3-Day Ziwa Rhino Trekking and Shoebill Watching Safari
The 3-day rhino trekking and shoebill watching safari is one of the best short trips to enjoy in Uganda. Book this tour for a rhino tracking experience at Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, a chance to see the rare shoebill stork, plus a canoe ride, a nature walk, and birdwatching.
You travel with an experienced driver-guide in a well-maintained 4×4 safari Land Cruiser, with other transport options like saloon cars, drones, minivans, or buses available if needed. The package includes meals, accommodation, entrance fees, and guide services.
Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch sits in Nakasongola District, just off the Kampala-Gulu highway. The ranch covers 70 km² and is the only place in Uganda where you can see southern white rhinos in the wild. Rhino tracking is done on foot with a trained ranger and takes about 2 hours.
While tracking, you may also see bushbucks, waterbucks, aardvarks, leopards, hartebeests, zebras, duikers, Uganda kobs, warthogs, and oribis.
Shoebills live in swampy areas and can be seen during an early morning canoe ride. Ziwa is home to more than 300 bird species, including the African fish eagle, grey crowned crane, African grey hornbill, pygmy kingfisher, white egret, marabou stork, and pied kingfisher.
3-Day Ziwa Rhino Tour Highlights
- Visit Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch in Nakasongola District
- Track southern white rhinos on foot with a trained ranger
- Possible sightings of other animals such as bushbucks, waterbucks, zebras, warthogs, oribis, duikers, and Uganda kobs
- Take an early morning canoe ride in the swamp
- Look for the rare shoebill stork in its natural area
- See other birds such as African fish eagle, grey crowned crane, African grey hornbill, marabou stork, white egret, and pygmy kingfisher
- Enjoy guided bird-watching around the ranch
- Take part in a nature walk
- Travel in a 4×4 safari vehicle with an experienced driver-guide
- Stay in a pre-booked lodge with meals included
- Tour starts and ends in Entebbe or Kampala
Brief 3-Day Ziwa Rhino Tour Itinerary
- Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport and transfer to hotel
- Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch and rhino tracking
- Day 3: Shoebill watching and transfer to Kampala
Detailed 3-Day Ziwa Rhino Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe International Airport and Transfer to Hotel
After arriving at Entebbe International Airport, you are welcomed by your driver-guide and taken to your pre-booked hotel in either Entebbe or Kampala, passing city buildings and daily local life along the way. At your hotel, dinner and overnight stay follow.
Day 2: Transfer to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch and Rhino Tracking
After an early breakfast, the journey to Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch begins, covering about 167 km from Kampala. On arrival, a short drive inside the ranch is followed by a trek on foot with your ranger guide to find the rhinos.
You are allowed to take photos following the rangers’ instructions. During the walk, you may also see warthogs, black-and-white colobus monkeys, bushbucks, oribis, and waterbucks.
After the trek, you check in at your pre-booked lodge, have lunch, and spend the rest of the day relaxing, with colorful birds often visible around the lodge area. Dinner follows in the evening, along with overnight stay.
Day 3: Shoebill Watching and Transfer to Kampala
On your last day, you wake around 5:00 a.m. and head to Lugogo Swamp for shoebill watching. This guided trip begins at 6:00 a.m. on a calm canoe ride and lasts about 4 hours.
You have a good chance of seeing the shoebill stork and other wetland birds, with photo opportunities for the saddle-billed stork, African fish eagle, white egret, African grey hornbill, and grey crowned crane, among others.
After the canoe ride, you return to your lodge for breakfast, then check out and begin the drive back to Kampala, with a lunch stop along the way. If this is your departure day, your driver takes you directly to Entebbe International Airport.
Book this 3-day rhino trekking and shoebill watching safari to combine guided rhino tracking with a rare shoebill sighting in one short trip.
