Adventure awaits you at every corner of the world, but none quite like the Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda. This less-explored wilderness, fondly termed Africa’s “hidden gem,” invites you to immerse yourself in an experience. That’s simultaneously thrilling, serene, and endlessly captivating.
One of the best tourist sites in Uganda, with the most prominent volcanic landscape view. The park has the best sightseeing opportunities and the most genuine African wildness. It is Africa’s oldest park in terms of cultural and natural history.
Uganda’s third-largest national park. Located in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of the far northeastern corner of Uganda. Kidepo Valley National Park boasts unparalleled biodiversity. Covering 1,442 square kilometers, this park is a vast sanctuary for an astonishing array of wildlife. Some found nowhere else in Uganda.
What truly sets Kidepo Valley National Park apart is its rich ecosystem. The park is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts with over 77 species of mammals, including regal lions, elusive leopards, agile cheetahs, and massive African elephants. Not to mention, it houses almost 500 bird species, making it an ornithologist’s paradise. From the iconic African buffalo to the unique Jackson’s hartebeest and the rare ostrich, Kidepo Valley celebrates life in its wildest form.
Accessing Kidepo Valley National Park
There are two ways to get to Kidepo Valley National Park: the Kampala Soroti/Moroto route, which travels through the Karamoja wilderness, offers the option of camping overnight at one of the Manyattas of the Uganda Moroto routes via the Matheniko and Pian Upe game parks. The way through Kitgum via Gulu takes 9–10 hours and is the quickest from Kampala.
However, the air is the shortest and easiest way to reach and experience Kidepo. There are scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi Airstrip to Apoka Airstrip. This flight takes about 90 minutes to get to Kidepo.
Activities in Kidepo Valley National Park
Wildlife Game Drive
The Narus Valley is the primary route for wildlife game drives since it has the highest species concentration there, especially around the Narus wetland. The big five, which include elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopards, can be seen in the park. In the evening, you can watch a pride of predators enjoy their meal. Lions can be seen here lounging on rocky outcrops.
Expect to see almost everything on a game drive that isn’t present in any other savannah park in Uganda, including larger herds of antelope species, including Jackson’s heartbeats, bushbucks, oribi, and Uganda Kobs, as well as several zebras and giraffes, warthogs, wild dogs, and many other animals.
Additionally, a fantastic wildlife drive may be taken in the Kidepo Valley extension that extends north of the park along the Kanangorok hot spring; among many other views, the ostrich is the main attraction here. A night game drive can be done with your safari vehicle for an additional USD 40. Predators that are hunting can be seen during the night game drive.
Nature hikes
We can get closer to nature by taking nature-guided walks to nearby settlements, but only when accompanied by an armed ranger guide. The golden-rested savannahs are walked by nature. It is the finest place to view many bird species and other wildlife and can also take you to places with fascinating cultures.
Mountain hiking
The Karamoja region is characterized by generally flat terrain studded with rocky hills and relatively raised cones. In Karamoja, climbing Mt. Morungole, which leads to the Ik people, is the most challenging hike. One must scale mountains to get to their communities. A certain level of physical fitness is required for the trekking activity. From the point when your vehicle can no longer go any farther, you will need to walk for more than 12 kilometres. Only once a day is spent on this solo task.
Birding
The Narus Valley is the ideal location for bird enthusiasts. About 500 bird species may be found in the park, which offers fantastic birding adventures, especially near the Narus wetland. Bird species here include carmine, secretary bird, ostrich, especially in the Kidepo valley, Kori bustard, Abyssinian ground hornbill, yellow-billed hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, black-breasted barbet, silver shrike, Nubian woodpecker, Vivacious bird, Hoopoe, scarlet-chested sunbird, white-bellied go-away bird, singing bush lark, and little Weaver, and the list continues.
Cultural encounters
Both communities and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) arrange excursions to nearby communities for cultural experiences. Kidepo’s cultural tours showcase a variety of Karamajong clans and their distinctive lives, as well as the uncommon IK people. The IK tribe is the smallest in Uganda and speaks a language resembling Spanish. They have maintained their unique personal style while avoiding contact with other societies.
Along with being outdated, they also scoffed at their traditional beliefs, such as their insistence on their own Akuj god, whom they think bestows all of their animals and their rejection of the other foreign religions practiced in Uganda. Visitors to towns near Kidepo Valley National Park, such as the Lurukul cultural community nearby, can engage in culturally entertaining activities and access it.
Camping overnight inside a manyatta is one option for experiencing this exotic way of life when living among the Karamajong.
Outdoor camping
This unique adventure should be experienced in the middle of the more expansive savannah, far from others. An armed ranger guide is always with you while you camp in the park’s wilderness and you choose a pleasant spot for the night.