Self Drive East Africa: 4×4 Car Rental Kenya, Uganda & Tanzania 2026/27

Where will you go next in East Africa?

East Africa Self Drive itineraries – Self Drive Holidays 2025

The Self Drive itineraries drafted by Self Drive East Africa is based on Practical experiences as the team tries to make the prefect road trip itineraries to guide self drive travelers when planning their Self Drive tours in East Africa. Self guided safari to East Africa is like no other experience when your sure of where you will be traveling in Kenya , Rwanda, Tanzania & Uganda in a strong Reliable 4×4 Landcruiser Lx or V8 backed up with the support of Self Drive East Africa.
Not sure where to start on your self drive trip? We have you covered to guide you and act as your local GPS for Africa trip.

If your planning to explore Uganda, Rwanda , Kenya , Tanzania on one way car rental consider some long safari options to enjoy relaxed road trip

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Self Drive Uganda
  
 153 Tripadvisor reviews 
 
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 Liam C 
 
 
 
  
Unreal adventure with great service. We were able to enjoy an adventure of a lifetime thanks to the assistance of Rachel and Edward from self drive Uganda. Great service and communication. Highly recommend!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Gary R 
 
 
 
  
Racheal who done all my booking was absolutely amazing. I hired two vehicles one for 16 Days in Uganda and Rwanda it was a 76 series L/C. The second vehicle I flew to Kenya and hire a 76 series L/C with roof top tent and camping gear for Kenya and Tanzania and I had that vehicle for 19 days. In Kenya Jacqueline was also great. Vehicles are very good for the environment they operate in. Just remember that your in Africa and things happen make sure you leave time for things not going to plan ie border crossing or heavy traffic.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Niels van den Berg 
 
 
 
  
Selfdrive to northern Uganda! The bookingprocess was excellent. Even during the trip the contact was brilliant. But the car was really old and got some issues. Off course we knew the Prado was old, but some functions where even not working. That's not what you expect. By the way, the pop-up roof was brilliant and saved us some money because we didn't need to hire a specific vehicle for the game drives.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Alex D 
 
 
 
  
Professional business dedicated to facilitating incredible adventures! Edward and his team at Self Drive Uganda went above and beyond what can be expected from a vehicle rental service to give my girlfriend and I the best experience possible. The vehicle provided was exactly as advertised and we had an amazing 10 day trip across Uganda and into Kenya.Edward's background as a lawyer showed in his deliberate and detailed approach to every situation. We quickly established trust with him and felt that we made a very good decision by renting from Self Drive. Due to an unforeseen circumstance, we were not able to drive for the first 24hrs of our trip and would have missed our Gorilla Trekking permit window. Edward saved the day by providing a driver who made sure we arrived safely to Bwindi. The driver, Daniel, was a blast to spend the day with and made the first part of our trip a lot of fun.Edward was very prompt in answering any of our questions and went out of his way to support our evolving itinerary. Specifically, when we decided to alter the last few days of our trip to include a visit to Masai Mara he facilitated the cross border vehicle transfer and expedited the entire process.Overall, my girlfriend and I loved our time in Uganda. Being able to travel at our pace with the freedom that came from rooftop camping was exactly what we wanted. The vehicle return was quick and easy and we left Kampala wishing we had more time to explore.Since returning home and renting other cars we've been in many situations that made us think "this was so much easier in Uganda." Our lasting impression of Self Drive is of the people that made our journey possible by doing more when they could've done less.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Guide02809052545 
 
 
 
  
A very good experience! Super cool company that is very responsive by email and provides great vehicles. We did not encounter any problems. The vehicle was fully equipped and very convenient for our month-long trip. The roof tent was also fantastic, extremely easy and quick to set up. We highly recommend it!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Mobile35077811438 
 
 
 
