From €2,540 pp | 12 days
Southwestern Uganda is known for its rolling hills, lush landscape, chimpanzees and the rare mountain gorillas. Discover the highlights of southwestern Uganda on this express safari, a great 12-day self-drive adventure.
Scroll down below to see the day-to-day itinerary with route descriptions and travel tips Uganda. The trip includes car rental, accommodation (available in four price categories), gorilla and chimp permits.
Prices are per person, based on 2 people sharing a Suzuki Jimny and travelling in low season. You can choose your accommodation preferences below.
You can book our Uganda self-drive tours with any 4×4 from our fleet: choose the RAV4 for the most budget-friendly option, or upgrade to the Nissan Navara for more comfort and space.
Low season: March – May | Peak season: July – September + 20 December – February.
Prefer a private guided road trip? Travel with a driver-guide! This is an option you can select in the online booking form.
Gorilla trekking permit USD 800
Chimp trekking permit USD 250
Bed & Breakfast
Car rental with unlimited mileage
Car delivery to airport or hotel
Car insurance
24/7 roadside assistance
Uganda driving manual and roadmap
Travel Notes with driving directions and stops along the way
Driver – Guide
Electrical fridge
Book Uganda’s Primate Express with stays in budget, mid-range or luxury lodges – or adjust it to your liking.
My concern about going on a solo self-drive through Uganda was the reliability of my rental car. Well, no worries; the car was wonderful and very reliable. My communications with the very nice people from Roadtrip Africa was very pleasant each time. Upon delivery, Patricia was very nice and explained everything about the car (and camping equipment) very well.
We have been to Uganda, and it was spectacular! The organization by Roadtrip, the support during the preparation, the kindness and care of Godfrey, and the selected accommodations – everything was magnificent.
Perfect way to plan for your self-drive road-trip in Uganda! friendly and helpful team with good recommendations; perfect car. Everything was perfect; thanks!
We recommend 12 days / 10 car rental days for this southwestern Uganda itinerary, spending two nights at one location. On a regular day, you will drive on average 4-5 hours with a maximum of 7+ hours. Keep in mind that with photo and picnic stops, this can still make a full travel day. Is time not on your side? Shorten your Uganda road trip with a day at Bwindi.
Road conditions are good: asphalt with the occasional pothole and speed bumps. The most adventurous part is driving from Kisoro to Lake Mutanda (volcanic and dirt road), and from Hamurwa to Ishaha (off-road). More driving tips can be found in our driving in Uganda section.
Like to read more about our Primate Express? Roadtripper Patricija wrote a detailed travel guide about this 12-day Uganda itinerary.
Uganda’s Primate Express is possible to travel year-round.
Our Primate Express trip can be booked in four price categories:
Budget: Some mid-range lodges offer ‘Lazy Camping’ (glamping), where you sleep in an already set-up tent. There’s a sanitary block that you share with other campers. Adding ‘Lazy Camping’ nights in your Uganda tour works favourably for your budget, while you can still enjoy the lodge facilities.
Mid-range: This is your best option for comfortable, self-contained (‘en suite’) accommodations set in stunning locations which do not cost a fortune.
Semi-luxury: If you opt for luxury, we select barefoot luxury resorts which are intimate, have lots of privacy and high-quality service. Not every stop in Uganda allows for a stay in this segment, therefore we rather call it a semi-luxury trip.
Combo – campsites & lodges: Experience the best of both worlds: travel with camp gear and alternate camping in the bush with stays in lovely lodges.
Exploring Uganda on your own is great fun. At the same time, we know that planning a road trip here can feel overwhelming.
On this page, we share practical information to help you prepare. We’ve selected 12 important topics with guidelines, tips and frequently asked questions about self-driving and independent travel in Uganda. They’ll help you start your road trip with confidence.
