on our own until sunset. We don't spot any lions or leopards that live here. Dusk comes quickly, and once again, we navigate the park in darkness over this dreadful path.

After experiencing a swarm of flies that feels like heavy rain, upon our arrival, heavy rain begins. The path between the car and the lodge's main building is 20 cm underwater. Soaking wet, we finally reach the main building.

In the Ishasha sector of Queen Elizabeth National Park, there are lions that climb trees. This is really rare, because lions generally don't climb trees. Here, however, they do. By the time we reach the lodge, we don't see a single one of these animals.

Shortly after sunrise and before sunset, we head out for game drives. In the morning, we drive on our own with a map marking all the fig trees, since only they climb those trees. We drive and drive, and soon we have covered the entire sector. No signs of lions anywhere.

But that's just how it goes on game drives; sometimes you see a lot of animals, and sometimes you don't find what you're looking for. As evening approaches, we know we have another shot later that night.

In the evening, we see many more animals. Of course, elephants, buffalo, baboons, and various antelopes. But still no tree-climbing lions. We are almost disappointed and return to the lodge.

Today, we went on a game drive with a land cruiser and a horseback safari (game ride).

Before the trip, Roadtrip Uganda asked us if we would like to hold a free workshop for startups and young entrepreneurs in Kampala. Of course, we were up for it. So, we explained to nearly 30 people what to pay attention to regarding websites (a few basics and SEO knowledge), as well as tips for social media. It was a lot of fun.

The next day, we fly back home via Istanbul.

To ensure you don't forget anything, I've created a checklist for a road trip.

My additional tip: Keep a travel diary during your trip!

The memories recorded within are the most beautiful souvenirs from your journey! That's why I've designed and printed my own travel diaries.

In these notebooks, you can record costs, weather, impressions, highlights, and travel experiences. Furthermore, there's space to paste in pictures. Ideal for mementos of your travels.

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