  
Amazing experience with Self Drive Uganda! Just returned from an incredible journey through the Pearl of Africa with Self Drive Uganda, and it was truly an amazing experience. From the very beginning, communication with Edward and his team was prompt and efficient. Since we opted for a self-drive adventure, they provided valuable advice on our itinerary and recommended routes.Upon arrival in Entebbe, they conveniently delivered the car to our hotel, saving us the hassle of driving through the busy streets of Kampala. The vehicle itself was extremely reliable, with a strong engine that handled Uganda’s roads with ease. Even though we had great weather throughout our trip, it was reassuring to know that the car was more than capable of tackling muddy terrain if needed.The camping equipment provided was excellent. The tent was very comfortable, and all the other gear was of high quality, making our nights outdoors just as enjoyable as the days on the road.During our journey, their team also arranged our chimpanzee trekking permit, which was incredibly helpful. They even checked in from time to time to ensure everything was going smoothly. Their understanding of the unique challenges of self-driving in Uganda truly sets them apart from a typical car rental service.Overall, Self Drive Uganda exceeded our expectations in terms of service, reliability, and hospitality. We definitely look forward to renting from them again—perhaps for an adventure in one of the neighboring countries. A huge thank you to the team!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 LucasTJahn 
 
 
 
  
4 Weeks Uganda Let me start by saying that we had a wonderful time exploring Uganda!My wife and I spent 4 weeks traveling around the country in a Land Cruiser 78 series with a rooftop tent. The car worked flawlessly the entire time. We did not have a single mechanical issue. Looking at the cars of other rental companies which we saw during our trip, we were very happy with our choice.Our car came with a fridge, two camping chairs, a table, a large gas stove, cooking equipment, a shovel, a high-lift jack, and a towing rope. The rooftop tent had two sleeping bags in it. All our communication was via WhatsApp with Edward and Joan. This worked flawlessly. We picked up our car at Entebbe Airport at 6 am on the day of our arrival. After a handover, we did all the paperwork and were ready to go.Before we left Entebbe, we paid a visit to Victoria Mall, and more specifically, the Carrefour to stock up on groceries and water. Additionally, we decided to buy two blankets, as we think that is more hygienic than using sleeping bags. We'd highly recommend thoroughly checking if you need to buy anything before leaving Entebbe, as it can be tough to find some gear in other parts of the country. As mentioned above, the car worked flawlessly, however, our fridge broke after 2.5 weeks. Edward immediately proposed to bring us a replacement though. The rooftop tent was comfortable. All side flaps could be opened which allowed some ventilation at night. To open and close the tent, you need to be reasonably fit as you'll have to climb around the car and possibly even onto the roof.With a width of 120 cm, the bed was rather narrow, so you better be well-acquainted with your travel partner. If not, you will be after the trip. Due to the height of the car, the ladder of the rooftop tent was too short. To solve this problem, we needed to place a box under the ladder each evening. This was very makeshift and not always stable.The car had a double fuel tank which was useful for our visit to Kidepo Valley National Park. The four-wheel drive worked well. We used both 4H and 4L at times. The AC worked reasonably well. On very hot days, it couldn't quite keep up anymore. Self-Drive Uganda also organized our Gorilla Habituation and Chimpanzee Habituation permits. We got handed all the paperwork at the airport. The tours were amazing!Important things to know:1. Do not expect a new vehicle but a properly used car. Ours had just below 300.000 km on the clock. The body had scratches and dents everywhere. 2. The trunk of the car - at least with a Land Cruiser 78 series - is a bit tough to organize and access. You can only enter through the front doors and the trunk. Inevitably, things will move around when traveling on bumpy trails.3. Uganda can be dusty. There is a good chance that all your luggage will be covered in dust at the end of your trip.All in all, we had a spectacular trip, traveling 4000 km across the entire country. We'd definitely rent with Self-Drive Uganda again.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 JustinTate 
 
 
 
