Ziwa Rhino Campsite is a nice, pristine and basic/budget place for short-stay visitors looking to explore Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary alone or combined with Murchison Falls National Park. The beauty about this Campsite is that there are great chances of spotting Rhinos around your tent without having to go tracking, although it is recommended to add tracking to your program. The Campsite is only about 176 kilometers (109 miles) from Kampala along the Kampala-Gulu highway heading towards the Northern side of the country including Murchison Falls national Park.
This Campsite is comprised of a huge building with a large central fireplace. There are also clean ablution blocks with showers (cold or warm based on weather), clean flush toilets, a functional kitchen and a place for dishwashing among others. Electricity here is provided from Hydroelectric and solar power thus providing warm showers, charging phone and camera batteries or lighting.
Also, the tree shade with a cool atmosphere spice up your camping experience and provides an opportunity to sight different wildlife species especially the warthogs, bushbucks and Defassa waterbucks among others.
This budget campsite charges a pocket-friendly fee for Camping, although guests will be required to also pay entry fees (of $20 per person) for accessing Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
About Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and the Campsite
Sprawling over 7,000 hectares, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary was established in 2005 with an aim of re-introducing the southern-white Rhinos into Uganda after they got extinct in the 1980s. Situated in Nakasongola district, Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is so far the only place in the country to see these big mammals in the wild.
The Sanctuary started with only six southern White Rhinos- four that were translocated from Solio Ranch in Kenya and two that were donated from the Disney Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida (in the United States of America). There are currently 38 of them at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary (at the time of writing) and can be tracked daily. The process of tracking Rhinos on foot lasts 1-2 hours depending on their movement.
Besides Rhino tracking, other activities provided at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary include shoebill watching that involves canoe rides on Lugogo Swamp, bird watching (it would interest you to know that there are over 300 species of birds in this Sanctuary alone and 4 renowned bird trails.
You can also explore a great part of the 70 square kilometers of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary during guided bush walks with the expert rangers to have an insight into the indigenous wildlife species, birds, unique ecosystem/vegetation and so much more.
Explore Uganda in the most inspirational ways by complimenting your safari with other destinations. Down to the south of Murchison Falls National Park is Kibale Forest home to chimpanzees in Africa and popular for chimpanzee habituation experience. Further down is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which is home to the rare mountain gorillas and suitable for your life changing experience gorilla tracking safari in Uganda.