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6 Spectacular Campsites for your Uganda Self-Drive Safari Roadtrip

  • Writer: Lucas T. Jahn
    Lucas T. Jahn
  • 4 days ago
  • 3 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Often overshadowed by its more well-known neighbors, Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda remains a well-kept secret. For self-drive travelers, this is perfect news as the country’s national parks are not as overrun as the Serengeti or Masai Mara. That means that you can expect to have a fantastic time with many memorable wildlife encounters!

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Land Cruiser driving through grass in Uganda

1. Rwonyo Lakeside Rest Camp

This is one of the best campsites in Uganda, as you camp directly along the shores of Lake Mburo. Chances are good that a group of hippos will rest in the shallow water just in front of you. During the day, the site is visited by warthogs and sneaky vervet monkeys, whereas at night, many impalas come here. With a bit of luck, you might also spot giant forest hogs. 


Because the campsite is in a national park, you must have a security guard. This person will walk around the site at night, making sure no dangerous animals approach.


2. Ishasha River Camp #2

This campsite is incredibly wild. The reason is its hard-to-beat location along the Ishasha River. The campsite is embedded in the forest of Queen Elizabeth National Park while also looking over Virunga National Park on the Congolese side. The chances of wildlife coming to the river are very high. This includes troops of baboons as well as elephants, Nile crocodiles, hippos, and a plethora of birds.


This camp requires you to be fully self-sufficient. There is no water and no shower on site. Additionally, the toilet is just a hole in the ground. At night, a ranger, or several, will come by to ‘keep you safe’.


3. Hornbill Cave Kibale Camp

This camp is very lovely. Sitting above Bigodi Swamp, the camp area is surrounded by forest on all sides. Birds and monkeys are very common. The camp owner is friendly and also offers to cook dinner, which is both delicious and reasonably priced. The washrooms are rustic, but we did not have a single power or water outage.


White off-road SUV with rooftop tent and ladder in a lush forest clearing; camper’s legs hang out of the tent.

4. Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch

The camping area at Ziwa is fenced in. This is mostly done to keep the rhinos at a distance. In fact, if you wake up in the morning, there is a good chance that some rhinos will be sleeping directly at the fence. We could approach them up to 2 meters. The campsite offers shade under large trees as well as clean washroom and kitchen facilities. Rather annoying is the fact that a generator of the nearby lodge is running until 11 pm and from 5 am. There is a restaurant nearby if you didn’t bring your own supplies.


A rhinoceros grazes in dry savanna grass while a white bird stands nearby, with trees blurred in the background.

5. Kakine Campsite

This campsite was one of our favorites in Uganda. The view of the surrounding landscape is tantalizing. Staying on top of a hill, you have a 360° view of the savannah. Both sunrise and sunset are spectacular. As is customary in Uganda's national parks, you will have a security guard. This guard usually arrives just before sunset and stays in one of the two shelters on site. They will tend a campfire for you and possibly share some tips. The washroom facilities on site are extremely rundown. With some luck, you’ll have freshwater from a water barrel.


Couple in folding chairs toast beside a beige off-road camper with rooftop tent under a glowing cloudy sunset.

6. Living Waters Resort

Aside from rooms, this hotel also offers the option to camp on its lawn. A room was opened for us to use the shower and toilet. Setting up camp directly above the Source of the Nile provides an almost unrivaled view. We simply sat underneath a tree for hours on end and watched the fishermen go about their daily business. In the evening, we were visited by a large group of Tantalus monkeys.


White off-road SUV with rooftop tent beside a lake, two camping chairs on grass, trees and hills in a calm sunny landscape.

Wild Camping

Generally speaking, wild camping is uncommon in Uganda, and frankly, there is no space in rural areas for doing so. Uganda is heavily populated, and most parts of the country are privately owned and cultivated. Additionally, police seem to have a strong dislike for wild camping and will often come and ask campers to leave when they attempt to do so.


Safari vehicle on a dirt track beneath a lone acacia tree in tall savanna grass under a clear sky.

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Buffalo and birds in a grassy savanna with palm trees, overlaid with bold UGANDA text.


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