Ajai Wildlife Reserve

Ajai Wildlife Reserve is one of the wildlife reserves in Uganda, located on the western banks of the River Nile between the Pakwach and Nimule districts. It was established in 1962 as a white rhino sanctuary before being established in 1965 as a wildlife reserve. Ajai Wildlife Reserve covers a total area of 148 square kilometers, where different wildlife species are being protected by the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

The Ajai Wildlife Reserve is the new home of southern white rhinos after several years of extinction. The reserve used to be home to rhinos in the 1960s, but unfortunately, they went extinct due to poaching. Rhinos were poached for their horns, which were in high demand in Vietnam and China. After several years, Uganda Wildlife Authority reintroduced rhinos in January 2026 to live alongside other animals.

Four rhinos were picked from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary and transferred to Ajai Wildlife Reserve by Uganda Wildlife Authority, which works hand in hand with the Ugandan government. Another 16 rhinos will be transferred to this reserve after monitoring the progress of the first four, which were translocated in early January 2026.

With the introduction of southern white rhinos, we believe that the Ajai Wildlife Reserve will start getting lots of travelers. Tourists, especially those who are visiting Murchison Falls National Park, should visit Ajai Wildlife Reserve to have an opportunity to see all the big five mammals in the country, namely lions, buffaloes, rhinos, elephants, and leopards.

What to do in Ajai Wildlife Reserve

On a safari in Ajai Wildlife Reserve, tourists get an opportunity to move around the reserve to look out for the different animal species that live within this park. The activity is carried out with the help of armed ranger guides who first brief the tourists about the rules and regulations of the activity. The armed ranger guides lead tourists in areas where they believe they will meet animals.

Ajai Wildlife Reserve does not host dangerous animals like lions, which makes the area safe for walks. With armed ranger guides, tourists have an opportunity to see the newly introduced rhinos from Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch. Four rhinos were translocated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority in January 2026, and soon more will be transferred to increase the population.

Apart from seeing the rhinos, during the walks in Ajai Wildlife Reserve, tourists will be able to encounter animals such as Uganda kobs, hartebeests, bushbuck, waterbucks, olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, duikers, hippos, and Nile crocodiles along the River Nile, among others.

Entrance to Ajai Wildlife Reserve

To access Ajai wildlife reserve, you need to pay entrance fees at the gate by credit/debit card, bank transfers, and mobile money, among others. The entrance, which lasts 24 hours, is $10 for foreign non-residents, $5 for foreign residents and the rest of Africa, while citizens of East African member states pay 2500 Uganda shillings.

When is the best time to visit the wildlife reserve?

The dry months of the year are the best to visit Ajai Wildlife Reserve, and these happen from June to September and from December to February. These months are the best for visiting the park, as they have little rainfall and plenty of sunshine. Tourists will find the tracks in the reserve dry and easier to walk through, and also the vegetation will be short and scattered, giving tourists an opportunity to have clear views of the attractions.

Tourists might still travel to Uganda and visit the Ajai wildlife reserve during the rainy season of March to May and October to November. These months are, however, characterized by plenty of rainfall and little sunshine, which might lead to less enjoyment. The roads heading to the reserve might get muddy and slippery, and vegetation will be tall, and this can lead to unclear views of wildlife. The tracks in the reserve tend to be muddy, and this can limit access to some areas.

How to get to the Wildlife Reserve.

The Ajai wildlife reserve is located in the Murchison Falls Conservation Area on the western bank of the Nile between Nimule and Pakwach and is better accessed by road transport. From Entebbe, tourists are able to drive through Luwero, Nakasongola, Masindi, and Pakwach to the Ajai Wildlife Reserve. By air transport, tourists can fly to Pakuba Airstrip from Entebbe International Airport and later drive to Ajai Wildlife Reserve, taking a few hours.