Kidepo valley National Park is one of Uganda’s most spectacular parks. This national park is 1,442 square kilometers. Kidepo harbors scenery that can not be found in any other parks in east Africa. Kidepo is tucked into the corner of Uganda’s boarder with Sudan and Kenya. Activities are game drive, visit cultural performances among others.
Little visited and unexplored, Kidepo National Park lies in the far northeast of Uganda and as such is the most isolated among the 10 parks in the country. Dominated by rugged mountain scenery and savannah it is traditionally considered the only national park where cheetah is present. With a significant bird checklist, including 60 species recorded in no other National Park, birders are richly rewarded.
Kidepo Valley National park is one of the remote beautiful and extraordinary places in Uganda and one of the reasons could be that it is very far away from Kampala the capital city. It lies in the semi-arid areas of Karamoja. It is one of Uganda’s prime most remote but spectacular National Parks that harbors scenery not found in any other park in East Africa. Kidepo valley National Park offers breathtaking, savannah landscapes that give off a wide range of climatic conditions that have enabled extremely diverse vegetation. This has enabled the growth of a variety of animal species in the park that are equally abundant including many not found anywhere else in Uganda.
The park is a birders’ paradise with over 475 bird species. It has an open tree savannah grass land which varies much in structure and composition. Kidepo National Park has proven a life time memory to great birders, internationally due to her endless list of unique birds she has to offer. At Apoka Rest Camp and park headquarters overlooking the shallow, southern Narus valley offers a good spot for your birding trip. The Silver bird and small bands of yellow billed shrike are among the attractive species that frequent the thorny trees around the camp. At the edge of the camp, there exists a small permanent water hole that attracts swallows and a variety of seed eaters among which is the yellow-rumped seedeater. This spot is always visited at night by the four banded sand grouse, Elephants, Buffaloes, Antelopes and the lions.
Adventure Activities in Kidepo Valley National Park
Game viewing in Kidepo Valley National park
Kidepo valley national park harbours a great diversity of animal species than other parks in Uganda. These include carnivores, ungulates, and primates. There are high chances of viewing tree climbing lions that always sits on sauces trees along Narus valley or on the rock just as you enter the Apoka Park Headquarter. Right from Apoka Rest Camp other animals that can be seen include elephants, leopards, bush duikers, jackals, bush bucks, bush pigs, kavirondo bush babies, buffaloes and much more.
Birding The Park boasts of an extensive avifauna. 465 species have been recorded Birds of particular interest include the ostrich and the Kori bustard which are principally associated with arid regions. The park also has outstanding numbers of birds of prey. In this category, 58 species of birds that have been recorded. Amongst these 14 are believed to be endemic to Kidepo and the Karamoja region.
Hiking and Scenery viewing
Hiking can be carried out on Lamoj Mountains just a few kilometers from the Park Headquarters.
Cultural Performance
During safaris in Kidepo valley national park, tours to the local communities in the neighbouring villages can also be arranged. The local community near the park stages cultural dances and performances. Traditional dances such as the Emuya of the Naporre and Nyangia, Larakaraka and Apiti dances of the Acholi are worthy to see and participate into.
Nature Walk and cultural visits to the Karamajong manyattas (homesteads) where you will probably see kraals belonging to local communities, traditional costume, stools, spears headdress, knives, bows and arrows and jewelry among others are also interesting and worthy tro take during a safri holiday in this park.
Where to Stay While on Safari
There are alternative accommodation options in Kidepo Valley National Park. These are
- Apoka Safari Lodge
- N’ga Moru Wilderness Camp
- Kidepo Savanna Lodge