Using a hired car is a great way to get around when you’re on holiday, but there are a few things you need to know when making your booking. There are many car hire companies to choose from, so you may wish to look around before you decide which one to go with.
Booking your hire a car in Uganda online makes the whole process easy, and you may find that it costs less too. You can book at any time and can look through the website to see what types of hire car are available. The hire car company’s site will also provide additional information about the car hire process, including any restrictions that may be imposed. It’s a good idea to pick up your hire car from the airport, as you can just load your bags straight into it and drive to your hotel, and it’s simple to return the hire car before you fly home.
Here are some things to consider when booking a hire car online:
Car hire firms have age restrictions in place. If you are a young driver or wish to share the driving with someone who is young, you’ll need to look into this. The minimum age limits vary from as young as 18 up to 25, depending on the company and the destination. Sometimes young drivers must pay a supplement.
If you plan to share the driving with other people, they will also need to have their documents with them. Their details must be given to the car hire firm, and they must comply with all restrictions and regulations and above all every person who will be driving must have a valid driver’s license.
You can’t usually pay for your hire car in cash, so make sure the main driver has a valid credit card. And for Uganda’s case most of the competent companies always prefer being paid cash on arrival. This helps to instill some confidence in the intending car hirer.
Always book your hire car well in advance in order to avoid last minute disappointment.
If you intend to cross state lines or national borders, make sure that your car hire agreement allows this.
Check that the car hire company allows you unlimited mileage if you plan to take long distance trips.
If you intend to pick up the hire car at one destination and drop it off at another, be aware that this may incur an extra charge. Not all car hire companies offer this service, so ensure that it is allowed before making your plans.
Book any necessary extras when booking your hire car. For ideas about the kind of extras that are available when hiring a car, check out our hire car extras page.
Always look at the total cost of everything before confirming your booking, as you may find you haven’t taken into account charges that are added to the basic rate.
Things to Check Before You Leave
It’s a great idea to hire a car when you’re traveling abroad, as it will give you the freedom to explore your destination at your own pace. If you decide to hire a car for your trip, there are some things you will need to do and consider before you leave home.
Here are some pointers to help to make hiring a car as easy as possible:
Work out the number of days that you will need the car for. Do you want the convenience of picking up your hire car from the airport after landing? Alternatively, if you’ve had a long flight, you may be tired and want to wait until the next day before tackling the roads.
Booking a hire car online is quick and easy, and you can make a booking at any time of the night or day. You can look up all the information that you’ll need, including hire car insurance details, age restrictions and the locations of the car hire company. You can also print off anything you may wish to keep for further reference.
Make sure that you are taking out the correct insurance for your needs, and don’t forget to ask how much the excess will be if you should need to claim
If you are travelling with other people, make sure you that find out how much luggage they intend to take. You don’t want to hire a small car only to find that the cases won’t fit in the boot. You’ll also need to take the number of people travelling and their sizes into account. Whilst children will be perfectly comfortable in the back of an economy car, larger adults may not
If there are young children in your party, remember to request baby chairs or children’s booster seats for your hire car. You’ll also need to be aware of your destination country’s laws regarding the ages, weights and heights that children need to be before they are allowed to travel without these constraints.
Think about the length of the journeys that you intend to make in your hire car, larger cars provide more legroom and are more comfortable for longer trips. The size of the engine is another factor to consider.
Think about where you are going on your holiday and where you will be visiting. Even if you only take a day trip into the desert, you will definitely need a car with air conditioning. As a minimum, you should always carry a bottle of water with you in the car.
Check the car hire company’s opening hours. Your flight may be landing after they have closed for the day if it is, some companies will wait for you if you provide your flight details in advance.
Remember to allow for disembarking and baggage claim times along with the trip from the terminal to the car hire outlet. Give your flight details to the car hire firm so that they will know what has happened to you if you are severely delayed. Check to see if there is a shuttle that will take you to the hire car collection point.
Remember to take your car hire details and relevant documents with you; these include any reservation numbers or vouchers, and the address and telephone number of the location from which you’ll be picking up your hire car. You will also need both parts of your driver’s license, your passport and any necessary international driver’s permits. It’s useful to keep your passport with you at all times for ID purposes (this also applies to anyone who will be sharing the driving). The driver will also need a credit card, and any other ID that the car hire company may request to cover any local charges or excess payments. They may even require your boarding card, so be careful not to throw it away after disembarking.
If you have a disability, you will probably need to pack your disabled parking sticker. If possible, keep these items safe in your hand luggage so they are available when you hire your car.
It’s always a good idea to inform your credit card company that you will be using your card abroad.
Before you go, invest in a good map of the area that you’ll be visiting, and keep it in your hire car. It is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the traffic signs and service station availability that you’ll encounter on your trip.
It’s useful to carry a mobile phone in your hire car in case of an emergency, but you may need to ask your phone company to unlock it for use abroad beforehand.
Remember to carry driving glasses if you need them. You should also keep sunglasses in your hire car, to cut down on glare in sunny weather.
