Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is Uganda’s only place to see wild white rhinos, and it sits conveniently on the road between Kampala and Murchison Falls National Park. Adding a Ziwa rhino trekking experience to a Uganda gorilla trekking itinerary creates a remarkable combination: mountain gorillas at Bwindi and wild rhinos at Ziwa in a single Uganda circuit. Here is how to make it work.
What Is Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary?
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a private conservation area approximately 170 kilometres north of Kampala, covering 70 square kilometres of savanna and woodland near the town of Nakasongola. The sanctuary was established by Rhino Fund Uganda and the Uganda Wildlife Authority to reintroduce southern white rhinos to Uganda — the species was extirpated from the country in the 1980s due to poaching. From a founding population of six rhinos imported from Kenya in 2005, the Ziwa population has grown to over 40 individuals and continues to expand. This is one of the most successful rhino reintroduction programmes in Africa. The sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you can see white rhinos on foot — trekking to them without a vehicle barrier, within metres of animals that can weigh 2,300 kilograms, in the open savanna of central Uganda.
The Ziwa Rhino Trek: What It Involves
Ziwa rhino trekking is a guided walk of one to three hours through the sanctuary’s savanna and woodland to locate one of the resident rhino groups. Rangers track the rhinos each morning and know their approximate location. The walk is on flat, open ground — far easier than Bwindi’s forest terrain — and accessible to virtually all fitness levels. Groups approach the rhinos on foot, guided by armed rangers who manage the encounter from a safe distance (typically 10 to 20 metres). White rhinos are typically calm grazers who do not charge without provocation when properly managed; the ranger’s positioning ensures safety throughout. The permit costs approximately 40 to 50 USD per person. The experience — standing on foot with a 2-tonne white rhino grazing 15 metres away — is genuinely thrilling and completely different from any vehicle-based rhino viewing.
How to Add Ziwa to a Gorilla Trekking Itinerary
Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is located between Kampala and Murchison Falls — making it a natural addition to any itinerary that includes Murchison Falls National Park. If your Uganda itinerary covers Bwindi (gorilla trekking), Queen Elizabeth, Kibale, and Murchison Falls, Ziwa is a natural lunchtime stop on the drive north to Murchison. Alternatively, Ziwa can be visited as a standalone day trip from Kampala on the first or last day of a Uganda trip — a 3-hour drive from Kampala, 2-hour rhino walk, 3-hour drive back, all achievable in a long day. Either approach adds white rhino to your Uganda wildlife list with minimal route adjustment.
The Big Five and Beyond in Uganda
With the addition of Ziwa rhinos, Uganda offers a remarkable wildlife combination for a single trip: mountain gorillas (Bwindi), chimpanzees (Kibale), tree-climbing lions (Queen Elizabeth), elephants (multiple parks), white rhinos (Ziwa), hippos (Kazinga Channel/Nile), and over 1,000 bird species throughout. Uganda’s diversity of wildlife experiences — from the most intimate primate encounter on earth to savanna and wetland wildlife — is unmatched in East Africa on a per-day basis. Contact us to build your 2027 Uganda itinerary that includes gorilla trekking and the Ziwa rhino add-on.
