Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National park is the most remote park in Uganda and it is lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Karamoja province on the northern border with Sudan and Kenya. The park contains two rivers namely Kidepo and Narus rivers-which disappear in the dry season leaving only pools for the wildlife. The local community around the park include pastoral Karamojong and the Ik, a hunter-gatherer tribe whose survival was threatened.

Kidepo valley national park is endowed with over 80 species of mammals of which 23 are found in no other park in Uganda. Among these animals are Carcal, Cheetah, Klipspringer and Bat-eared Fox. The park is still recovering from the years of poaching during the regime of Idi Amin Dada. There is now a large population of elephants, hyenas, buffaloes,  Bohor Reedbuck, Waterbuck and Kongoni. Lions, predators and Hyenas are easily spotted in the park.

Activities in Kidepo Valley national park

Game drives in Kidepo Valley National park is so interesting and it is guided jby a park ranger who helps you to identify animals like lions that may be sitting on the rock valleys. Game drives are mostly done early mornings and late afternoons when the animals have just set for the day and resting respectively. Other animals include leopards, bush duiker, Kavirondo bush baby, buffaloes, bush pig among others.

Birding in Kidepo: Birding is great while in Apoka Rest  Camp or on the Fringes of the Narus Namamukweny Valleys. Some of the birds seen include the Abyssinian Roller, Purple Heron, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill and Clapperton’s Francolin which are only found in Kidepo.

Cultural encounters in Kidepo: Discover the livelihood of the Karamojong cattle keepers and the culture of this remote tribe with the Lorukul Cultural Group who are located just outside the park. The fee for this tour is contributed to the construction of a clinic and the training of midwives for the community.

Nature walks in Kidepo valley: Hiking starts at 7am and lasts two hours and four hours through the Narus Valley and the Lomej mountains respectively. Visitors can also move along the Kidepo River Valley between banks of attractive borassus palm forest.// View Uganda Safaris