Ajai Wildlife Reserve, covering 148 sq km in Uganda’s West Nile region about 40 km east of Arua, was once one of the last strongholds of the northern white rhino in Uganda before the species was wiped out here by 1979. Following decades of ecological decline, the reserve has undergone a determined restoration since 2024, with several species reintroduced and the southern white rhino returned to the landscape in January 2026.
The reserve at a glance
- 148 sq km in Uganda’s West Nile region, about 40 km east of Arua
- Once home to a significant population of northern white rhinos, gazetted as a reserve in 1965
- Rhinos were locally extinct by 1979 following decades of decline and weakened conservation enforcement
- Southern white rhinos were reintroduced in January 2026, alongside kob, buffalo, zebra and giraffes since 2024
A long decline and a fresh start
Ajai’s rhino population once numbered in the dozens, protected from around 1915 by local conservation efforts under King Ajai and formalised with a small sanctuary in 1937, before the reserve was officially gazetted in 1965 with roughly 50 rhinos still present. Political turmoil in the decades that followed weakened conservation enforcement across the region, and by 1979 rhinos had disappeared from Ajai entirely. Since 2024, the Uganda Wildlife Authority has worked to rebuild the reserve’s wildlife, reintroducing Ugandan kob and Cape buffalo, Grant’s zebra, and both Rothschild’s and Nubian giraffes, culminating in the return of southern white rhinos in early 2026.
A reserve still finding its feet
Ajai remains one of Uganda’s least-visited protected areas, its infrastructure and tourism offering far less developed than the country’s major parks, but its ongoing restoration makes it a place worth watching for travelers interested in conservation stories in progress rather than an established wildlife destination.
Things to do
- Game drives to see the reserve’s recently reintroduced rhinos, giraffes and zebra
- Birdwatching and general wildlife viewing along the reserve’s tracks
- Learning about the reserve’s rhino conservation history and its ongoing recovery
Practical information
- Reached via Arua in Uganda’s West Nile region, requiring a long overland drive from Kampala
- Tourist infrastructure is limited, so visits are best arranged through an experienced operator
- Best combined with other West Nile attractions given the distance involved
Ajai Wildlife Reserve offers a rare, up-close look at an active rhino conservation recovery in Uganda’s West Nile region. Offmap Safaris can help arrange a visit as part of a wider northern Uganda itinerary. To start planning, visit Plan My African Safari, message us on WhatsApp at +256 701 243 304, or email [email protected]. See also our notes on health and safety and responsible travel.
