If Uganda is the nature paradise, Kidepo Valley National Park is the icing on this paradise! Words cannot describe enough how beautiful this place is! The landscape – beautiful plains filled with game herds, surrounded by cloudy rugged mountains and hills – has earned Kidepo the accolade of the best park in Africa for the best landscape (CNN Travel 2013). If you take the animals out, Kidepo Valley National Park would still be ranked one of the best places to visit.
The animals are in plenty too! The park has some of the biggest buffalo herds you can ever see. There are around 15000 – 16000 buffaloes in the park, and make huge herds that can cover entire plains. CNN Travel 2013 ranked it the best park in Africa for buffalo herds.
Kidepo National Park is located in the far north eastern corner of Uganda in the dry Karamoja region covering 1442 square kilometers, bordered by South Sudan to the north. It is such a hectic journey to the park, taking a full day’s drive to get there. No wonder few people go there, but once in the park you get to have one of the most fulfilling African safari experiences. You are immersed in such a pristine African wilderness with almost no other tourists or people in sight. Just you and the amazing landscape and wildlife!
The Karimojong people, famous for their warrior cultural, have been the custodians of Kidepo ensuring the animals thrived even when it was hunting and gathering place for them during their escapades in the area until it was gazetted a wildlife reserve and eventually a park in 1962.
The two valleys of Kidepo Valley National Park
The park is named after a valley, the Kidepo Valley, but it is actually made up of two valleys that offer different experiences.
The Narus Valley
The southern Narus Valley, crossed by the seasonal Narus river, is actually the main area of the park where safaris are done. This is because it is the only place with permanent water sources during the long dry season. So, during the long dry season from June to September, the animals move to the Narus valley. This also makes it easy to see the animals that gather closer to the water sources
The Narus Valley is greener with savannah and acacia grassland.
The Kidepo Valley
The northern Kidepo valley, crossed by the seasonal Kidepo river, located towards the South Sudan border, on the other hand has temporary water sources which dry out during the season, forcing the animals to move to the Narus Valley. When the rains return the animals move back to the Kidepo valley which will have plenty of food by this time.
During the dry season when the Kidepo River dries out it leaves behind a beautiful sand bed lined with borasus palms. It is one of the beautiful things to see and experience in the valley. The Kidepo Valley is more semi-arid with short grass.
The Birds and animals of Kidepo Valley National Park
Animals
Kidepo Valley National Park is good for animals, may not be as great as the Murchison Falls National Park, but you will still see quite a lot (including some that are unique to Karamoja region that you won’t find in the other parks).
From the biggest animals, there are the; elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes (Kidep having the biggest buffalo herds in the world).
There are 15 types of antelopes, from the smallest being the dik dik to the biggest which is the eland. The white-eared kob is a special sighting in in Kidepo which you won’t see in other parks.
The cats in Kidepo include lions, leopard, cheetahs, serval cats, and genet cats, etc… Hunting dogs have been reported but with no reliable sights.
Primates include olive baboons, pattas monkeys, vervet monkey, bush baby, senegal galago,
Other animals include warthogs, wild pigs etc…
Birds
Kidepo Valley national park is incredibly for birdlife. Lying within the Somali biome that extends through north eastern Uganda means the park has plenty of birds not found in other regions of Uganda.
The bird checklist of is more than 500 species including the migrants.
Things to do in Kidepo National Park
Game drives
The main safari in Kidepo National Park is the full day game drive in the Narus valley where lots of wildlife can be found.
After the first game drive in the Narus valley you can plan for a second game drive in the Kidepo valley to see the nice sandriver beds and immerse in the untouched African wilderness.
Birdwatching
Kidepo has more than 500 birds species, making undoubtedly a destination for twitchers! For any birding trip through north eastern cannot miss Kidepo. There are special species you cannot find in other parks of Uganda
A notable species to be looking out for in the park is the Karamoja Apalis, one of Uganda’s two endemic birds.
Both the Narus Valley and Kidepo Valley are very productive and should be included on your birding trail.
Nature walks
The park offers a beautiful walk near Apoka in the Narus Valley where to watch wildlife up-close and enjoy the lovely sights across the landscape.
Other walks can be established in the different parts of the park to experience the diversity of wildlife and the rugged landscape.
All nature walks are guided by the armed park guides for safety.
IK community cultural visit
The IK are a small tribe with a unique culture in Karamoja. They live isolated in Mt. Morungole. Other than the big game, visiting the IK is one of the activities you should add to your trip to Kidepo, to experience their unique way of life and explore the Mt. Morungole
Mt. Morungole hike (2,750m)
Kidepo is equally a hiking destination with a number of mountains in the area available to offer a good hiking challenge and adventure.
The hike would give you incredible views of the Karamoja plains.
Mt. Morungole is the most prominent of the mountains. The Morungole hike is often combined with the IK culture tour since the IK community is found along the mountain.
Karamojong Cultural Village
The Karimojong, one of the custodians of this beautiful wilderness, have an interesting culture and way of life that you should not miss out on experiencing.
You will visit a community near the park to see and learn the Karimojong way of life including their traditional homesteads, relationships, cow warrior culture, dances, etc…
The Karimojong share many traits in culture with the Masai of Kenya and Tanzania.
Day visit to Nakapelimoru
Want an even more immersive Karimojong culture, plan a day trip to Nakapelimoru Village, east Africa’s biggest cultural village.
What is the best time to visit Kidepo?
There are two seasons to consider when planning a trip to Kidepo, that is, you can go during the rainy/wet season or during the dry season.
The dry season comes off as the obvious preferred time for a trip to Kidepo because the roads are passable. Animals are also easier to find around water sources in the Narus Valley. The dry season also allows exploring much of the reachable part of the park. So you can explore both the Narus and Kidepo valley with ease without worrying about getting stuck.
The downside is that is gets really dry and hot with temperatures soaring up to 40oC.
The wet season comes with a challenge of muddy roads limiting the drives to certain parts of the park. You may not even think of going to the Kidepo Valley during the wet season.
However, scenery is at its best and temperatures are cool. All you need is a sturdy 4×4 and you will have the best experience of Kidepo.
How to get to Kidepo National Park
Accomodation in Kidepo National Park
Budget: UWA Bandas
Mid-range: Kidepo Savannah Lodge
Luxury: Apoka Safari Lodge
