<< Kibale Forest Camp by Nature Lodges, Kibale Forest, Uganda | Red Chilli Hideaway, Kampala, Uganda >>

ZIWA Rhino Sanctuary, Gulu Highway, Uganda

Location:

The ZIWA Rhino Sanctuary is located approximately 175KM north of Kampala is actually the home for the only few remaining wild rhinos in Uganda. This is a good place to stop and visit the rhinos if you are on your way to visit the Murchison falls or on your way back to Kampala. Although the rhinos come to the facility grounds, it's rare to see the rhinos in the evenings but they can certainly be heard. Unfortunately there is little to do in this area and the rhino tracking only takes a couple of hours, but it's certainly a place to relax. The resident dog Jessie and the cat are absolutely adorable and well behaved.

Room Comfort:

The sanctuary offers guesthouses or backpacker rooms all with shared facilities. We stayed in a guesthouse and it had a common area, 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The bedrooms were small and simple. The furniture seemed a little old and the decor was bland and outdated. The bathrooms are a good size but again were worn down and should be refurbished.

Cleanliness:

The bedrooms had clean sheets and clean towels but the house itself could be cleaner. The guesthouse has a lot of potential, but it's not that well maintained.

Service:

The service was great. The owners welcomed us, helped us with rearranging our plans and ensured we were all comfortable. They even let us borrow their mobile phone free of charge when ours wasn't getting reception. The electrical outlets in our room did not work so we had to charge our camera batteries at the on-site gift shop. The electricity is run on solar power with a generator back-up but all rooms had lights at all times.

Food:

The food was good but not great. They accommodated our request to have a vegetarian meal without any problems. Breakfast was not included with our stay but was available for purchase. Since we were leaving at around 4 AM the following morning, we decided not to have breakfast as we didn't have much of an appetite at that time. The restaurant is a large open air space and uniquely decorated. The walls are covered with drawings from their guests which we think is a great idea.

Overall Value:

For an unexpected stay we were welcomed and accommodated to our satisfaction. We recommend a visit to the sanctuary but don't see a reason to stay unless you want to stay somewhere where the money goes to a good cause. The owners are very lovely, helpful and are doing a great thing in increasing the rhino population in Uganda.