Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa Rhino sanctuary is the very best place to go if you are looking to see rhinos. This trip can be combined with 3 days Murchison safari. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary protects Uganda’s only wild rhinos and is located just north of Kampala near the famous Murchison Falls near Para. The large sanctuary is a fore runner in the campaign to restore the rhino population in Uganda. In total, the sanctuary protects 15 rhinos but is also a fantastic place to see other wildlife, including a fantastic diversity of birds.

Enjoy bird watching, nature walks, relaxing, and of course finding and watching the rhinos. The rangers of the sanctuary will guide you around the reserve to find the wildlife, including the rhinos themselves but also crocodiles, hippos, and antelopes. Birders often enjoy the reserve and spend time finding some of the 250 different species. You can find some fascinating birds within the sanctuary boundaries, including a number of rare species.

Visitors to the sanctuary are allowed to track the rhinos and see them up close. You can approach the Rhinos on foot. The animals are not that dangerous if you follow instructions. The White Rhinos (the ones at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary) are gentle giants. Approaching them on foot poses no danger to you. You will have the guidance and company of a sanctuary ranger who is knowledgeable about the behavior of the rhinos. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary gives you a rare opportunity to see the Rhinos not from a vehicle but from up close and on foot, you have some great and unusual photo opportunities here as you encounter the White Rhinos of Ziwa.

A total of around 80 rangers and guards watch over the sanctuary day and night to maintain the animals’ safety. The total land area of the area covers 7, 000 hectares, which you can explore with your highly trained ranger who knows the park better than anyone else. You can enjoy different facilities and infrastructure, such as a tourist lodge, camping area, and budget guesthouses to accommodate all types of tourists.

You can also take a nature walk. It is possible to spend the day hiking in the wilderness of the sanctuary. You might get to see animals such as the grey duiker, bushbuck, Oribi, waterbuck, reedbuck, vervet monkeys, black and white Colobus, hartebeest, mongoose, ground squirrels and various reptiles such as large monitor lizards, butterflies and some very interesting insects.

When making a safari itinerary with your safari company of choice be sure to add Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary on your list of places to visit before you continue on to Murchison falls national park, or to Budongo forest. There are basic lodging facilities at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for those who might wish to spend a night on their way to or from Murchison Falls National Park.

Proceeds from food and accommodation are directed towards the breeding programme of the rhinos, with a plan of releasing them into the wild.