Rhinos vanished from Uganda in the early 1980s, killed by poaching in years of war. Today, on a stretch of savannah and swamp off the Gulu highway, you can walk up to them on foot. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a conservation project that has brought southern white rhinos back to Uganda, and it is the only place in the country where wild rhinos can be tracked on foot. It sits about halfway between Kampala and Murchison Falls, which makes it an easy and memorable stop.
The sanctuary and its mission
- Where: Nakasongola District, near Nakitoma, roughly 176 to 180 kilometres north of Kampala on the Gulu road towards Murchison Falls. It is about three hours’ drive from Kampala.
- Size: about 70 square kilometres of acacia woodland, thickets, grassland and swamp, enclosed by an electric fence and patrolled around the clock by rangers.
- Who runs it: Rhino Fund Uganda, in partnership with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and the landowner.
- The story: Uganda’s black and white rhinos were declared extinct in the early 1980s. The first southern white rhinos arrived from Kenya in 2005, joined by others from the United States, and the herd has grown by breeding. More than thirty are reported in recent years, though numbers change.
- The goal: to build a healthy breeding population and, in time, return rhinos to Uganda’s national parks such as Murchison Falls and Kidepo.
Rhino tracking on foot
After a briefing at the visitor centre, you drive towards where the rhinos are grazing and then walk the last stretch with a ranger. You may stand only metres away as a white rhino feeds, head down, unhurried. Follow the ranger’s instructions exactly, because rhinos can be unpredictable. Plan on roughly one and a half to two and a half hours with the animals.
Wear closed shoes, long trousers and neutral colours, and bring water and insect repellent.
Other things to do
- Shoebill trek and canoe ride at the Lugogo swamp, to look for the prehistoric-looking shoebill.
- Birdwatching: more than 300 species, including the red-crested turaco.
- Nature and night walks to see other wildlife, such as giraffe, antelope, monkeys, hippos and crocodiles, and, at night, aardvark and other nocturnal animals.
- Rescued animals: a small collection of rescued animals makes the visit good for families.
Practical information
- Time needed: half a day, or a night at the lodge if you add the shoebill trek and a night walk.
- Best time: year-round. The dry season is easier for tracks and walking.
- Combining: Ziwa is a natural stop on the way to Murchison Falls National Park and Budongo Forest. See our pages on both.
- Fees: park and activity fees change, and we confirm them at booking.
- Health: heat and malaria. See our Health & Safety page.
Ziwa with Offmap Safaris
We include Ziwa on the road to Murchison Falls as a morning rhino trek, followed by lunch and the drive north. Plan your safari, message us on WhatsApp +256 701 243 304 or email [email protected]. See our Responsible Travel page for guidance on wildlife viewing.
