Kidepo National Park is located in the remotest Karamoja region, in the Northeastern part of Uganda. This Park lies in the extreme part of Uganda bordering Kenya and South Sudan. Its remote locations offer visitors a feel of true African wilderness with vast plains seemingly like those of the Kenya’s Maasai Mara.
Kidepo was designated a National Park status in 1962, the same period when Uganda attained its independence. The present magnificent Kidepo Valley National Park expands over 1442 sq. km and lies at an elevation of 914-2950m. Its vast landscape features extensive savanna plains, rugged, and semi-arid valleys of the typical Karamoja plains.
When it comes to wildlife tours, the Kidepo and Narus Valleys are the two prime locations to consider a must-visit. Huge concentrations of wildlife can be spotted in the few water sources, and overall, the Park receives long rains (this is specifically from April to September).
The Major Tourist Attractions to Explore in Kidepo Valley National Park
The Wildlife
A record of 77 mammals live in Kidepo and over 475 birds. The diverse mammal species to encounter on a safari in Kidepo include cheetahs, Rothschild giraffes, hyenas, leopards, lions, striped jackals, zebras, mongooses, caracals, Aardwolf, bat-eared foxes, and wild dogs. The abundant antelope families to encounter include the gazelles, oribis, elands, Uganda Kobs, dik-diks, lesser and greater Kudus, klipspringers, gazelles –to mention but a few.
About 5 primates also survive in Kidepo National Park and include patas monkeys, Kavirondo bush babies, and many others.
Birds
Kidepo is one of the birders’ paradises Uganda boasts of, accounting for over 475 bird species. The Park protects a variety of resident and endemic species of birds that are of interest on a birding tour. Variety of birds in Kidepo includes, among others, the ring-necked spur-fowl, fox’s cisticola, Taita fiscals, Verreaux’s eagles, Karamoja apalis, pygmy falcons, Egyptian vultures, Eastern violet-backed birds, Kori bustards, Abyssinian scimitar bill, yellow-billed strikes, slate-colored boubou, Dusky turtle doves, secretary birds, black coucals, golden pipit, Jackson’s hornbills, dark chanting, rose-ringed parakeets, and rufous chatterers.
Other birds to identify include purple grenadiers, Northern carmine bee-eaters, little green bee-eaters, Jackson’s hornbills, pallid harrier, and many others.
Kidepo’s Premier Tourism Activities to Enjoy
The unique safari activities to do in Kidepo include game drives, cultural experiences, birding, nature walking, and hiking. The main areas to explore include Mount Morungole, Namamukweny Valley, Apoka Tourism Center, Kidepo Valley, and Kanangorok Hot Spring.
Game drives
Game drives are among the most exciting things visitors should expect to indulge in Kidepo National Park. Kidepo’s guided game drives introduce you to the vast savanna plains along the Narus and Kidepo Valley. A wide array of wild animals awaits you, including the leopards, Burchell’s zebras, African bush elephants, cape buffaloes, Rothschild giraffes, lions, cheetahs, reedbucks, klipspringers, Kudus, Jackson’s hartebeests, and many more.
The Narus & Kidepo Valley game tracks are best explored in a 4×4 tourist car. Each game track in Kidepo promises amazing encounters of diverse wildlife and birds, including hoopoe, Nubian woodpeckers, ostriches, and Karamoja apalis.
Birding
Kidepo shouldn’t be missed out of your bucket list destination when it comes to birding excursions in Uganda. The various habitats in this Park hold abundant birdlife, including helmeted guinea fowls, Karamoja apalis, pallid harriers, Taita fiscals, ring-necked spurfowl, Kori bustards, red & yellow barbets, secretary birds, Dark chanting goshawks, Clapperton’s francolins, Abyssinian rollers, Eastern violets, and more. A wide range of birds in Kidepo can be spotted in the Namamukweny, Narus Valley, Apoka Rest Camp, and other sites.
At the Namamukweny Valley in the Northwestern Kidepo, the common birds include the white-crested turacos, green wood hoopoes, Eastern paradise whydahs, to mention but a few. Apoka Rest Camp offers amazing bird sightings of the purple herons, Clapperton’s francolins, superb starling, yellow-rumped seed-eaters, silver bird, and little weaver birds, scarlet-chested sunbird, and more.
Kidepo’s Nature walking & hiking adventures.
Kidepo also offers enriching guided bush walks and hikes, perfect options that usher you to the Park’s hidden gem. The best spots to consider a must-visit for nature walks and hiking include the Narus Valleys, Mt. Morungole, Mount Lomej, and Namamukweny Valley.
Community tours
After or before game viewing excursions in the Park, there is a chance to visit the local communities living in the adjacent areas. The Karamojong and IK communities are the two iconic communities to consider visiting for you to experience authentic African cultures and traditions. The Karamojong people and their unique cultures can be explored in depth in the nearby community, and the IK can be accessed on Mount Morungole. To get to the IK people, guests engage in the hike to the summits of Mount Morungole (2750m).
Mount Morungole is one of the unique features in the Karamoja mountain ranges and is found on the Northern boundary of the Kidepo National Park. It plays a significant role as the ancestral home of the indigenous IK people.
What is the best time to go for a safari in Kidepo, Uganda?
Visitors have the chance to visit Kidepo National Park at any time of the year. But usually, the most ideal time for you to go for a safari in Kidepo is during the dry season due to the favorable conditions, mainly characterized by no rain and drier game tracks. September to March offers ideal weather conditions for exploring Kidepo Valley National Park. Around these months, the vegetation tends to be less dense, with diverse wildlife often congregating in the fewer water sources. This makes it simpler to spot the diversity of animals on a single game viewing trip.
The wet months usually fall in April, extending to June. The wet season comes with green landscapes and offers incredible birding opportunities. Most migratory birds are often spotted around the rainy or wet months of the year in Kidepo.
Accommodation options to stay in/around Kidepo
Kidepo National Park features a wide range of lodging choices for tourists to consider for an overnight. They include Adere Safari Lodge, Kidepo Savanna Lodge, Apoka Rest Camp, Zebra Safari Lodge, Katurum Lodge, and others. The available lodges and camps in Kidepo offer budget, midrange, and luxury accommodation services. On the actual safari, ensure that you have secured a place close to the Park for easier connectivity for your game drive sessions. Contact your professional expert now –Bujuku Eco Tours & Travel to arrange a complete tour to Kidepo, inclusive of comfortable accommodation options for your relaxation.
How to access Kidepo Valley National Park for a vacation in Uganda
Both road and air transportation offer better alternative options for visitor connectivity to Kidepo Valley National Park. By road, visitors must be ready to take about 10-12 hours, with the option of accessing the Park through the Eastern route via Jinja-Mbale route or Northern route via Kampala-Gulu Highway.
Guests can also cut down on the long hours of travel by road and take a domestic flight. The flights can be arranged, and departure can be from the Entebbe International Airport to Kidepo Airstrip, and a driver guide from Bujuku Eco-Tours and Travel can pick you up and safely drop you off at the pre-booked safari lodge in Kidepo.
In summary, Kidepo Valley National Park offers unmatched African wilderness experiences. For visitors who desire to fall in love with nature, there is no better place to explore than Kidepo. With our comprehensive visitor guide above, why not begin your planning and book a magical wildlife tour to unearth the abundant wildlife and everything else that Kidepo has to offer?