On day 9, I greatly unanticipated the long bus drive to my next destination; as was the only means of transportation my travel expenses permitted. I took it anyway for what was in store, I massively anticipated.
By 5 o'clock in the morning, I was up. I prepared, bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth National park, and started the 9 hour journey from Kasese district to Kampala, then to the Albertine region.
Along the Kampala - Gulu highway, in Nakasongola district, the outstanding Rhino signpost caught my attention. I branched off at Nakatoma trading center and headed to "Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch."
The Rhino sanctuary was established and funded by Rhino fund Uganda under the Uganda wildlife authority. The Ugandan government discovered a great source of tourism wealth with this special place.
With the Rhinos none existent in all Ugandan national parks, the government of the republic of Uganda gazetted this site for the breeding and conservation of these magnificent wild animals.
There was no way of fighting Ziwa rhino sanctuary's call for any nature lover!
The sanctuary that's 14 years old, offered opportunities to take a gander at the Rhinos in their natural environment and lots of other exciting wildlife.
There was only one way to appreciate the existence of this sanctuary, that's to Pay it a visit...
One needed closed shoes, insect repellants, flashlight and trousers (long jeans) for the jaw-dropping activities at the sanctuary.
Camping outside was available, the perfect accommodation for one traveling on a budget. The immaculately clean camp site was adjacent to the sanctuary headquarters and wholly fenced.
The wealthy, exhibitionists, and look-at-mes had the private and shared indoor facilities.
Us, who opted for the outdoor camp, were the quiet, soft-spoken and self-contained personalities. We had to be very cool, possessed of icy nerves and almost immune to panic, slumbering on the outside in blue canvas tents.
By the time I arrived at the Rhino sanctuary, it was coming to 4 O'Clock in the evening and the only day's itinerary left was the "Nighttime nature Walk" that commenced at 8:30pm.
I paid the required dues; with some help, I pitched my tent on the neatly trimmed grass, surrounded by trees and headed to the restaurant for dinner, awaiting the night, nature walk.
The wait was worthy it, the guided nature walk experience of the nighttime sounds and sensations, unexpected and unpredictable nocturnal animals like the wild cats, bats, frogs and lots more; the dreamy scenes of fireflies, was spectacular.
Completely unknowing of what my comrades and I would bump into on that walk was unnerving, yet awesome within those 2 and half hours.
By 23:00pm, we came back to the camp site and called it a night. The rest of the night was characterized by chirping of crickets, and the occasional hoot of the Owl as I drifted off into the much needed slumber.
Image source: Instagram
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