Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park nested in the extreme boarder point of Uganda and South Sudan,  a true gem with abundance of Wildlife in their Natural habitat. This virgin park established in 1962 and it boosts of about 75 mammal species. Some of which are not found in any park for instance, Maneless Zebras, ostriches, Oryx, cheetahs and wild dogs.  Other mammal species such as Lions, Zebras, Kudus Buffaloes, African Elephants, hartebeests, giraffes, pygmy crocodiles, rock hyraxes, Leopards, water bucks, Roan antelopes, elands, Uganda kobs, duikers.

About the park

Kidepo Valley National Park is located in the semi-arid region of Karamoja and it is one of the most pristine and least disturbed of Africa’s wildernesses. According to CNN Travel, Kidepo is one of Africa’s best parks with the most beautiful landscape.

The park also has various bird species like the Nubian woodpecker, the Egyptian vulture, ostriches, Jackson’s hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, Red-and-yellow barbet, Dark chanting goshawk, chestnut weaver, black breasted sunbird, red throated bee eater, white-bellied go-away bird, Northern carmine bee eater among other bird species.

It has two main biomes, savanna or acacia grassland in the Narus Valley which lies in the southern area of the park and semi-arid short grass area in the northern Kidepo Valley. The park is generally dry and it experiences only one rainy season of April – September. The Park has two rivers; Kidepo and Narus both of which are seasonal only flowing during the rainy season and during the long dry spells. Water only  found in wetlands and remnant pools in the Narus Valley.

This isolated and remote national park consists of mainly rugged Savannah, hills and great valleys surrounded by the Morungole Mountains. The park has two major valleys; Narus and Kidepo valleys and each with a river in the same names. Meanwhile, these rivers dry off in the middle of the dry season leaving the animals to survive on the remaining small pools (oasis).

Activities in Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park offers various activities for Tourists to enjoy and they include;

Game drives

It offers the best game drive experiences simply because of the sheer number of mammals and birds that gather to feed in the great valleys found in the park for example large herds of elephants, buffaloes, lions, water bucks, Roan antelopes, elands, Uganda kobs and many others.

Nature Walks and Hikes

These walks and hikes  done under the guidance of an armed Park Ranger. Hiking up the Morungole Mountains is one of the popular activities in the park, and also taking a walk to visit the dream lodge started by Uganda’s famous dictator Idi Amin but incomplete attracts some visitors.

Birding

This park famously known for its resident birds of prey such as the Egyptian Vulture, Pygmy Falcon and Verreaux’s Eagle. Found in Kidepo and the region of Karamoja with the Ostrich being the most prominent and largest bird found in Kidepo. In Uganda, this huge bird can only be sighted in the Park, the others are found in Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) and other animal reserves in the Country.

Karamojong and the IK Community Encounter

The Karamojong, related to the Maasai of Kenya and their lives are centered around their animals simply because they are Pastoralists who believe that all cattle on Earth belong to them. Visiting the Karamojong is a great opportunity to experience the kind of life most African tribes lived about a century ago.

The IK, live an isolated life on top of the Morungole Mountains and they are believed to have originally come from Ethiopia before settling around the Kidepo area. A cultural visit to the IK people is considered one of the best cultural encounters in Uganda since it exposes one to their ancient traditions, language, traditional dances, songs, way of dressing and also hunting methods.

When to Visit

The best time to visit Kidepo Valley National Park is during the dry months of December  to March and July  August since it is the time river Kidepo and Narus dry up and leave small oasis where the animals gather in large numbers to drink hence offering the best wildlife viewing.

How to Get to Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park reached on both Road and Air Transport means.

By Road, the park is about 521km from Kampala City.

By Air, the park  reached through Kidepo Airfield or Apoka Airstrip.

Kidepo Valley Entry Gates  

Kidepo Valley National Park accessed through 2 gates and they are;

Nataba gate

Lokumoit gate

Accommodations in Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park has a number of Accommodations that Travelers can relax and unwind from as they enjoy the soothing Environment around, and they range from Luxury and Mid-range to Luxury.

Luxury Accommodations

Apoka Safari Lodge

Katurum Lodge

Adere Safari Lodges