Kidepo Valley National Park

Background

 

A few areas in the world reward visitors with authentic African experiences like the Kidepo Valley National Park. This 1442 square kilometer national park is located in the rugged semi-arid Karamoja province valleys, just at the extreme Northeastern side of Uganda at the border between South Sudan and Kenya.

Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the remotest destinations in Uganda and yet offers the most stunning scenery. The park features vast latitudinal range which comes with wide range of climatic conditions which have evolved extremely diverse vegetation.

A large numbers of wildlife species thrive in this protected area. Kidepo Valley National Park lies at altitude of about 914 to 2749 meters with its main habitats mainly comprising of the semi arid scrub, vast thorn scrub, thorn bush, long and short grass open tree savannas, riparian woodland that includes borassus and Kigelia woodland, thick Miombo like woodland, montane forest and granite out crops.

The park was established in 1954. About 480 distinct bird species call Kidepo Valley National Park there home and this ranks it the second to Queen Elizabeth National Park with the largest number of bird species in Uganda. The uncommonly spotted and the most sought after bird species in the park include the Karamoja apalis and the black breasted barbet and many others.

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Weather

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The climate of Kidepo National park is semi-arid with only one rainy season throughout the year. The dry seasons are in the months between September to November however you may experience a bit of rain in these months. During the Months between December through to February are the driest months . The wet season of Kidepo National park is in the months between April to August. However rains are not that heavy compared to other National Parks in Uganda.

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Activities

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1. Bird watching

With over 480 bird species, Kidepo Valley National Park is undeniably one of Uganda’s birding paradises. The park offers birders with lifetime experiences especially with its countless rarest species.

The notable bird species for you to spot out at the park include silver birds, yellow billed shrikes, broad tailed warblers, Clapperton’s francolin, black coucal, marsh tchagra, crimson rumped waxbillood, African moustched,  vinaceous dove, long tailed and standard winged nightjars, mosque swallow, scarlet chested sunbird, Rupell’s and super starlings, little weaver and red cheeked cordon bleu, white bellied and hartlaub’s bustards, eastern pale chanting go shawk, Nubian woodpecker, pygmy falcon, black headed plover, Abyssinian and Rufous crowned rollers, Abyssinian ground, four banded sand grouse, ostrich, red winged lark, African grey flycatcher, little green bee eater, white faced scoops owl, slate colored boubou, fan tailed raven, mouse colored penduline and many more. The park can be visited all the year round but for birding safaris, you can pay a visit from March to April.

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2. Game drives 

Kidepo Valley National Park offers is home to a variety of wildlife species. Around 1971, approximately 80 mammal species were recorded at the park with 28 of them not found in any national park in Uganda. The rarest carnivore species in the park and karamoja area are the bat eared fox, striped hyenas, caracal, cheetah, hunting dog and aardwolf. While on a game drive along the savanna grassland of Kidepo Valley National Park, never miss to spot out most of the wildlife species like the Rothschild giraffes, cape buffaloes, elands, elephants, bush pig, Jackson’s hartebeests, waterbuck, leopards, lion, spotted hyenas, black backed jackal, side striped jackal as well as its 5 rare primates like the endemic kavirondo bush baby and others.

 

3. Game walks 

Hiking experiences are normally conducted just a few kilometers off the park headquarters along Mount Lamoj. The stunning Kidepo River Valley mainly features the Borassus palm forest and can easily be sighted by visitors. The park’s wide flat bed is dry and its valley is also situated along the Kanangorok hot springs. Its mountain and savanna landscape, the Narus valley located in the southwest of the protected area feature among its most remarkable tourist attractions. This is divided by the Natira and Lokayot hills from the Kidepo Valley in the northeast. The Lotukei Mountains, South of Sudan mark north and the southern boundary of the protected area, as well as the Morungole ranges where we find the endangered Ik tribe.

 

4. Picnicking 

Kidepo Valley National Park is also an incredible area for picnic tours especially its river site that is situated along the sand and the sound of palm leaves that come in constant motion as blown by the wind reward visitors with the most thrilling experiences.

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5. Cultural encounters 

After wildlife viewing, you can also pay a visit to one of the nearby local communities to enjoy the exciting and interesting cultural and traditional dances, music of the Karamojong people and explore more about the traditional practices of the local residents. You can combine this with nature walk where you will visit one of the manyatta villages, to learn more about the Karamojong customs and traditions.

For visitors on safari to Kidepo Valley National Park, the notable accommodation facility for you to spend your overnight stay can be in the Apoka Rest Camp/Lodge, Kidepo Savannah Resort, Buffalo Base Hotel and Ng'a Moru Wilderness Camp. The other option is camping you will need to come along with your own camping gear. Also there are some budget hotels in Kitgum Town.

If you are interested in wilderness experience consider Kidepo Valley National Park a must for you to visit.