On 22 September 2025, Uganda will make history at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary with its first Rhino Naming Ceremony. For years, Ziwa has been a quiet stop on the way to Murchison Falls, where travellers walk softly through tall grasses and meet the gaze of Southern White Rhinos. This year, that encounter will carry deeper meaning as 17 calves and juveniles are named in a ceremony presided over by His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

The Name a Rhino campaign is more than an event; it is a promise to the future. With a five-year fundraising milestone of USD 11 million (UGX 40 billion), the initiative will expand veterinary care, strengthen anti-poaching patrols, enhance research, and protect habitats. The vision is bold yet clear: to grow Uganda’s rhino population by 5% each year through 2028, ensuring that these magnificent animals continue to roam the savannah for generations to come.

For travellers, the experience is profoundly personal. Imagine walking with expert rangers until a mother and calf appear in the clearing. To give that calf a name is to acknowledge its story, its fragility, and its rightful place in the greater web of life.

At Nile Safari Lodge, we see this ceremony as a celebration of the connection between people, wildlife, and the landscapes that sustain us all. Guests may choose to include Ziwa on their journey to Murchison Falls, witnessing conservation in action.

This September, as names are spoken and futures secured, Uganda will remind the world that conservation is not only about protecting the past — it is about shaping tomorrow.