Ajai Game Reserve in Arua District of West Nile

Ajai Game Reserve is a wildlife reserve found in Arua District in Northern Uganda. The reserve is at an elevation of 658 meters.

Ajai Wildlife Reserve, one of the wildlife reserves in Uganda is characterized by grassy plains, forests and wetlands, has got no major Uganda Safari activities taking place here. The reserve was established to safeguard the white rhinoceros which are now nonexistent in Uganda as a result of poaching. Wild animals existing in the park comprise of buffaloes, hartebeests, bush-bucks, warthogs, hippopotamuses and water bucks. Others are the Uganda Kob, Common Duiker, Black & White Colobus, Olive baboon, Vervet Monkey, Leopard, Oribi, Sitatunga, Crocodiles and python snake are commonly seen plus a multiplicity of bird species.

Found on the west bank of the Albert Nile, the Ajai Game Reserve was initially put under the private protection of the influential local chief called Ajai in 1937. Until year later in 1980, the reserve protected one of the few remaining populations of White Rhinos. The Uganda government has plans to reintroduce the Rhino.

Prior to being accorded a wildlife reserve status in 1965, the Ajai Rhino Sanctuary was habitat to 60 of Uganda’s 80 remaining white rhino then. In 2002, 12 square kilometers were sliced off the reserve to create space for people to settle on.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority privatized the operation of Ajai in 2008 and this concession was given to a photographic and hunting tour operator. Ajai is under the management of Uganda government. These most of these reserves have no serious tourism business, they are conserved for the present and future generations.

Accessing Ajai Wildlife Reserve

It will between 6 to 8 hour from Kampala and about 50 minutes from Kampala or Entebbe  International Airport to Arua Airstrip, from where you will be picked to access the reserve by road.