Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park:

The Kidepo Valley National Park was established in 1958 as a game reserve and is one of the most beautiful parks in Uganda. The national park covers 1,442 km² and is located in the north of Uganda, on the border with Kenya and South Sudan.

The Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda offers spectacular savanna landscapes, surrounded by a mountainous landscape. Compared to other Ugandan parks, the Kidepo Valley National Park is home to an impressive variety of animal species: 86 mammals and around 500 bird species.

Kidepo Valley National Park is situated near Karenga in Kaabong District, in the Northeastern corner of Uganda. This park is about 220 km by road northwest of Moroto which is the largest city in the sub-region. It is about 520 km by road Northeast of Kampala which is Uganda’s largest city and the capital.

The permanent inhabitants include great kudus, cow antelopes, waterbucks, Rothschild giraffes as well as lions, zebras, leopards, streak hyenas, and cheetahs.

A herd of elephants, comprising a total of around 600 animals, and herds of African buffalo are seen in search of temporary waterholes. Jackson’s hartebeest, bush pigs, and warthogs can also be discovered in the Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda.

Also, the Kidepo Valley National Park is known for its extraordinary variety of birds of prey such as the Pygmy Falcon, Verreaux’s Eagle or the Egyptian Vulture.

The little-visited Kidepo Valley National Park offers its guests plenty of rest, relaxation and undisturbed wildlife viewing.

The Kidepo Valley National Park has a campsite that is slightly elevated and offers a great view. The streets of the national park are mostly made of clay.

The luxurious Apoka Safari Lodge is located directly in the Kidepo Valley National Park, and there are 2 other accommodations outside the park. Activities such as hiking, visiting hot springs, game drives, bird watching and visiting local villages are possible here.

The entire park is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The USAID as of August 2013 was financing the improvements of roads within this park.

The Kidepo Valley National Park is consists of the 2 major valley systems of the Narus and Kidepo rivers. The valley floors lie between 3,000 ft. and 4,000 ft.

Things to do:

– Safari game drives

– Bird watching

– Cultural activities

– Hiking

– Nature walks

What are the attractions?

– Apoka tourism center

– Narus Valley

– Kidepo Valley

– Kanangorok Hot Springs

– Mount Morungule

– Namamukweny Valley

– Lomej Hills

– Lonyili Mountain

How to access the place?

There are about 4 routes to reach Kidepo Valley national park. If you want to reach quickly, the shortest route is Kidepo which is in the Northern driving route via Gulu and Kitgum cities.

Best time to visit:

The best time to visit this national park is the dry season which is July and August. In these months, animals are concentrated near water points. In the rainy seasons, animals disperse from the valley and move to drier and higher ground.