Ziwa has another baby rhino, which marks another victory for Uganda’s conservation efforts. Laloyo, the mother has now produced 4 calves that includes this new one. This is a moment for all rhino lovers to celebrate. Amazingly, since 2009, 46 rhinos have been born in Ziwa. Currently, Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch shelters 52 rhinos. Earlier this year, 4 rhinos were translocated from Ziwa to Ajai Wildlife Reserve in West Nile. Then, the translocation of 4 other rhinos to Kidepo Valley National Park followed.

Brief History of Ziwa Rhinos and Wildlife Ranch

Its first establishment happened in 1983, where Ziwa Ranch became a cattle farm for the introduction of exotic cattle. Owned privately by Captain Roy and family, the ranch operated like this for almost 20 years. In 2002, this family made a decision with Rhino Fund to establish a rhino habitat in the cattle farm. This followed the relocation of 7,000 heads of cattle from here to accommodate the then locally extinct rhinos. Through fundraising strategies along with the Roy Family and others, money was raised to fence the land for security reasons.

Establishment of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary occurred in 2005. This happened through a collaboration of Uganda Wildlife Authority and Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch Limited. The main goal of this was re-introduction of southern white rhinos to their natural home. Firstly, 6 of these rhinos were introduced in the sanctuary. By 2023, the rhino population had reach 42 after successful breeding among the animals. Though Ziwa has another baby rhino, it also, received 8 rhinos from South Africa in late 2025. In total, 60 rhinos live in Uganda.

What to see at Ziwa?

Though Ziwa has another baby rhino, these are not the only attractions in the ranch. A lot of wildlife and physical features can be witnessed in Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch. They include,

Mammals

A lot of big mammals live in Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, and so far, 19 species have been recorded. They include African leopards, Rothschild’s giraffes and Uganda kobs. More of the mammals: warthogs, waterbucks, Jackson’s hartebeests, Plain’s zebras, crested porcupines, common duikers and bushbucks etc. Primates to see include species like vervet monkeys and black and white colobus monkeys.

Birds

Recorded bird species so far reach 300, which is so impressive for birding experiences. The list includes brown headed parrot, little sparrow hawk, Nubian woodpecker, yellow-fronted tinkerbird, piacpiac, lizard buzzard and collared sunbird. Other attractive birds include double toothed barbet, African green pigeon, black-headed heron, black-headed gonolek and blue-headed coucal etc.

Landscape

Ziwa has another baby rhino, but, sometimes the landscape is so beautiful, you might just focus on it. The baby rhino can be seen in the woodland savannah, which has a lot of acacia tree species. Swamps, that include the Lugogo swamp offer habitat to a lot of birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects among others.

What to do at Ziwa?

Now that Ziwa has another baby rhino, you might wonder what exclusive experiences they offer. Well, activities awaiting you at this destination include,

Rhino treks

Follow well-trained ranger guides in the ranch to locate southern white rhinos wherever they are. For 1.5 to 2.5 hours, do this on foot, though a drive is allowed to a certain point. Once you locate them, spend some time in their presence. Of course you might capture their behavior on camera.  Each rhino trek costs $60 per person for foreign nonresidents. Foreign residents and East African Residents pay $50 and UGX50,000 per person respectively. These rates also cater for the entrance to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch.

Shoebill Trek

Spot the shoebill in a guided trip while on a canoe on the Lugogo swamp. The shoebill trek takes 4 hours, from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Therefore, you do participate in this activity only if you spent the night at Ziwa. For foreign nonresidents, a shoebill trek in Ziwa costs $30 per person. Foreign residents and East African Residents do this for $25 and UGX30,000 per person. However, the rates do not cater for the entrance fees. Therefore, FNR, FR and EAR must pay entrance of $60, $50 and UGX50,000 per person respectively.

Birdwatching

Inside the ranch, different bird species can be identified in a variety of habitats, that include savannah and swamp. This is a guided trip where you can see various bird species in any of the 4 birding trails available. The cost of the 2-hour birdwatching trip in Ziwa for Foreign nonresidents is only $30 for each one. Foreign residents and East African Residents are charged $25 and UGX30,000 for each person respectively. Also, these rates do not cater for the entrance fees. So, FNR, FR and EAR must pay entrance of $60, $50 and UGX50,000 pp respectively.

Nature walk

Ziwa offers 2-hour nature walks to people who love to soak in the cool natural surroundings. In this case, the swamp and savannah habitats offer lovely wildlife and atmosphere. With a ranger, explore a variety of areas within the 27 square miles’ ranch to see the wildlife and landscape. Nighttime walks are also offered if you prefer to explore the various nocturnal wildlife in the ranch. These start from 8:00 p.m. and end at 10:00 p.m. every day. At $25 per person both Foreign nonresidents and Foreign residents can do a nighttime nature walk.

Per person, East African residents need UGX30,000 to do a nighttime nature walk. Similar to the other activities beside rhino trek, park entrance is separate. This implies that each East African resident must pay UGX50,000 to enter the ranch. Foreign nonresidents and Foreign residents should also pay separate entrance fees of $60 and $50 per person respectively.

Camping

This is an accommodation option for anyone in desperate need to spend the night in the heart of the wilderness. Also, to do a night nature walk or shoebill trek the next morning, you might just love camping here. Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch allows visitors to set up their own tents in the camping site. But, if you do not have one, hire from Ziwa themselves. They charge $10 per person per day for their tents. However, combine camping with Ziwa tent hire at only $35 per person per day. To hire Ziwa’s luxury tents, you need $280 per person per day.

How to get there?

Travel to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch by road transport, which is the best mode to use to this destination. Use private means for a smooth and comfortable drive along the Kampala-Gulu highway. This is towards the northwest of Uganda, before you turn on your left at a trading center in Nakitoma. The total distance to cover from Kampala to the sanctuary is 171 kilometers. Along the way, see a lot of interesting things, such periurban and village settings. Meanwhile, numerous tree and bird species can be seen on either side of the road.

If you need to hire a car, we recommend our own 4X4 safari land cruisers. These cars are actually built to navigate Uganda’s rugged roads with ease. If a land cruiser is not what you are looking for, we have several other options in our fleet. Our diverse lineup has everything, from sedans, SUVs, drones, buses, minibuses and others. Your transportation gets even better because we pair your rental with our expert guide. Any one of our guides brings deep local knowledge of both Ziwa and Uganda.