We guarantee that you won’t run out of reasons why you should visit Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda. If you are a lover of wilderness destinations and fancy immersing yourself into remote and authentic places, then you will want to visit Kidepo Valley National Park.
This remote wilderness national park is full of hidden treasures. From the sweeping savannah plains, spectacular sceneries to magical wildlife species that cannot be found in any other places in Uganda and beyond. As one of Uganda’s hottest and driest places, Kidepo Valley is surprisingly a timeless beauty with wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities.
If anything should be on your bucket list, then it should be a wildlife safari to Kidepo Valley National Park because it is replete with just everything a safari lover could ask for. You will enjoy abundant safari animals, numerous bird species, spectacular landscapes, unique tree species, mountains and steep slopes, deep valleys and, of course awe-inspiring Karamojong culture.
Below are some of the reasons why you should consider visiting Kidepo Valley National Park today:-
It’s a wildlife paradise
Every safari bucket list essential is the chance to see the big five animals. Kidepo Valley National Park is the home to four of the big five animals, that is, lions, leopards, buffaloes and elephants. However, you can still see the Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, en-route to Kidepo Valley.
There are several extraordinary wildlife species such as cheetahs, serval cats, side-striped jackals, Caracal, bat-eared fox, striped hyenas and Beisa Oryx within the confinement of this park. Nothing is more magical than watching a lion kill at a stone throw away or watching large herds of animals flock a watering hole in the afternoon.
Bird watching
With a list of over 480 outstanding species of birds, some of which are from the Somalia-Masai and Sudan-Guinea Savannah Biomes and others endemic to the Karamoja region, Kidepo Valley National Park is definitely the birding fanatic’s dream destination. Look out for the Karamoja Apalis, Ostriches, superb starlings, scarlet-chested sunbirds, yellow-billed shrike and Nubian woodpeckers among others.
World-class walking safaris
Have you ever crossed paths with a dung beetle rolling its treasures home? I doubt. With several well-maintained walking trails in Kidepo Valley National Park, you are guaranteed of experiencing nature first-hand.
Exhilarating hikes
You cannot beat the hikes at this world-famous Ugandan national park. It continuously wows visitors with its magical views of the park’s vast sprawling landscape, surrounding communities and wildlife species.
Whether you choose to hike to the summit of the Lomej Mountains or the Morungole Mountain – home to the isolated Ik people, the majesty of Kidepo Valley National Park will leave you completely breathless. The peaks of these mountains are the vantage points for the stunning landscape.
Exciting Cultures
If you are interested in spicing up your wildlife experience, then discovering the ancient civilizations that defined and shaped the people is what you need. Interesting and glamorous, magical yet intimate, the Karamojong people crackle with their energetic traditional dances. Any visitor that sets foot at Manyatta (traditional homesteads), leaves Karamojong communities breathless.
Prefect photographic opportunity
If you are a photographic enthusiast or planning to shoot a wildlife documentary in Africa, Kidepo Valley National Park is one destination you don’t want to miss out on. The scenery is unspoiled and unmatched, featuring a unique landscape and wildlife species which are in large numbers.
More about Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is a seldom-visited wilderness national park within the north-eastern corner of Uganda, bordering Kenya and South Sudan. This park offers the wildest and most authentic wildlife experiences ever said of any African destination.
This 1,442 sqkm wide national park was gazetted in 1962 and is characterized by an altitude range of 914 meters and 2,749 meters above sea level. The varying vegetation types of this park have been responsible for the rich wildlife and birdlife.
One exciting fact about Kidepo valley National Park is that it is the only park in Uganda where you can find the cheetahs. But other wildlife species such as buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, elephants, stripped hyenas, leopards, lions, Klipspringer, Jackson’s hartebeests, Uganda kobs, waterbucks, bushbucks and many others can also be found in the park.
With a total of 480 bird species, Kidepo Valley National Park is undeniably an unmatched birding destination.
Luxurious Safari Lodges in Kidepo Valley National Park
The high-end safari lodges in Kidepo Valley National Park are among the region’s finest wilderness lodges because they reward visitors with unbeaten wildlife viewing opportunities. These include Adere Safari Lodge, which is considered to be every high-end tourist’s home while in the wilderness.
Apoka Safari Lodge is the true meaning of beauty and comfort in the wilderness while Kidepo Savannah Lodge is another excellent luxury and midrange facility at the edge of the park.
How to reach Kidepo Valley National Park
There are two main ways of reaching Kidepo Valley National Park, that is, by air and road transport. By air, scheduled and chartered flights can be organized by Eagle Air or Aerolink, from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Apoka airstrip.
For road transport, there are different routes to the park taking between 10 – 12 hours, but the commonest is the Kampala-Luwero-Nakasongola-Karuma-Kitgum-Moroto-Kidepo Valley National Park through the Nataba and Lokumoit Gates.