Kidepo Valley National Park

KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK.

Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda ranks among the most magnificent and finest wildernesses in Africa. The national park has so often been described to as the ‘Masai Mara’ of Uganda; largely due to its stunning and beautiful landscapes that can only be compared to the savannah parks in Kenya. The national park is also known for its large population of large game especially the Big 4 animals which include lions, leopards, cape buffalos and African savannah elephants.

The national park contains one of the most exciting faunas of any Ugandan national park. Along with the neighboring Karamoja region, Kidepo valley national park contains many species found nowhere else in Uganda, including the greater and lesser kudu, eland and cheetah. Visitors are also bound to spot the black-backed and side-striped jackals, Bruchell’s zebra, spotted hyenas, bush pig, warthog, and the Rothschild’s giraffe to mention but a few.

Kidepo Valley national park is situated in the far northeastern part of Uganda in Kaabong district. The national park spans over an area of 1,442 square kilometers and was gazetted as a national park in 1962. Aside from its stunning wildlife, other unique attractions in the national park include the 2,750 meters Mount Morungole and rivers like Kidepo and Narus.

The national park lies on Uganda’s border with Kenya and Sudan. The park is home to more than 77 mammal species and about 475 species of birds. Its location in the far north-eastern region of Uganda makes Kidepo valley national park the most isolated national park in the country.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority is a government organization that is responsible for managing all activities in Kidepo valley national park; along with nine other national parks in the country. The national parks lies at altitudes ranging between 914 meters to 2,750 meters above sea level.

The national park derives its name from the Dodoth word ‘akidep’, which means ‘to pick up’ in the English. The national park was previously a game reserve in 1958 during the British colonial times, and later when it was elevated to the status of a national park, its first appointed chief warden was Ian Ross and later replaced by Paul Ssali in 1972.

Points of interest in Kidepo Valley National Park.

There is so much for visitors to see on a visit to Kidepo national park, and these include;

• Wildlife: Kidepo national park is the ideal destination for wildlife viewing during your safari in Uganda. The national park is home to over 77 species of mammals including; elephants, ostriches, leopards, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes and so much more.
• Kanangorok Hot springs: The Kanangorok hot springs are one of the interesting and unique tourist attractions that exist in Uganda’s Kidepo valley national park. The hot springs are located about 11 kilometers from Kidepo River near Uganda’s border with Sudan. The water in Kanangorok hot springs boils at a temperature of about 50 degrees Celsius, which is hot enough for one to boil an egg in.
• Kidepo Valley: The Kidepo Valley is one of the places in the park where visitors can view savannah wildlife in abundance. Wildlife in this part of Kidepo national park usually converges around the Kidepo River, a seasonal river which flows through the valley.
• Narus Valley: The Narus Valley in Kidepo National Park is another unique attraction in the national park. This valley is dominated by the Narus River which flows through the valley and is ideal for viewing wildlife in the park.
• Lomej Hills: The Lomej Hills, which are found near the park’s headquarters in Apoka, are ideal for wildlife viewing, hiking and guided nature walks, as well as birding activities in the national park.
• Mount Morungule: Mount Morungule is a 2,750 meter tall mountain located within the national park. This mountain is ideal for carrying out hiking expeditions in the park, with the highlight of the activity being a community visit to the surrounding IK communities. The IK people are a unique ethnic group in Uganda, who are believed to be the first inhabitants of this country and have a unique culture and language.
• Apoka Tourism Center: This is where the headquarters of the national park are located. It is also where most of the activities in that are conducted in the national park begin.

Activities done in Kidepo Valley National Park.

Tourists visiting the park can engage in a number of interesting activities such as;

Game drives:

Game drives safaris in the park are conducted in the morning and at night. Morning game drives commence as early as 6am and night game drives start at 6pm in the evening. Some of the wildlife animals that visitors can sight on a game drive in the park include; zebras, buffalo, lions, leopards, giraffes, jackals, hyenas, elephants, duikers, and so many more.

Birding Watching:

Bird watching tours in the park cost USD 30 dollars per person per day. Some of  the bird species that visitors can sight in the national park include; the Yellow-billed Shrike, Taita Fiscal, Rufous Chatterer, the Karamoja Apalis and Ostriches to mention but a few. There are over 475 bird species in the park and about 23 species are endemic to the national park. 

Hiking and guided nature walks:

Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda offers hiking and guided nature walks within the national park. Hiking expeditions in the national park start from Apoka Tourism Center and take visitors as far as the Lomej Hills and Mount Morungule.

Community Tours/Cultural Visits:

Community and Cultural tours in the park offer visitors an opportunity to embark on a unique cultural experience during their Uganda Safaris to the park. Visitors can interact with the local people in the neighboring IK and Karamojong communities and get to learn more about their unique cultures.

Other activities offered in the national park include Camping.

Accommodation in Kidepo National Park.

The national park offers its visitors accommodation in the following lodging facilities; Adere Safari Lodge, Apoka Safari Lodge, Apoka Rest Camp, Kakine Self-Catering Campsite, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, and Nga Moru Wilderness Camp. Campsites in the national park do not provide meals for guests, thus visitors staying in these camping sites should carry their own food.

Accessing Kidepo Valley National Park.

Kidepo Valley National Park in North-eastern Uganda can be accessed by visitors travelling from Kampala City by road. The national Park is located about 700 kilometers from Kampala via Kotido, and approximately 571 kilometers via Gulu- Kitgum.

Alternatively, visitors can use a faster and more convenient option of travelling to the national park by air. Visitors can charter flights from Kajjansi Airfield or board domestic flights by Aerolink Aviation from Entebbe International Airport.

Kidepo Valley national park is one park that will dazzle you with her natural beauty. Her vast savannah grasslands, raging hills and mountains are the epitome of a typical African safari destination. With the wide variety of savannah wildlife animals roaming the savannah plains, you are definitely bound to have one of the best safari experiences during your visit to Uganda!