Ziwa

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is the only place in Uganda where you can track the endangered white rhino on foot. After being extinct for decades, six rhinos were reintroduced in 2006. As of March 2024, the sanctuary is home to 41 white rhinos.

Travelling with camping gear? Set up your tent at the Ziwa campsite and wake up to the sound of grazing rhinos. A unique experience you won’t forget!

1. To do
2. To: Entebbe
3. To: Murchison Falls

• Rhino tracking
  The highlight of your visit. Join a guided walk to see these giants up close.
• Nature walks
  Discover the sanctuary’s landscapes and smaller wildlife on foot.
• Birding tour
  Spot some of the 300+ bird species that call Ziwa home.
• Shoebill trek
  Head out early for a chance to spot the elusive shoebill in the nearby swamp.

For more details and to book activities, visit the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary website.

Approx. 4.5 hours | 202 km

You’re almost at the end of your road trip — enjoy the last stretch!

Route overview
A smooth tarmac road brings you from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Entebbe. To avoid Kampala’s heavy traffic, take the Northern Bypass and join the Entebbe Expressway; Uganda’s only toll road. Don’t forget to carry a 5,000 UGX note for the toll.

Suggested stops

• Gators Café Migera – A relaxed spot for lunch and good coffee, located just after Ziwa.
• Petrol station – There’s one nearby Gators Café to fill up before the final leg of your journey.

Once in Entebbe, the Roadtrip Uganda team will collect your car from your lodge. Enjoy your final evening in Uganda — full of stories and unforgettable memories.

Got time left in Entebbe? Check out the Entebbe section for tips on what to do before heading home.

Approx. 4 hours | 177 km

Depending on where your lodge is located, you may need to drive through a large section of the park. Your travel time will vary depending on whether you’re heading to the southern or northern section. Fortunately, the Nile River bridge inside the park is now fully operational, making crossing smooth and easy.

Travel time overview

• Ziwa – Masindi: 50 minutes
• Masindi – Murchison River Lodge: 2 to 4.5 hours, depending on the route
• Masindi – Fort Murchison: 3 hours

Route options
Choose your route based on the weather, your timing, and your interest in paying park fees or avoiding them.

Murchison River Lodge

Shorter route through the park
Approx. 2 hours | 85 km

• Enter at Kichumbanyobo Gate, exit at Makubo Gate
• A mix of tarmac and murram roads
• This is not a game drive, most wildlife is found north of the Nile

Longer scenic route (avoids park fees)
Approx. 4.5 hours | 127 km

• Drive through Masindi, then take the right fork signed Kinyara Sugar
• Pass through sugar plantations and Budongo Forest
• Descend into the Albertine Rift Valley for incredible views
• Continue through Butiaba to Buliisa, then follow signs to Bugungu Gate
• Turn left at the phone mast in Ngwedo town, then follow the signs to the lodge
• Avoid this route after heavy rain, road conditions can deteriorate quickly

Fort Murchison (Northern section)

Approx. 3 hours | 114 km

• Enter via Kichumbanyobo Gate, cross the entire park to Tangi Gate
• Cross the Nile at Paraa
• This route includes a scenic drive through the park, with a chance to spot wildlife north of Paraa