Uganda is becoming an increasingly popular tourism destination, and there are not enough quality hotels to cater for the growing demand. When travelling during the peak season (July - Sept, Dec - Feb), you must reserve your car and hotels well in advance.
When looking for a campsite or budget guesthouse, we highly recommend using the free app iOverlander. Basically, every campsite is plotted and reviewed. You don't need to book your campsite in advance.
All our safari vehicles for rent in Uganda can be equipped to a fully 4×4 camper vehicle. Check the camp gear for hire at Roadtrip Africa. In this article, we discuss the camping gear for rent at Roadtrip Africa, show how to set up a rooftop tent and packing tips.
Refer to Uganda's Travel Blog to check our 10 tips to make the most out of your camping safari in Uganda.
Our Landcruiser and Hilux can be outfitted with a rooftop tent or ground tent. The RAV4 can only be equipped with a ground tent. Both tents are supplied with a full set of quality camping gear at a cost of € 20/day for the rooftop tent or € 5/pp/per day for the dome tent.
An electrical fridge costs € 5/day and is only possible with a Landcruiser or Hilux. Please note that we don’t do field repairs or send a replacement vehicle when there are problems with the fridge. Wiring and piping are sensitive and suffer from bumpy roads and dust. The knowledge and equipment (Frigo gas) to repair fridges are sadly not available in the field. We understand it's unfortunate when the fridge stops working. In the rare case that this happens, do let us know, and the office in the Netherlands will issue a refund for the fridge rental.
Kindly note that Roadtrip Africa does not provide camp gear rental in Uganda as a standalone service.
Cutlery set with forks, knives, spoons, can opener, corkscrew
Coffee plunger
Cutting board
Dish towel, detergent, washing line & pegs
Solar table lamp.
TIP: bring your own headlight. A power bank is handy if you're going to be camping a lot.
NOTE: When camping at higher altitudes, such as Fort Portal, Sipi Falls, and Lake Bunyonyi, it can get chilly at night. The sleeping bags provided are thin. It's advisable to bring an extra fleece blanket.
How to set up a roof top tent
Setting up your rooftop tent is a quick and easy process, as demonstrated by Muhire and Jackson from the Roadtrip Uganda team.
What to take on safari - ground tent or rooftop tent?
For many people, sleeping in a rooftop tent depicts the ultimate camping safari experience. Did you know that road trip Uganda also offer ground tents for rent? Equipping your camper vehicle with a rooftop tent or a dome tent both have advantages and disadvantages, and there are a few factors that will determine which one will work best for YOU.
The pros & cons of a rooftop A rooftop tent is the easiest way to sleep off the ground. This is helpful when your campsite is uneven, the soil is wet or rocky. In wilderness areas, people tend to prefer rooftop tents for putting some distance between themselves and wild animals lurking around at night. However, this is a FALSE sense of security, and you will be just as safe in a ground tent that is properly zipped up. Although we understand that perception of safety plays a role here as well...:)
Pro's:
You feel safer, which is an argument if you camp inside a game park. Yet, many beautiful campsites are nowadays privately owned sites outside of the safari parks.
Rooftop tents are quick and easy to set up (although the ground tents are also set up in the blink of an eye); just check out Roadtrip Africa's instruction video below.
Con's:
You need to wrap up your rooftop tent every time you want to use your vehicle.
Hiring a camp gear set with a rooftop tent is more expensive than hiring a ground tent, and it also requires renting a Toyota Landcruiser or Hillux.
How is your mobility? For rather stiff people, getting up and down the stepladder of a rooftop tent can be uneasy.
Packing tips
Wondering what to pack for your trip to Uganda? Worth emphasizing is that most genuine necessities are surprisingly easy to get hold of in Uganda’s cities and larger towns. So no reason not to travel light...Duffle bags are easier to pack in the car and bring a separate day pack.
Definitely bring insect repellent and sunblock, these are available, but more expensive and much less choice.
Your rental car in Uganda has a cigar lighter to power your devices, but you will need to bring your own audio and USB cables. If you use Spotify, do not forget to download your favorite road trip songs so you can listen offline. Audiobooks are also great fun to listen to during long drives, or whilst sitting around a campfire or lying in your tent (try a thriller!). Don't forget to download Maps.me and iOverlander on your phone before you travel, so you can drive and walk around using GPS without needing to connect to the internet.
How about travel guidebooks? When it comes to Uganda, we think the Bradt Travel Guide is the best. You'll find a copy of the latest edition in your car. Mammals of East Africa and Birds of East Africa are also great travel guides for your safari in Uganda.
