Driving in Uganda

Tip: Let yourself be driven instead. Hire a reliable driver with a decent car. It saves your nerves and is the safest way to keep the trouble of an accident off your back! For a spontaneous trip in Kampala, simply take a taxi. It costs only a few euros right across the city. Agree the price beforehand.

Driving in Uganda is no easy matter. This is especially true of Kampala at rush hour, where lorries, buses, minibuses, cars, motorcycles (with 2 to 3 people), bicycles and pedestrians fight for every centimetre of road. In small side streets, the occasional pothole makes this fight even more exciting. Even as an experienced driver, it is therefore not so easy to get around by car on your own.

Without routine, driving can be exhausting outside the towns too. Lorries and long-distance buses race like mad, and hair-raising overtaking manoeuvres are completely normal. Increased caution is strongly advised. Clear traffic and direction signs are often missing, which makes it harder to find your way.

The condition of the roads varies greatly: the main roads are mostly tarmac, but often in poor condition; the German Federal Foreign Office points to an increased risk of accidents (technical defects, animals and people on the carriageway). You should avoid driving at night if possible. The side roads, by contrast, are often of poor quality. A good off-road vehicle is therefore always the better choice. In Kampala, ride-hailing apps such as Bolt, SafeBoda and Tinka are also widespread.

Facts about driving

• Traffic in Uganda drives on the left.
• Speed: 50 km/h in towns and 80 km/h on trunk roads; there are a lot of speed cameras, and fines are sometimes collected on the spot.
• You need an international driving permit, which is only valid together with your national driving licence – the EU card driving licence alone is not enough.
• Seat belts are compulsory for drivers and passengers.
• Using a mobile phone while driving is prohibited.
• Parking fees of a few euros in the towns.

Further links

• Safari-in-Uganda.com database of car rental companies in Uganda