In North Eastern Uganda, along the western bank of the White Nile, lies a small conservation protected area known as Ajai Game Reserve. Ajai Game Reserve is a secluded environment surrounded by a large Island, wooded savannah, and seasonally flooded swamps. The reserve covers an area of about 16,600 hectares of land in Arua district, characterized by forests, wetlands and grasslands as well. It is some great reserve tourists can visit while on a safari to Uganda.

During the 1930’s, Ajai Game Reserve was protected by a private management under a Local Chief identified as Ajai and hence deriving its name. In 1965, the reserve was protected and gazetted to safeguard part of Uganda’s white Rhinos; 60 out of the 80 that Uganda had by then, hence the name Ajai Rhino Sanctuary before it was turned to a Uganda wildlife safari reserve. However, during the 1980’s, poaching became rampant in this area until the Rhinos were no more (extinct) in Ajai Rhino Sanctuary.

In 2008, Ajai Wildlife Reserve was taken over by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and today UWA has plans of reinstating Rhinos as well as Buffaloes in the reserve. Though Rhinos got extinct, there are variety of wild animals as well as birds in Ajai Wildlife Reserve suitable for watching especially by tourists on Uganda safaris.

Uganda safari attractions/ activities in Ajai Wildlife Reserve

Ajai Wildlife Reserve is a great reserve to encounter while on tour in Uganda. The reserve has diversity of animals that tourists can see while on their Uganda Wildlife safari tours. These animals include; Uganda kobs, Oribis, Warthogs, Hartebeest, Sitatungas, Duikers, Leopards, White colobus monkeys, the Vervet monkeys, the Olive baboons, Hippos, and some few lions. Water animals include; crocodiles and python snake.

Game drives will enable you see these animals as they wonder in their natural habitat. Some can be best seen during the dry seasons along the swamp banks as they quench their thirst. Game drives are the most exciting activity enjoyed by tourists on safaris in Uganda.

Besides the Wildlife, there are also several birds that habit within the forests of Ajai Wildlife Reserve. These birds include; yellow footed fly catcher, the white hornbill, the cattle egret, the red billed woodpecker, and the clapper ton’s francolin.

Forest and nature walks carried out in Ajai Wildlife Reserve enable tourists on Uganda birding safari tours see numerous bird species in the forests, especially along the swamps and in other areas found in the reserve.