Ajai Wildlife Reserve

Ajai Wildlife Reserve lies on the west bank of the Albert Nile in the West Nile region of northern Uganda, about 32 km east-south-east of Arua. It covers about 148 km2 of savannah, grassland and riverside swamp, including Ajai Island. It was set up in 1962 as a white rhino sanctuary and became a game reserve in 1965.

Why go

Ajai once held many of Uganda’s rhinos, but they were lost to war and poaching around 1979. In January 2026 UWA moved four southern white rhinos here from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, the first phase of a plan to build a breeding group of 20. In UWA’s words, rhinos had returned to West Nile “for the first time in over 45 years”. In July 2026 UWA also brought Nubian giraffes here from Murchison Falls. Uganda kob, hartebeest, waterbuck, bushbuck, hippos and black-and-white colobus live in the reserve too.

What you can do

• Game drives and guided walks with UWA rangers, looking for kob, hartebeest and giraffes.
• Rhino tracking: UWA’s new tariff lists rhino tracking at Ajai from 1 January 2027. Until then, seeing the rhinos depends on UWA’s arrangements on the day.
• Birding in the swamps and along the Nile.
• In the dry season, watching animals cross to Ajai Island to graze.

The people side

West Nile is home to the Lugbara and Madi peoples, and Arua, the region’s main town, has busy markets and a lively street life. UWA expects the rhinos to bring conservation tourism and new income to the communities around the reserve, so visitors are part of this story from the start. A village visit with a local guide is included in your trip, so what you pay goes to the hosts.

Best time to visit

UWA notes that most of the swamp floods from June to January and dries out from February to May, so February to May is the easiest time for drives and walks.

Getting there

By road, allow 8 to 9 hours from Kampala via Karuma and Pakwach, and about 1 hour more from Entebbe; most guests break the journey at Murchison Falls. Domestic flights reach Arua, about 1 hour by road from the reserve.

Good to know

Ajai is at the very start of its new life. Tracks, lodges and visitor services are still being set up, facilities are basic, and most guests stay in Arua. The rhinos are newly settled, so we do not promise a sighting before UWA’s rhino tracking opens. We plan Ajai as a special trip, ideally with Murchison Falls, for travellers who want to see a conservation story as it happens. Drives and walks are easy, Level 1 to 2. UWA’s current prices are valid to 31 December 2026; new UWA prices start on 1 January 2027.