Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Location: Between Kampala and Masindi

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is home to Uganda’s only rhinos – making this a must for anyone who has come to Uganda to see Africa’s “Big Five”!

Tracking these enormous creatures on foot through the savannah and swamps is a thrilling experience, and your specialist guide will share his expert knowledge on these impressive animals. The guides know each of the nine rhinos by name, from the huge, battle scarred males to the gentle females resting in the shade with their calves.

The non-profit sanctuary is also home to an assortment of rescued animals – from a pair of colorful grey-crowned cranes to a tiny antelope, making it a wonderful and educational place to visit for both adults and children.

Accommodation is available on site, as well as a restaurant.

Highlights

  • Standing just a few meters away from the huge, gentle rhinos, while your guide tells you all about them.
  • Knowing that your visit makes a real difference – to rhino protection, biodiversity conservation and community education.

Responsible Travel

  • Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is a non-profit project. All income from visitors helps to keep the project running, while fundraising campaigns support the relocation, protection and management of the rhinos.
  • Ziwa conducts education and community outreach programs about the need to conserve rhinos, biodiversity in Uganda and the impacts of conservation.
  • The sanctuary is surrounded by a solar powered electric fence. Its construction brought a lot of employment to local communities, and it is designed to keep the rhinos inside and poachers outside the sanctuary.
  • Visitors are encouraged to support the sanctuary through donations, paid membership or volunteering on or off site.

Package Includes

Transportation within the sanctuary, printed information about the rhinos, the fund and safety tips.

For more information

Website: www.rhinofund.org

E-mail: angie@rhinofund.org
Phone: +256 (0) 772-713-410

Duration

1 – 2 hours

What to Bring
  • Closed walking shoes or boots
  • Sun screen
  • Insect repellent
  • Bottled water and snacks
  • Light, long-sleeved shirt, hat and sunglasses are recommended
  • Tips for guide and community members, extra cash for purchases in the shop, or for donating to the sanctuary’s projects.
Price
  • Non-residents $25
  • East African residents $12
  • Ugandan citizens $4
  • Hiring a guide: $15.

Children pay half price.

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Mubako Cultural Campfire Performances

Location: Bordering Murchison Falls National Park

The remote community of Mubako is located beside the sprawling savannah of Murchison Falls National Park, in the sun-drenched northwestern region of Uganda. The village is a collection of traditional thatched mud huts around a central clearing, where villagers gather to escape the midday sun und the shade of a large tree. In this dry climate, the community cultivates cotton and cassava, which is ground into bread flour or fermented to make waragi gin.

Mubako has a small craft shop selling carved wooden sculptures and handwoven items made by community members. At dusk, the local cultural groups Alur and Campfire perform vibrant songs and dances around the campfires of local lodges, accompanied by the beautiful sound of the adungu. This instrument, originating from this region, is made of cowhide and twine, and the harmonies of the various-sized adungus against the backdrop of a Nile sunset is wonderful.

Highlights
  • Hike the dusty road to Mubako from the nearly Nile Safari Lodge. Your friendly local guide will share tales of daily life in the community.
  • Watch the young dancers put on a lively show as the sun sets over the backdrop of the Nile
  • Enjoy the unique sounds of the adungus and the unusual percussion – all these instruments are made by hand!
Responsible Travel
  • Mubako Community has no access to Murchison Falls National Park, which means the people can not hunt or fish there. Generating income through village tours, the sale of handicrafts and cultural performances gives residents to benefit from the Park, as it brings tourists to the region.
  • Farming is difficult here thanks to the dry climate, and a limited diet can lead to malnutrition. There are few economic opportunities here, but with the money they earn from tourism, the community can buy produce from local markets.
  • The money also allows them to pay school fees, and to support a local nursery, which has around 90 children aged from 2-6 years.
Contact us for more information

Email:  info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700

Duration

One hour to 90 minutes

What to Bring
  • Cash for tips and craft purchases
  • Camera
Price

Free for lodge guests

Book with these operators & lodges:

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Boomu Women’s Group Village Walk

Location: Between Budongo Forest Reserve and Murchison Falls National Park

Boomu Women´s Group has around 40 members from the villages of Kihaguzi and Kigaragara. These subsistence farmers had little produce left over to sell, so in 1999 the women´s group was formed, with the aim of reducing poverty and malnutrition, and providing an income for the members to be able to pay their children´s school fees. What began as a craft group has evolved into a wonderful community tourism project, with accommodation, a restaurant, unique guided tours and a well-tended garden.

This scenic walk through the village reveals to visitors the features of everyday rural life, as well as explaining the hardships facing the community. Your guide will show you the various crops that are grown in Kigaragara, as well as taking you to visit the village blacksmith. Storytellers share tales about customs and the local way of life, and a visit to the nursery can be arranged on request.

Visitors can also book a separate cooking demonstration or a basket weaving class to learn this complex art.

Highlights

  • Hear tales of game hunting from those who are old enough to remember, as well as descriptions of Banyoro courtship rituals and birth celebrations.
  • Learn about the difficulties the communities face due to issues such as lack of education, no electricity or running water and population growth. This tour is one of the few sources of income for local residents.
  • See traditional farming methods and discover how different crops are processed

Responsible Travel

  • Boomu has four full-time employees and many part-time staff who benefit directly from tourism.
  • All the money from the community tour and a percentage of the turnover is put into a community fund finances school books, soap, pencils and porridge for local children attending a nursery created by Boomu.
  • Other projects that benefit from this fund are educational projects, local clinics, improving access to water and agroforestry initiatives.
  • Community members have also been trained in high-quality blanket weaving, which can be sold to local lodges and hotels.

Contact us for more information

Email:  info@pearlsofuganda.org
Phone: +256-414501866 / +256-772657700

Duration

Two hours, but flexible

What to Bring
  • Sun screen and hat
  • Light clothing, preferably with long sleeves/pants
  • Insect repellent
  • Cash for tips and craft purchases
  • Drinks and snacks
Price
  • Village walk: 10000 USh
  • Cooking demonstration: 10000 USh
  • Basket weaving demonstration: 10,000 USh
Book with these operators & lodges:
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