Uganda is one of the most beautiful destinations in Africa. This feet did not go unnoticed by Sir Winston Churchill who nicknamed Uganda as the Pearl of Africa. Indeed if you visit the country, you would live as a testament based on a mix of attractions and scenery in the different parts of the country.
For instance if you travel up in the extreme north eastern part of the country, you will find the Kidepo Valley National Park which is known to have one of the most beautiful landscapes of an open savannah that is host to a variety of wildlife including; the Zebras, Ostrich, Giraffe, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Elland and a number of other antelopes. On the borders of the park is where you encounter the Karamajong people who are known for their interesting culture and then further in the mountains of Murongole, you find the Ik people who live in the mountain and these are one of the smallest tribes in terms of population. Much as the Karamajong and the Ik stay in the same area, the Karamajong are pastoralists whereas the Ik are typical farmers.
As you move southwards, there is the Murchison Falls National Park which is home to the giraffe, lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and the mighty Murchison Falls. A trip to the top of these falls leaves less but wonder of how amazing the water of the river Nile makes its way through a narrow gorge making a thunderous and continuous noise as it continues on its way to Egypt.
Further south, there is the Kibale Forest National Park, Semliki Valley National park, Tooro – Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Queen Elizabeth National park, the snowcapped Rwenzori Mountains, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National park, Lake Bunyonyi area, and then Lake Mburo National Park. In the Eastern part, there is the Mountain Elgon, and Jinja town home to the Source of the mighty River Nile.
The big question at hand then comes and one wonders how they would visit Uganda on a budget. There are a number of factors to consider so as to reduce on your budget when visiting Uganda and the below should be considered;
Planning your itinerary based on the number of days you have: this is very important because the number of days will determine what to visit in the most appropriate time frame. Most people spend about two weeks traveling in Uganda, you can have a look at the 14 Days Self Drive in Uganda Itinerary highlighting most attractions to visit in that period of time. Some people although might have only 7 days to spare for their trip while others would have about a month to travel around. Better planning of the itinerary is key.
Means of travel: It is highly recommendable to hire a car with a driver for your travel so as to enjoy the destination fully although these days some people have resorted to do Self Drive in Uganda whereby they book a vehicle and drive themselves around the different parts of the country. It is highly recommended that to enhance your travel experience in Uganda, always hire a 4×4 vehicle that is able to move in the different parts of the country with ease.
Type of activities to engage in: there are some tourist activities in Uganda that have a higher rate compared to other activities. Take an example, gorilla tracking one of the most revered costs $700 per permit and the second revered – chimpanzee tracking costs $200 per permit. In case you are not interested in the gorilla and chimpanzee tracking, then you can visit the other national parks where the entrance fees cost from $25 to $45 per day.
Number of people traveling: this is a very important determinant of the cost of travel. Traveling in a group of 2 to 4 is better than going as a single individual. In case of more people, some costs say car hire, fuel, and driver are shared amongst the group. The same can be said with regards to the accommodation where the per person rate for sharing a room is better than when staying in the room alone.
The time of the year: normally, the lodges extend discounts during the low season months as opposed to the peak season months. The low season month are the rainy season months between March to May, and October to mid-December. Previously, there have been discounts on tourist activities for these months are well because there are not many people traveling to Uganda during those times. It is however very important to note that Uganda is a tropical country and it receives rain all year round. Some months that are perceived to be rainy might actually result to having no rain during your entire travel period and the reverse is true for the dry months.