The Kidepo Valley National Park is situated in the Karamoja region in the northeastern section of Uganda, which borders Kenya and Sudan. The park, which was gazetted in 1962, is 1,442 square kilometers in size and is made up of savannah woodland, grassland, mountain forest, and acacia forest.
These areas serve as habitats for approximately 86 mammal species, including the big four of the five mammal species—elephants, buffaloes, lions, and leopards—as well as other animals like waterbucks, Uganda kobs, bushbucks, warthogs, hippos, cheetahs, bush pigs, black backed jackal, zebras, giraffes, Beisa oryx, lesser kudus, bohor reedbuck, spotted hyenas, Guethers Dik Dik, and more than 480 bird species, including ostriches, red-winged falcons, secretary birds, superb starlings, black-headed plovers, and standard-winged nightjars. Visitors on safari can engage in a variety of exciting activities at Kidepo Valley National Park, such as
Kidepo Valley National Park game drives
One of the main attractions in Kidepo Valley National Park is the opportunity to tour the area in a cozy 4WD pop-up safari van accompanied by a qualified safari guide. In Kidepo Valley National Park, game drives can take place early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or at night in the Narus or Kidepo valleys. Elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, Uganda kobs, giraffes, hippos, Bohor reedbucks, Oribi, Jackson’s hartebeests, kudus, elands, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and hyenas are among the animals that can be seen during the game drive. A variety of bird species, such as ostriches and kori bustards, are also present.
Kidepo Valley National Park bird viewing
Kidepo Valley National Park is the second-best birding site in Uganda after Queen Elizabeth National Park, with over 480 reported bird species, including migratory, near-endemic, and endemic species. The park has a number of places for birdwatching, including Apoka Rest Camp and the areas surrounding Namamukweny and Narus valleys.
An experienced bird guide will accompany you during the bird watching, which is best done in the morning, and will assist you in spotting a variety of bird species, such as ostriches, black-breasted barbets, yellow-billed shrikes, broad-tailed warblers, clappertons francolin, four-banded sandgrouse, secretary birds, white crested turaco, standard-winged nightjars, little green bee-eater, Ethiopian swallow, black faded waxbill, white-bellied go-away bird, violet-tipped couser, red-winged pytilias, scarlet-chested sunbird, superb starling, Abyssinain ground hornbill, pygmy falcon, verreauxs eagle, and others.
Hiking and taking nature walks at Kidepo Valley National Park
One of the most exciting activities in Kidepo Valley National Park is the chance to exit the safari vehicle and walk around the park with an experienced park guide who is familiar with a number of hiking trails and an armed park ranger to keep you safe from potentially dangerous animals. A variety of trails will lead you to the Lamoj Mountains, Namamukweny Valley, and Narus Valley during your hike.
There, you will be able to take in the breathtaking scenery and landscape while getting up close and personal with animals such as waterbucks, elephants, buffaloes, lions, cheetahs, zebras, and warthogs, among others, that congregate in the Narus Valley to drink water.
Additional hiking paths lead to Mount Morungole, the highest mountain in Kidepo Valley National Park at 2,750 meters above sea level, and Idi Amin’s Dream Lodge, which he was building while still president of Uganda. You can see some wildlife and engage with the IK people, who are also recognized as the original inhabitants of the Karamajong area, during the roughly eight-hour trip.
Cultural excursions in the national park of Kidepo Valley
This is a thrilling activity in Kidepo Valley National Park that allows you to explore the nearby settlements. The IK people, who inhabit the Morungole Mountains and are thought to have been the first to travel to northeastern Uganda and the Karamojongs, will be available for interaction throughout your cultural trips.
Like the Masai in Kenya, the IK and Karamajong share similarities. During the tour, you will have the opportunity to visit their Manyatta homesteads, learn about their culture of paying pride in information about goats, chickens, and beehives, as well as learn about their history and traditions.
You will also have the opportunity to purchase handcrafted souvenirs like bags, sandals, and beads, taste their traditional foods, listen to their ancient stories, and take in their traditional performances, among other things.
Kidepo Valley National Park is open year-round, although the best time to come is in June, July, August, September, December, January, and February, which is the dry season. Since there is less or no rainfall in the national park during the dry season, most animals will concentrate near dependable water sources to drink, and the vegetation will be sparse, making it much easier to see wildlife.
Since March through May and November are the prime times of year for bird watching and the best chance to see migratory bird species, Kidepo Valley National Park is also open throughout these wet seasons. During the rainy season, which is marked by a lot of rainfall, tourists can capture amazing pictures and enjoy lovely views of the lush surroundings.
There are several lodging options in Kidepo Valley National Park, including luxury, midrange, and affordable lodging options as well as campsites, such as Apoka Safari Lodge, Nga Moru Camp, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Apoka Rest Camp, and Adere Safari Lodge.
The northeastern region of Uganda is home to Kidepo Valley National Park, which is reachable by plane or road.
Using air transport entails scheduling or charter flights with Aerolink Uganda from Entebbe airport or Kajjansi airfield to Apoka airstrip, which takes roughly two hours. Your tour organizer can arrange the flights.
Road transit entails traveling in a 4WD pop-up safari vehicle from Kampala to Karuma, Gulu, and Kitgum before arriving at the park headquarters, which takes at least 12 hours.
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