Attractions in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Attractions in Ziwa rhino sanctuary are breath-taking natural wonders that have made Ziwa to be one of the best safari destinations to visit in Uganda. Attractions of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary include white rhinos, mammals, primates, and birds. These attractions are found in a 70 sq. km piece of land covered with savannah and woodland type of vegetation.

 Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is located in Nakasongola district about 176 kilometers from Kenya. It was established in 2005 to protect the rhinos and other wildlife species that were living there at the time. The fenced piece of land is gifted with a variety of tourist attractions and this article highlights the attractions found within the protected area.

Attractions in Ziwa rhino sanctuary 

Southern white rhinos

The main attractions in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary are the southern white rhinos. The area is the only place in Uganda where these rhinos are kept in a fenced natural habitat. It’s the white rhinos that have made Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary famous to the outside world. Other tourist attractions like the animals and birds are within the ranch but tourists mainly visit the area to see the white rhinos in the wild

Rhinos in Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary were re-introduced in the country in 2002 from Kenya and Florida in the United States. From 6 rhinos, there are currently more than 34 rhinos at the ranch and the management is aiming at increasing the population. In the future when the population increases, there will be rhinos that will be distributed in different national parks. Today, rhinos are allowed to move freely around the whole ranch which is fenced and tourists can see them on a visit any time any day.

Birds

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is home to over 300 bird species sheltering in the different vegetation covers of the protected area. The shoebill is the most famous bird within the ranch and all birders have an opportunity to see them once they take a canoe ride on Lugogo swamp. Birders can visit the ranch any time to take part in the birding activities organized there which will in the end enable them to see any many bird species as they can.

Apart from the shoebill, other bird species of Ziwa rhino sanctuary include the Abyssinian ground hornbill, European bee-eater, black cuckoo, African jacana, black-headed gonolek, common waxbill, African black crake, helmeted guineafowl, grey woodpecker, plain martin, grey crowned crane, African darter, black-crowned waxbill, lemon dove, crowned hornbill, blue naped mouse bird, semi colored flycatcher, red knobbed coot, olive sunbird, common house martin, superb starling.

African fish eagle, bronze mannikin, wattled lapwing, western black-headed oriole, buff spotted fufftail, great blue turaco, grey-headed sparrow, little sparrow hawk, sand martin, red-throated wryneck, little grebe, pin-tailed whydah, booted eagle, lesser kestrel, yellow-throated longclaw, African marsh harrier, purple heron, scared ibis, white-faced scop’s owl, tawny eagle, and laughing dove to mention but a few.

Animals

Ziwa rhino sanctuary is home to different mammals and primates which are usually seen during different activities organized in the park. Nature walks are the best way to come across these animals but tourists can still spot them while carrying out rhino tracking and bird watching. Animals of Ziwa rhino sanctuary include oribis, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbuck, warthogs, and different monkey species.

When is the best time to visit Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary?

Activities of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary are best done during the dry season of June to September and December to February. These months are characterized by little rainfall and plenty of sunshine which makes good weather. During the dry season, the walking trails within the ranch are dry and easier to walk through, vegetation is short which gives a clear view of attractions, and roads going to the ranch are passable.

Tourists can still visit Ziwa rhino sanctuary during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November for it is always open. These months are called rainy season months because this is a period when the park receives too much rainfall and little sunshine. The walking trails are muddy and slippery plus the vegetation is tall with unclear views of some of the attractions in the ranch.

Accessing Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is located on Kampala Gulu highway in Nakasongola district and tourists can only access the place using road transport. From Entebbe, tourists drive via Kampala, Bombo, Wobulenzi, Luwero, and finally, Nakasongola where they continue to Mukurenge village. It takes 2 to 3 hours to access Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary from Kampala but the time taken depends on the number of stopovers and nature of the roads.