Going on Safari Alone: A Solo Traveller's Guide to Uganda

Short answerTravelling solo in Uganda works well — you are with a driver-guide all day and trek gorillas in a group of 8 visitors regardless of how you booked. The real issue is cost: vehicles and rooms are priced for sharing. Joining a group departure removes most of that penalty; a private trip does not.

Solo safari travellers are common in Uganda and almost never regret it. The loneliness people fear does not really materialise — a safari is a guided, social activity from the moment you land.

What is real is the pricing. This guide is mostly about that, because it is the part operators tend to explain badly.

The single supplement, explained honestly

Safari prices are quoted per person sharing. That figure assumes two people in a room and several people splitting a vehicle. Travel alone and both assumptions break.

Private trip or joining a group

A third option that is under-used: find someone to travel with. If your dates are flexible, ask whether another solo traveller is looking at similar dates. Two solos sharing a vehicle halves the largest variable cost, even if you both take single rooms.

You are never actually alone

The structure of a Uganda safari is unusually sociable:

• You are with your driver-guide all day. Ugandan guides are, as a rule, excellent company and enormously knowledgeable.
• Gorilla trekking groups are capped at 8 visitors, assigned at the briefing. You meet seven strangers at 07:30 and share the most significant hour of the trip with them.
• Boat cruises and chimpanzee treks are group activities.
• Lodges are small. Eight-room properties with communal dinners are the norm, not the exception.

Solo female travellers

Uganda is generally regarded as welcoming and manageable for women travelling alone, and on an organised safari you are accompanied throughout. Sensible general precautions apply as they would anywhere.

Two things worth reading before you book. Our Ugandan etiquette and customs guide covers dress, greetings and photography consent, all of which smooth interactions considerably. It also contains a factual note on Uganda's anti-LGBTQ+ legislation which LGBTQ+ travellers should read before deciding to travel.

Keeping the cost down

1. Travel in the low season.Uganda's gorilla permit drops in the low season, unlike Rwanda's — see gorilla permit prices explained.
2. Join a group departure rather than booking private.
3. Take mid-range accommodation. The single supplement is a percentage — it hurts far less on a mid-range property.
4. Ask about room-sharing on group departures. Many operators will pair same-sex solo travellers on request.
5. Be flexible on dates so you can join an existing departure.
6. Keep the route tight. Fewer vehicle days is the single biggest saving available to a solo traveller — see how many days you need.

Practical notes

• Travel insurance matters more when solo. Cover cancellation, curtailment and the activities you plan to do.
• Share your itinerary with someone at home.
• Tell us about dietary needs and medical conditions in advance. With no travelling companion to speak for you, we need it in writing.
• Bring more cash than you think for tips and porters — see money, currency and tipping in Uganda.
• Hire a porter on the gorilla trek. Useful for anyone, and worth more when nobody else is carrying your things.

Tell us your dates and whether you would consider a group departure, and we will quote both so you can see the difference rather than guess at it.

Solo safaris: common questions

Can you go on safari in Uganda alone? Yes, and plenty of people do. A safari is a guided activity — you travel with a driver-guide, trek with rangers in a group of eight, and eat at lodges with other guests. Solo travellers are rarely alone in practice; the real question is cost, because vehicle and accommodation are priced for sharing.

What is the single supplement on a safari? A surcharge for occupying a room priced for two people. Lodge rates are quoted per person sharing, so a solo traveller pays a supplement to cover the unsold second bed. On safari the vehicle and guide are also normally split between travellers, so a solo private trip carries those in full too.

Is Uganda safe for solo female travellers? Uganda is generally regarded as welcoming and manageable for solo female travellers, particularly on an organised safari where you are with a guide throughout. Normal precautions apply as anywhere. Check your own government's current travel advice before booking, and read the section on Uganda's laws in our etiquette guide.

Can you join a group safari in Uganda to reduce cost? Yes. Group-joining departures share the vehicle, guide and fuel between travellers, which removes most of the solo cost penalty. The trade-off is fixed dates, a fixed route, and travelling with people you have not met.

Do you trek gorillas alone if you travel solo? No. Gorilla trekking groups are capped at eight visitors per family regardless of how you booked, so you are assigned to a group at the briefing. Solo trekkers routinely end up with the most enjoyable groups — you meet the other seven at 07:30 and by lunchtime you have shared something significant.

Is it cheaper to travel solo in Rwanda or Uganda? Uganda, generally — accommodation and vehicle costs are lower, and the gorilla permit is substantially cheaper. Rwanda's shorter distances mean fewer vehicle days, which narrows the gap on a short trip but rarely closes it.