How to get to Ajai Wildlife Reserve – From Kampala, how to reach Ajai Wildlife Reserve by road

The wildlife reserve is situated in Arua Town, which is reached after a 497-kilometer route that takes about 6 to 7 hours to travel from Kampala via Luwero Nebbi. Reserve roads may be somewhat treacherous; therefore, it’s best to drive a 4WD.

Through the road that leads to Murchison Falls.

It takes three to four hours to drive the 140 km from Murchison Falls via Pakwach and Nebbi, which is conveniently accessible by boat at Paraa.

Through Air

Monumental Expeditions and Safaris can provide you with information on the scheduled and charter flights performed by Eagle Air from Entebbe.

Situated on the western sides of the Albert Nile, Ajai Wildlife Reserve is a savannah grassland reserve in northern and western Uganda, including the districts of Arua, Nebbi, Moyo, and Adjumani. The Uganda Wildlife Authority oversees the 166 square kilometers that make up Ajai Wildlife Reserve.

Background about the Ajai Wildlife Reserve

The name “Ajai” came from the local chief who oversaw the Ajai Wildlife Reserve in the 1930s. The Wildlife Reserve was once known as the Ajai Rhino Sanctuary because it was home to one of Uganda’s last remaining populations of white rhinos, which became extinct in 1980. Of the eighty rhinos in Uganda at the time, more than sixty were white.

In 1962, when poaching of rhinos started in the Wildlife Reserve, the World Wildlife Fund organized an anti-poaching campaign, but it was ineffective; poachers continued their killing spree until the rhinos went extinct. Once the locals started cultivating and grazing on the Wildlife Reserve property for their own purposes, it was no longer protected. To make way for additional farmland and housing, the Wildlife Reserve lost over 12 square kilometers of territory in 2002.

Extending into the Wildlife Reserve: Wildlife Species

Even though white rhinos are no longer found in the wildlife reserve, there are still many interesting animals to see, including vervet monkeys, olive baboons, warthogs, leopards, duikers, oribis, Uganda kos, and many more. Hippos, crocodiles, and other reptiles like Pythons are among the water wildlife species.

The Ajai Wildlife Reserve is home to a diverse array of birds, including the Black-headed weaver, the white-briowed Coucal, the small bee-eater, the Marabou stock, the African fish eagle, the white-backed vulture, the helmeted guineafowl, and many more.

When should one go?

Visitors are welcome at any time of year to this Reserve, although the months of December through early March and June through October are the most pleasant for sightseeing. April–May–October–November make up the rainiest months.

Where can I stay?

While the Wildlife Reserve does not have any lodging options, visitors have the option to stay in nearby Arua Town. If you just have a simple tent, you may also use the reserve’s designated camping spot. For more information on the reserve, contact Monumental Expeditions and Safaris.