Shoebill tour at Zziwa rhino sanctuary : The Shoebill Stork is among the bird species which can be seen around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary in Nakasongola district. Zziwa rhino sanctuary is also popular for being home to white rhinos which can be seen during tours at the destination. There are also about 300 bird species which can be seen when exploring the rhino sanctuary.
The various bird species can be seen around the savannah plains, woodlands and in the wetlands at the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary, tourists can engage in the Shoebill tour and also encounter various bird species during the activity.
The Shoebill stork found at the Zziwa Rhino Sanctuary is one of the key bird species that can be sought after during tours at the destination. During the search for the Shoebill, tourists enjoy canoe rides to the wetlands where the bird can be seen.
The search for the Shoebill Stork when visiting the Zziwa rhino sanctuary takes place very early in the morning and starts around 06:00 am. Tourists are accompanied by ranger guides during their search for the Shoebill at the destination. The morning hours of day are considered the best time to search for the Shoebill.
The Shoebill Stork is known for being among the iconic birds found in Uganda and it stands out because of its shoe-shaped bill and it is also among the rare bird species found in the country. At the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, tourists get to see the Shoebill with help from the birding guides.
For about 4 hours, tourists can take part in the Shoebill tour around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary with the ranger guides. The cost of the Shoebill trek is 25 USD per person for adults and about 15 USD for children.
During the wet season, the various bird species at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary can be seen in big numbers and it is also a time when migratory bird species are found at the destination and birds also breed during the wet season which occurs around November to April.
Birding around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary
Birding is among the activities which take place around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary and can be done throughout the year.
Other bird species which can be seen around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary include Grey crowned cranes, African Fish eagle, African Jacana, Pied Kingfisher, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, African Pygmy Kingfisher, White crested Turaco, Marabou stork, White Egret, Broad –billed Roller, Red Billed Oxpeckers, African Black Crake, Black Headed Oriole, African Grey Flycatcher, Black Headed Stork, Black crowned Waxbill, Blue spotted Dove, Cattle Egrets, Golden Breasted Bulbul, Grassland Pipit, Great Reed Warbler, Black Bellied Bustard, Blue cheeked bee-eater, Crowned Hornbill, Lesser Kestrel, Striped Swallow, African Pied Wagtail, Brown crowned Tchagra, African Citril, Yellow Throated Longclaw, Tropical Boubou, Purple Starling, Nubian Woodpecker among others.
The fee paid for birding tours around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary is about 20 USD per person for adults and 10 USD for children visiting the destination to look out for the different bird species.
Other costs incurred during the bird watching tours at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary include entrance fee which is 50 USD per person for adults including rhino trekking fees and 30 USD for children aged up to 12 years.
Apart from bird species, the Zziwa rhino sanctuary is home to over 32 white rhinos and other wildlife species which can be seen during safaris at the destination include oribi, warthogs, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, crested porcupine, black and white colobus monkeys, genet cats, bushbucks, common duikers, aardvarks, among others.
Other activities to do around Zziwa rhino sanctuary
Tourists can engage in many other activities when visiting the Zziwa rhino sanctuary apart from the Shoebill tour and they include the following;
- Rhino tracking
Another activity which is done when visiting the Zziwa rhino sanctuary is rhino tracking which can be done in the morning, afternoon and evening hours.
Tourists engage in a briefing at the rhino sanctuary before they begin the search for the rhinos at Zziwa rhino sanctuary.
During the rhino tracking experience at the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, tourists explore the wilderness in search for the rhinos on foot and are accompanied by ranger guides as they explore different trails around the destination.
In different parts of the rhino sanctuary, the rhinos roam around the savannah plains and tourists get to spend about 2 hours as they take part in the rhino tracking experience.
- Guided nature walks
At the Zziwa rhino sanctuary, tourists can also take part in guided nature walks which take place during the day and also at night.
Guided nature walks around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary involve exploring the wilderness where tourists can get to see various wildlife species and also see different bird species around the savannah plains at the sanctuary.
For about 2 hours, tourists enjoy the nature walks which are also part of the rhino tracking experience at the sanctuary. Tourists move with ranger guides as they trek through the wilderness including the savannah plains, woodland and swamp areas at the sanctuary.
During the guided nature walks which take place during the night at the rhino sanctuary, tourists can enjoy seeing nocturnal wildlife species such as bush babies, genet cats among others and enjoy the activity around 08:00 pm to 10:00 pm
- Wildlife viewing
Different wildlife species can also be seen when exploring the Zziwa rhino sanctuary including the white rhinos.
Wildlife viewing around the rhino sanctuary involves looking out for wildlife species around the savannah plains and woodlands. The wildlife species at the destination include Uganda kobs, common duikers, aardvark, bushbucks, black and white colobus monkeys, genet cats, crested porcupines, waterbucks, and warthogs among others.
The different activities done around the Zziwa rhino sanctuary can take place during the two seasons of the year including the dry season and the rainy season. The best time to visit the sanctuary is during the dry season during the months of June to October and also around December, January and February when it is easy to spot the wildlife species around the destination.
