Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary wildlife walks offer the only opportunity in Uganda to see white rhinoceros in the wild. Located in central Uganda near Nakasongola, Ziwa is a 7,000-hectare private sanctuary that has been instrumental in reintroducing the white rhino to Uganda, where the species was completely wiped out by poaching and war in the 1980s. The Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary wildlife walk is a guided on-foot experience — visitors walk directly to the free-ranging rhino herds with armed rangers and specialist guides. The rhinos here are genuinely wild and unenclosed within the sanctuary boundaries. Getting close enough to observe their behaviour in detail is an extraordinary experience. The sanctuary currently holds over 30 individuals across several family groups, all part of a breeding programme aimed at eventually reintroducing rhino to Murchison Falls National Park. Beyond rhinos, the sanctuary provides excellent birding with over 310 species recorded, including the shoebill stork — one of Africa’s most enigmatic birds — in the papyrus swamps. Sitatunga antelope wade in the wetlands. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a standard stop on the Kampala to Murchison Falls road journey. It is Uganda’s conservation success story and a fascinating addition to any northern Uganda itinerary.