Self Drive Around Lake Victoria; Car Hire In East Africa, Car Rental Congo.
Looking for Self drive safari from Nairobi or Tanzania Arusha with the plans to drive around Lake victoria? Traveling around Lake Victoria in Africa cant be done in 2 days but will require extra time and plans to visit. Moving around Lake Victoria in Africa is a whirlwind, adventurous time filled with diversity, hardship, new friendships, and luck when the car rental is done with Car Rental Congo the leading company that specializes in Self-drive trips in Africa using 4×4 Landcruiser, Toyota rav4( SUV).
Planning an Africa Safari can be a bit challenging as its too big but the traveler is advised to divide it into sections like self-drive to East Africa, South Africa, Central Africa Road Trip, and North Africa.
In this article, we are covering self-drive around lake Victoria which is located within the East African countries of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda but never miss the chance to visit River Nile in Uganda.
Lake Victoria Facts
With a surface area of just under 70 000 km², Lake Victoria not only dominates this part of East Africa but ranks as the second-largest freshwater lake in the world. Yet despite its huge size, the shimmering lake is quite shallow – only 75 meters at its deepest – and there is little wildlife compared to the smaller Rift Valley lakes such as Lake Nakuru or Manyara.
The giant lake borders three African countries – Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with half of the lake lying in Tanzania. Traveling between these countries via the lake is, sadly, a luxury of the past. Sitting in a fertile basin, the area is predictably heavily cultivated and densely populated, and given that much of its shoreline is marshy and infested with bilharzia, swimming is not an option.
Travelers planning to take a self drive around Lake Victoria in East Africa are advised to always select the option of one way Car Rental to explore the various Countries within East African Region Starting with picking the rental jeep in Rwanda, Cross to Uganda, then Kenya and end the rental in Tanzania with extension to visit Zanzibar islands. See the Detailed travel Plan. See the 17 days lake Victoria Tour on Self drive
The Land of thousand Hills ( Republic of Rwanda)
Rwanda, formerly Ruanda is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge. One of the smallest countries on the African mainland, its capital city is Kigali, it’s known for primates in Volcanoes national park ( mountain gorillas, Golden monkey ) but due to high experience for gorilla trekking due to the hike in the cost of gorilla permit, we recommend that you visit the place and enjoy golden monkey tracking as you prepare for gorilla trekking in Uganda where the gorilla permit is cheaper.
The other optional visit is to lake Kivu located on the border of Rwanda & DR congo in Gisenyi town, upon pick up your rental jeep in Kigali your advised to visit genocide memorials, local markets, and then drive to Volcanoes National Park that is located near to Uganda, Congo.
Self Drive Rwanda Travel plan highlights>>>>>>.
Rwanda has over 4 national parks but the top-visited are three national parks and each has a unique experience for a self-drive trip in Rwanda
- Volcanoes National Park
- Akagera National Park
- Nyungwe Forest National Park
Wildlife Watching in Akagera National Park
The Recommended route plan is to visit Akagera National Park known for Wildlife Watching ( big-five animals) then Kigali City tour, proceed to Nyungwe forest national park for Chimpanzee, Canopy walks, Nature walks, then drive to Lake Kivu to enjoy the boat cruise and view the Congo Nile Trail, before heading to Volcanoes the top-visited park of Rwanda when it comes to gorilla safaris in Rwanda.
You will cross to Uganda via Cyanika Border located adjacent to Mgahinga National Park:
Recommended Border of Crossing s Cyanika which is having the single border entry point for East African Community borders.
The Pearl of Africa: Uganda
Uganda is also known as the pearl of Africa, is twice the size of Pennsylvania, is in East Africa. The Republic of Uganda is bordered on the west by Congo, on the north by Sudan, on the east by Kenya, and on the south by Tanzania and Rwanda. The country, which lies across the equator, is divided into three main areas—swampy lowlands, a fertile plateau with wooded hills, and a desert region. Lake Victoria forms part of the southern border which is the main target for the visit in East Africa.
