Self-Drive East Africa

Most Popular one way Self Drive safari in East Africa

While your self drive destination entirely depends on your interests, We have put together the most popular one-way self drive destinations to inspire you. This self drive safari has been preferred by most of our past clients.

Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya to Tanzania One-way Self Drive.

This is a self drive safari that covers the whole of East Africa with all major attractions visited. Client who opt for this self drive itinerary usually cover it in 31 days. In summary, this safari starts with a meet and greet from our Staff at Kigali Airport. After handing over your Self drive Landcruiser rental, you will do a city tour of Kigali. A visit to Gisozi the home of the Kigali Genocide Memorial is a must add to your city tour. Other places of interest include Murambi, and Bisesero villages where genocide victims were exterminated and some still buried.

Your self drive road trip should then lead you to Volcanoes National Park in Kinigi. Here you will have the opportunity to do gorilla trekking in Rwanda. There is also hiking opportunities in the Virunga mountains before your self drive adventure leads you north into Uganda.

Self Drive Safari in Uganda

In Uganda you might need to drive to Bunyonyi for a scenic and relaxing adventure before heading to Bwindi National park if you still need the once in a lifetime accouter with Uganda’s Mountain Gorillas. Your self drive then leads you to the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park for some amazing game drives, boat cruises, encounter with several wildlife including the elephants and the very rare tree climbing lions in Ishasha.

One way Self Drive East Africa safari – Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi

If you love a chimpanzee tracking experience, a self drive to Kibaale National park for your doze of fun before connecting to the mighty Murchison Falls. Here you will come face on with one of the world most beautiful water fall as the River Nile waters rush through a narrow escape to form a splendid water falls. Murchison National park, the largest and oldest park in Uganda, also offers amazing gamed drives. Here you will spot Elephants, crocodiles’, monkeys, giraffes, chimpanzees, and a wide array of bird species. When fun is exhausted here, your one way Self Drive tour of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania should lead you to the famous Ziwa rhino sanctuary.

Ziwa rhino sanctuary, a rhino and Wildlife Ranch, is the home to the only white rhinos in Uganda. Besides the rare opportunity to spot these animals, you will get a chance to view several birds, shoebill canoe ride, immerse into awesome nature walks, participate in an adventurous night walk and have the opportunity for camping with your root top tent provided with your self drive Landcruiser rental from Self Drive Adventure Uganda. Its time for your one way Self Drive safari in East Africa to lead you to Uganda’s capital city, Kampala.

Uganda is famed for its very friendly people, diverse culture, awesome weather and a never sleeping night life. While in Kampala make sure to check out the different restaurants and bars, art markets, food markets, Kabaka’s lake, Kasubi Tombs, the Namugongo martyrs shrine among others. If you are a dare devel and want to take the challenging but hugely rewarding self drive road trip to Kidepo National park, now is the time! In Kidepo you will have some amazing game drives and hiking opportunities. Major wildlife spotting expected here include the ostriches, giraffes, lions, leopards, buffaloes, gazelles, elephants zebras, hyenas, the Uganda Kobs, the list is simply endless here. Kidepo is the most virgin national park in Uganda so you will be rewarded for bearing the rough road to the park. Its time to take a long self drive to the adventure capital of East Africa, Jinja city.

For adventure lovers, a visit to Jinja offers more than you bargain for. Jinja is strategically located at the spot where River Nile starts its long journey to the Red Sea and separated from Africa’s largest lake, Lake Victoria. In Jinja you will have some photo moments at the magnificent bridge that welcomes you to the city before heading to the source of the nile. Here you can take part in many water activites including boat rides and leaisure fishing. seize the opportunity to eat some fresh fried whole fish while at it! Other activitis available in Jinja include white water rafting, Ziplining, bungee jumping, horse riding, biking safaris, cultural visits, among others. Its time to head to kenya but if you love mountain hiking and water falls, make a stop over at Sipi Falls before your self drive holiday takes you to Kenya.

One way Self Drive East Africa safari – White Water Rafting in Jinja

Self Drive Safari in Kenya

When you exit Uganda, your one way Self Drive holiday in East Africa should take you to Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya. In Nairobi visit the Nairobi National park for a very rare opportunity of spotting free roaming wildlife in the heart of the city with skyscrapers in your background! Home to lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles, Nairobi National Park will give you a great wildlife experience. Bird lovers also have a field day here with over 500 bird species available in this park. A visit to the Nairobi Safari Walk should give you a summary of Kenya’s wild life from this education centre facility on wildlife in Kenya. Other worthy additions include a self drive to the giraffe centre for endangered Rothschild’s giraffe, the Kenya National Archives muesium, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and a general city tour should add some fun to your Self drive adventure on East Africa.

