Uganda has some absolutely amazing National Parks, that allow you to see an incredible range of wildlife at a much lower cost than in other East African countries. Still, you’ll only be able to see four of the Big Five safari animals when touring them, as Rhinos went extinct in Uganda during the early 1980s.
Ever since the turn of the millennium, efforts have been made to breed and ultimately reintroduce rhinos into the country’s National Parks. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in central Uganda, where White Rhinos can reproduce and grow up in a safe environment, is at the centre of that ongoing effort.
Of course, we couldn’t pass the opportunity to see the Rhinos while traveling through Uganda, so we made our way to the sanctuary from the pretty town of Masindi. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
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Guided Tours to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary
Reaching the Sanctuary on your own is possible, but a bit of a hassle, especially if you don’t have your own 4×4 available. We did it independently (check the description below), but if you prefer your wildlife visits well sorted out, there are a number of guided tours to the sanctuary available.
This well-rated round-trip tour to Ziwa Sanctuary from Kampala includes transportation, entrance to the Sanctuary and a knowledgeable guide, but it’s obviously more expensive than doing it on your own. There’s also a cheaper alternative trip starting from Masindi. You can have a look at more options below.
How to Get to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Independently
The sanctuary lies near Nakitoma village off the highway running from Kampala to Gulu and if you have a 4×4 you can drive into the Sanctuary yourself. Otherwise, any bus traveling the along that road can drop you off at the turn-off for the sanctuary in Nakitoma. If you’re traveling from Masindi, as we were, just take a bus or matatu to Kampala, and likewise get off at the village.
From there, you’ll still have to walk 2.5km/1.5mi. until you reach the entrance to the sanctuary and another 4km/2.5mi. until you reach the ranger station, from where the tours start. It’s a bit of a slog, but you’ll walk through a nice savanna landscape and on the way back, you could ask one of the rangers to give you a lift to the highway for a tip, like we did.
From there you’ll have to try and wave down any northbound bus or matatu to return to Masindi – you might have to change transport at the turnoff to Masindi north of Kafu, but there should be some matatus or improvied car-taxis waiting around at the junction.
We managed to hitch a ride on the back of a bakery-truck to the turnoff (yep, we had to sit on the pastry boxes) and then changed into a regular 5 seater car occupied by 10 people (the driver was sitting in someone else’s lap – good times).
Visiting the Rhinos at Ziwa
First things first: We didn’t sort our visit out in advance, but rather just showed up at the headquarters, and didn’t wait for more than 10 minutes until a guide showed up, ready to take us and a British couple we met on-site to the Rhinos.
There aren’t a ton of visitors to the sanctuary, but if you want to make absolutely sure, you can make a reservation beforehand on the sanctuary’s website.
After waiting for a few minutes in the pleasant Wildlife Ranch – where we were visited by some docile Sitatunga Antelopes – we hopped on the back of our guide’s motorbike and were driven to a nearby grove, where a pair of Rhinos was resting. Despite the fact that there wasn’t a lot of activity, we were absolutely excited to visit them, especially considering how rare they are around these parts.
The fact that they were napping also allowed us to get a little closer than we would have been able to, had they been awake, and we were just blown away by their sheer size and potential power. Our guide explained a bit about the ongoing conservation efforts before giving us a lift back to the highway.
Apart from the Rhinos, there are quite a few other animals living in the sanctuary. Besides the ubiquitous Antelope, you might be lucky and encounter warthogs, crowned cranes and shoebills (there are separate tours available for the latter). Stefanie even managed to spot a chameleon during the motorbike rode with her eagle-eyes.
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Opening Times
The Park Office is open for bookings from 7am to 6pm, but possible times for activities vary (there are also nighttime walks available, for instance). At the time of writing, Rhino Trekking is possible from 7am until 5pm, but it’s recommended to go in the morning or late afternoon. You can check the different available activity times here.
How Much is the Entrance Fee for Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary?
At the time of writing, the entrance fee to the Sanctuary, including Rhino Trekking, is 50$ for foreign nationals and 40,000 Shillings for Ugandan Nationals. Other activities have different prices – you can check them here.
Where to Go Next
Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s Best Safari Destination