Things to do at Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary in 2025.
Things to do at Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary in 2025: The Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district provides various activities for tourists to enjoy during their trips to Uganda.
The main draw in Uganda is the rhinos at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, where you can watch them in their natural habitat. The sanctuary is the only place in the country where you can see rhinos on wildlife walks.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) oversees operations at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary. There are rules to follow when entering the sanctuary, including a ban on pets.
Visitors to Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary can enjoy several activities, including:
Tourists often enjoy tracking rhinos when they visit the Zziwa rhino refuge.
At the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, the search for rhinos begins with a talk from the guides. After that, you walk into the wild to start tracking the rhinos. During the briefing, tourists are told about the rules and laws to follow during the activity and also safety precautions are communicated.
Tourists can get the proper shoes for rhino tracking at the Zziwa rhino refuge. The walks happen on various tracks in the sanctuary where visitors watch for rhinos in the wild.
Tourists can safely watch rhinos and take photos and videos of them at the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary when they are in their natural environment. The refuge has white rhinos.
The rhino trekking experience lasts about 1 to 2 hours, based on where the rhinos are located. The rhino trekking activity can be done from 07:00 am to 05:00 pm during tours around the Zziwa rhino reserve.
During the rhino tracking experience, you can also see other animals in the refuge like Uganda kobs, oribis, waterbucks, and bushbucks.
The Zziwa rhino sanctuary has more than 300 types of birds that you can see during walks.
There are different paths to take when bird-watching at the Zziwa rhino refuge. You can find some bird species at the spot, including the rare Shoebill stork, which can also be seen in the wetland area.
At the Zziwa rhino refuge, you can experience the Shoebill in the wetlands. This area is also home to various other birds, including the White Crested Turaco, Giant Kingfishers, Palmnut Vultures, Barbets, and Speckled-breasted Woodpeckers.
The look for the Shoebill at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary begins at 6:00 AM and includes a canoe ride to the wetlands. The Shoebill can be found in the Lugogo wetlands at the rhino sanctuary, and the trip lasts about 4 hours.
The Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary is home to various bird species, including Gray Crowned Cranes, African Fish Eagles, African Jacanas, Pied Kingfishers, African Grey Hornbills, Marabou Storks, Crested Francolins, Black Cuckoos, Black-headed Herons, Goliath Herons, Grassland Pipits, Great Egrets, Great Reed Warblers, Black-bellied Bustards, Black-crowned Waxbills, Black-shouldered Kites, African Broadbills, Little Swifts, Long-crested Eagles, Purple Herons, Dusky Tits, Black-winged Bishops, and Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters, among others.
Guided nature walks are also carried out during trips around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary and they can be done in the morning, afternoon and in the night.
Nature walks let guests enjoy the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, exploring the woodlands, savannah, and wetlands there. Ranger guides help tourists discover the sanctuary by walking with them.
During guided nature walks, tourists like to spot different animals and birds. The guards leading these walks know where to find the wildlife in Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
The walks at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary last about 2 hours. You can do them between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm during wildlife trips in Uganda.
Canoeing is the sport of moving a canoe through water using paddles.
You can canoe around the Zziwa rhino refuge in the wetlands, where you can see various water birds.
Tourists can watch the sunrise while taking a canoe ride in the Zziwa rhino refuge swamps.
Prices for events at Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary.
Here are the various things you can do at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary during safaris in Uganda and the costs involved when visiting:
Expenses for people from other countries.
The entrance fee to visit the Zziwa rhino refuge is $50 for adult foreigners and $30 for foreign children. This fee includes a rhino trekking trip, either walking or by vehicle.
The Shoebill trek at the Zziwa rhino refuge costs 25 USD for adult foreigners and 15 USD for children.
Bird watching walks at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary cost 20 USD for adults and 10 USD for children.
Night wildlife walks at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary cost $20 for adults and $10 for kids.
You cannot pay for Zziwa rhino refuge with cash. You can use Visa, MasterCard, debit cards, or make a bank transfer instead.
Expenses for people living in a faraway country.
Foreign people need to pay an entrance fee of 45 USD for adults and 25 USD for children to visit the Zziwa rhino sanctuary.
For foreign visitors to the Zziwa rhino reserve, the fee for Shoebill treks is $20 for adults and $10 for children.
In Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, bird watching and night nature walks cost 20 USD for adults and 10 USD for children for foreign visitors.
Costs for people living in East Africa.
At the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, people from East Africa pay an entrance fee of 40,000 Uganda shillings, while children pay 10,000 shillings.
Shoebill trekking, bird watching trips, and night nature walks at Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary cost 20,000 Uganda shillings for adults and 5,000 Uganda shillings for children.