  
Perfect company to help arrange your self drive trip in Uganda. We arranged a 14-day trip around Uganda with Self Drive Uganda. I dealt with Edward by WhatsApp and Joan by email.Edward recommended an initial itinerary, which we looked at, and adjusted a bit to our preference. He was happy to accommodate that. He then arranged the necessary permits for chimp and gorilla trekking. And then he recommended accommodation in each place we were visiting. Most of the accommodation was in ‘Nature Lodges’, which we can highly recommend for their super friendly staff, great rooms/safari tents in stunning locations, good food and very reasonable prices. We let Edward make the accommodation bookings for us as he could obtain better rates than we could booking direct with Nature Lodges.We arranged to hire a Landcruiser LX, which Edward had recommended due to its toughness and our planned journey. None of the rental vehicles in Uganda are new. Most seem to have been imported from the Middle East (Dubai, etc.) after a life there. Once in Uganda, they are reconditioned, resprayed, etc. Our Landcruiser LX was a 2018 model with 263,000 kilometres on the clock, which was quite new for such imported vehicles. Edward said that we were only the 3rd renters (since it had been imported and reconditioned), and that seemed to be the case as it was in very good condition. We picked the vehicle up and dropped it off at the airport, which was a quick and efficient process.The only issue we had was with the spare tyres and jack. Unfortunately, we had a puncture on the 3rd day, and when we went to use the jack, we found it was faulty. Luckily, a local man phoned a nearby mechanic, who came out to us with another jack for us to borrow. And then when we pulled the cover off the 2 spare tyres we realised they were very old and worn, and only usable for shorter low speed journeys, which was a disappointment since the 4 original tyres on the vehicle were virtually brand new and in great condition. Edward did arrange for us to be given a new jack the next day when we reached a larger town. We then had another puncture in the second week, and due to the state of the spares, it was essential we got a new tyre to continue our journey. There was not one available in the nearest town, but fortunately Self Drive Uganda have a network of mechanics they work with around the country, and they liaised with one and sent a new tyre on a night bus from Kampala which was fitted the following morning. This arrangement that Self Drive Uganda has with a network of mechanics around the country is very useful.We can highly recommend using Self Drive Uganda, and we ourselves are considering a trip to Tanzania in the future and would definitely rent a vehicle from Self Drive Uganda if we did so (they also rent vehicles in Tanzania, Rwanda, and Kenya). I will though insist on having decent spare tyres and would check them before we set off!Uganda is a truly amazing country, and exploring it by self-driving is the perfect way to see it. And Self Drive Uganda are the perfect company to rent a vehicle from and help you plan and arrange your trip.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Sophie S 
 
 
 
  
Second time renting here, the best in Kampala Uganda Selfdrive is the amazing!This was the second time renting a car here in Uganda and I really enjoyed this experience. The first time I rented a small rav4, this time the big landcruiser with rooftop tent. Both cars worked really well and service in the way was top notch.This was also the first time with a rooftop tent, and I really liked the experience. The car was equipped with a fridge, stove, cutlery/plates, sleeping bags and chairs. The fridge has his own battery so we were able to use it when the car was off as well without worrying if we would be able to drive the next day.They also brought the car to my place and picked it up there, which is nice. The first time I picked it up at their office, which is a little hard to find. So would recommend just getting it dropped off!Would rent here again and would also recommend it to friends!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Soraia 
 
 
 
  
The good the bad and THE VERY VERY UGLY It could have been very good, however…The good:- Very quick response through WhatsApp. - It’s fantastic that you can pick it up in one country and return it at another (we did from Rwanda to Uganda). - Toyota makes some great cars and we had a good reliable car.The bad:- The inside of the tent smelled funny (like it wasn’t cleaned).- No pillows.- The smell of the fridge was bad. In the end we didn’t use it. - You don’t really get help with camping spots (and yes there aren’t many. Overlander is your go to app).- Rainwater was coming inside at the drivers and passenger seat. - The seatbelt of the passenger side wasn’t working that good anymore.The very ugly:- When we crossed the border into Uganda we received a message that somebody had spotted us. That felt weird and a bit creepy to be honest but okay. We didn’t think too much about it, until….- One day we were driving up to our next destination. We were almost there (20 km or so) when we came across a tree on the road. Blocking the road completely. It was very bad for us because we needed to drive back for 2 hours and take another road making it 3 more hours!!! It was a very long travel day. We made it to our camping spot at around 21:00. Then we saw a message of the owner that made us feel sick in our stomach. “You’re still driving and it’s risky drive at night it’s even prohibited in the rental contract” WTFFFFFFFF?!?!?! He is following the rental cars. We understand that cars have a tracking device in case something happens. However we couldn’t believe what we just received. He is actively following us. What the actual F?!?! Our sense of freedom was completely gone. Yes of course we wanted to be at a camping spot before getting dark. Because it makes your life easier. But this was something totally out of our hands. And you can drive after 7pm by the way, you are just not insured in case something happens. We felt disgusted with the whole message and situation.If you want to roam around and enjoying your freedom, don’t go with this company.