As we have noted that your accessing Uganda via Cyanika Border in southwestern Uganda, you will directly land into Kisoro town which is a popular city when it comes to tourism since its the nearest town to Mgahinga National Park & Bwindi Impenetrable forest in the southern sector.
Self Drive Uganda Travel Plan Highlights >>>>>>>>
The Republic of Uganda has over 10 National parks & game reserves that hosts wildlife, primates & Birding destination.
- Mgahinga National Park >>>>>> >>>>>>Golden Monkey & Gorillas
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park>>>>> Gorillas, Forest Elephants
- Queen Elizabeth National Park>>>>>>> >Tree Climbing Lions
- Lake Mburo National Park>>>>>>>>>>>> Wildlife Animals
- Murchison Falls National Park>>>>>>>>>Lions & Lepard
- Kibale Forest National Park>>>>>>>>>>> CHimpanzee
- Kidepo Valley National Park>>>>>>>>>> Lions, Cheeters, Elephants
- Rwenzori Mountains National Parks>>>>>>Climbing Mountain Peaks
- Semuliki National Park>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Lions & Birding
- Pian Upe Game Reserve >>>>>>>>>>>>>Wildlife Watching
- Elgon National Park >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Hiking Elgon peaks
Once you arrive at Mgahinga National Park, the best-recommended safari activity is gorilla trekking to have the same experience of the Virunga Massif and later drive to Lake Bunyonyi for relaxation on the second deepest lake in Africa as you can prepare for the visit to Bwindi forest National Park for second gorilla trekking and to compare the terrain of the three parks where primates ( Mountain gorillas) are found in Africa.
As self drive traveler you’re advised to visit the gorillas of Bwindi either in Ruhija or Buhoma as you have to continue to drive to Queen Elizabeth National Park the known destination for tree-climbing lions in Africa After the Tanzanian national park of Lake Manyara. The Game drive in Queen Elizabeth comes with additional lion experiential trekking which makes Big five watching sure deal. Later the next day you will drive to Lake Mburo National Park which is good for wildlife spotting.
Not to miss the secure deal of visit to lake Victoria, you will drive from Lake Mburo National Park to Mbarara and then connect to Masaka town as you head to the islands of Ssese in the waters of Lake Victoria. ( The Ssese Islands are an archipelago of eighty-four islands in the northwest of Lake Victoria, Uganda. About forty-three of the islands are inhabited. The islands vary in size from less than 10,000 square meters to over 40 kilometers in length for the largest island, Buggala. )
You have to keep time to make sure you don’t miss the ferry that takes you to Kalangala >>>> ferry departs from Bukakata (near Masaka) and Luku/Bugoma on the Western end of the island. It leaves Bukakata at 8:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 4:00 pm, returning from Luku/Bugoma at 9:00 am, 12:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 5 pm.
This is a wide, flat pontoon ferry, and is somewhat more chaotic than the Kalangala ferry. To get to Bukakata, bear left at the Total garage approaching Masaka from Kampala and turn left again at the Nyendo Trading Centre and once again left at the Petro Uganda filling station.
On return, you will take a ferry that departs from Kalangala for Nakiwogo at 8 am daily, and returns leaving Nakiwogo at 2 pm daily. The journey takes about 3.5 hours, and there is a snack bar on the ferry. The ferry costs Shs 10,000 per person second class or Shs 15,000 per person first class.
There is little difference between the two classes, except that the first-class area may be less crowded. There is usually plenty of room for passengers, but space for cars is limited and the car costs 25000 to 40000 Ugshs.
Recommended to spend a night in Entebbe to enjoy a relaxed mind as you prepare to visit the island in the waters of Lake Victoria. Another island lying near the equator and close to Entebbe is Ngamba island, Uganda’s newest sanctuary for orphaned chimpanzees rescued from zoos and circuses, who are now free to roam the island and play in its tangled vines and towering trees.