The Very famous Maasai Mara National Reserve should be your next stop on your one way Self Drive tour of East Africa. This park is a tourist favorite for its wildebeest Great Migration between the parks of Maasai Mara and Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.To catch this migration you will need to plan your trip in July or October. During this migration, thousands of zebras, gazelles, elands etc cross the crocodile infested river Mara to the delight of many tourists. Besides the great migration, Masai Mara is home to very many animals including the big five (lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos). Its easy to see why this park is the most visited in Kenya and you will always find it crowded with tourists. After all the fun Masai Mara has to offer, you will now need to take your one way Self Drive tour to a new destination.

One way Self Drive East Africa safari – Masai Mara National Park

Karibu the land of the Flamingos, Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru National Park is a UNESCO designated heritage sight. Its famed for hosting large families of Flamingos and pelicans. These Unique creatures offer an amazing tourist experience for travelers. A self drive game drive here will also give you an opportunity to spot the endangered Rothschild’s giraffes. leopards, rhinos and many bird spicies. Be sure to explore baboon cliff and the Makalia waterfalls before you head out of Lake Nakuru game park.

Continue your self drive adventure of Kenya with a road trip to another rift valley destination with a self drive to Lake Naivasha. Home to the Lake town of Naivasha, this lake features cliffs, gorges, volcanoes and sulphurous lakes. Here you will spot animals like giraffes, bucks, hyenas, bush pigs, zebras among others. A boat cruise here will enable you have a golden chance to see hippos up-close.

Head to Amboseli National Park for your next stop on your self drive tour of East Africa. If any of the places on this list is to be describes as magical, that has got to be Amboseli National Park. Here you will enjoy the magnificent view of Africa’s tallest Mountain, Kilimanjaro. You will also have a very rare opportunity to see elephants with their babies in their hundreds! They are so many here you will not believe your eyes. Other animals you are likely to spot here include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, zebras, buffaloes, giraffes, wildebeests and many gazelles.

Self Drive safari in Tanzania

Its time to bid Kenya goodbye and continue your self drive safari in East Africa to Tanzania. Your first stop should be Serengeti National Park. Serengeti National Park is actually separated by a thin boarder barl from Masai Mara. However since there is no international border crossing road, you will have to embark on 9 to 10 driving journey to connect from Masai Mara to this game park through Isbania. Its for this reason we did not recommend following the two back to back. We must warn that the road to Serengeti is probably the most bumpy road you have ever seen in your life! But that is also an experience of its own. While in Serengeti expect the most scinic views you will have on this entire journey. An early morning self drive in Serengeti National park should enable you spot some predators like hyenas, leopards, cheaters and Lions easily. TIP: Avoid wearing dark colors here as they tend to attract flies here.

As we start drawing closer to the end of your self drive tour in East Africa, you will have to self drive to Ngorongoro Crater. With an early morning drive you should make it to Ngorongoro in about 4hrs and in time to do your game drives. You might need to drive to Tarangire National Park for your night stay after the game drive. If you are on a budget, insteade spend the night in Karatu about 40 minutes out of the crater. For the game drives here. try to arrive as early as possible for a chance to spot the black rhinos. These are often in groups in the morning but disperse as the day goes on. Other spotting expected here include Hippos, flamingos, elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos.

One way self drive East Africa Safari – Tarangire National Park

Your final self drive destination for wildlife spotting on your East African Safari holiday should be to Tarangire National Park. This park is home to over 4,000 elephants. Here you can spot herds as big as over 200 elephants!  This is the best place in the world to see African Elephants and you will surely enjoy the experience. This park is known for hosting many other migrating animals. This means that what you spot might depend on the time of the year you go on Safari with the best time being June to October.

You will have to end your one way Self Drive tour of East Africa with a drive to Arusha where our staff will be waiting for you to receive your self drive car rental and bring it back to Kampala. That marks the end of an awesome one way Self Drive tour of East Africa. 

If you would like us to plan your safari in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, talk to us today and benefit from our free trip planning services.