The Next day you will drive to Jinja for your overnight stay and visit the source of the Nile. River Nile is the second-longest river in the world. River Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa and is the longest river in Africa.
Then you will enjoy two nights break or one and later proceed to drive to cross to Kenya via Busia Border which is only a 4-5 hours drive from Jinja when your serious driver.
The Republic of Kenya. Magic Kenya
Kenya is the world’s 48th largest country by total area. Kenya’s capital city is Nairobi, while its oldest city and first capital is the coastal city of Mombasa. Kisumu City is the third-largest city and also an inland port on Lake Victoria. Other important urban centers include Nakuru and Eldoret. As of 2020, Kenya is the third-largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa after Nigeria and South Africa. Kenya is bordered by South Sudan to the northwest, Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the east, Uganda to the west, Tanzania to the south, and the Indian Ocean to the southeast.
Self Drive Kenya travel Plan Highlights
Kenya has a considerable land area devoted to wildlife habitats, including the Masai Mara, where blue wildebeest and other bovids participate in large-scale annual migration. More than 1 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebras participate in the migration across the Mara River. See the National Parks of Kenya that are over 25 without game reserves
- Masai Mara National Park
- Amboseli National Park
- Aberdare National Park
- Lake Nakuru National Park
- Meru National Park
- Mombasa Marine Park
- Mount Kenya National Park
- Nairobi National Park
- Tsavo East National Park
- Tsavo West National Park
When you arrive in Kenya, never miss the turn from Kisumu, you are advised to spend the night in Kisumu near the Kisumu wildlife Centre, the next day visit the wildlife center and proceed to Kisi town which is the turning point to Naroko connecting to the best places to visit of Masai mara national park, Amboseli national park which hosts the big five and birding without missing Lake Nakuru National Park for birding watching.
The recommended border point to cross to Tanzania is the Namaga border that will take you straight to Arusha City in Tanzania.
The Experience of Masai mara national park comes with the watching of the most lovely migration Safari activity of Wildebeest migration from Kenya to Serengeti to search for water. This Migration is considered as the largest migration of Animals in Africa although some writers say that there is Elephant migration in Kidepo Valley national park from Uganda to Kidepo game Reserve in South Sudan.
Republic of Tanzania
It is known as the best place for wildlife safaris & Climbing the Mount Kilimanjaro . its located within the East African community as it borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; the Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south; Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in northeastern Tanzania Arusha town followed by the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda.
Self Drive Tanzania Safari Highlight >>>
it has over 16 national parks that are hosting the wildlife & primates, most of the parks that are visited on self-drive are located in the northern Circuit and that is Arusha Side that is the tourism hub.
- Arusha National Park>>>>>>> Wildlife
- Gombe National Park >>>>>>Chimpanzee Watching
- Serengeti National park >>>>>Big Five, Wildebeest migration
- Ngorongoro Crater >>>>>>> Big Five ,Crater
- Lake Manyara>>>>>>>>>>Tree Climbing Lions
- Mount Kilimanjaro>>>>>>>Hike & Wildlife
- Tarangire National Park >>>Walking Safaris
- Ruaha National Park>>>>>>Big Five
Toyota landcruiser Prado
After Self driving in the northern circuit of Tanzania, you will drive the 600Km to connect from Arusha City to Dar Es Salaam the best connection to Zanzibar Islands for relaxations. You’re Advised to hand over the Car to the Operator in Dar es Salaam town f your on one way Car Rental so that you can proceed without the lability of the car.
Self-drive Africa is great as it comes with a lot of experiences like Wildlife Watching, Primate Trekking, Mountaineering, Nature walks and the team of Car Rental Congo is available to help you in selecting the best fleet to explore Africa in Rooftop tent jeep.
Check on the alternative of visiting Congo River on Self Drive, Driving River Nile for great expeditions in Africa.
