Kidepo National Park is a renowned savannah park in Uganda, popular for hosting the big four mammals, which are buffaloes, lions, leopards and elephants. The National Park is not only limited to these but also hosts other exciting rare creatures, especially the spotted hyenas, African wild dogs, cheetahs and ostriches. Kidepo National Park is popular for the remote experiences it provides to visitors and the fact that it is not overexploited presents sensational wilderness experiences to travelers.
Kidepo Valley National Park extends to an area of approximately 1,442 square kilometres in the Karamoja region in the northeast provinces of Uganda. It is made up of rugged savanna, shrubs and short trees. The Kidepo land is also dominated by the Morungole Mountains standing at a height of 2750 meters above sea level.
This beautiful tract of land is further transacted by the Kidepo and Narus river valleys which are important game viewing sites as various animals usually converge around to drink water and supplement their diets.
History of Kidepo National Park.
History
Its Uniqueness
Activities carried out
How to get to Kidepo National Park.
Where to Stay
History
The land where Kidepo Valley National Park sits today was originally inhabited by the IK and the Ketebo/Mening people who are said to have lived there since the early 1800s. This area was gazetted as a game reserve by the British colonial masters in 1958 to protect the biodiversity that was flourishing in the area though facing extinction due to various uncouth human activities.
Hunting of wild animals was at its peak in the area and the numbers were reducing daily at a terrible speed. The local people were henceforth evicted and shifted northwards of the National Park to the present-day South Sudan and southwards to the areas of Lake Kyoga and Elgon.
Another reason for the gazetting of the park was to prevent clearing of the bush in the name of tsetsefly control. These had for so long terrorized the communities and also feasted on the animals in the reserve. The reserve was upgraded to National Park status by the government in 1962.
Kidepo National Park today lies in Karenga in Kaabong district at a distance of about 220 Kilometers in the northwest of Moroto.
Its Uniqueness
Kidepo National Park stands out from the rest due to its remoteness. The area is far to reach and provides sensational wilderness experiences in an area that has not been exploited.
Kidepo National Park hosts rare animals. The most rare creatures that can be found in Kidepo National Park are the cheetahs, ostriches and African wild dogs. They can be viewed on game drives conducted in the park, especially in the Narus Valley areas.
The National Park is associated with the Karamojong’ cultural visits which enlighten the experiences of the travelers to the park. These wonderful people live in the vicinity of the National Park and have interesting facts and traditions, especially their way of life that gets travelers excited so often.
Activities carried out
Game drives. Game drives are usually conducted in the National Park to enable travelers to view the animals within. They are conducted by tourist guides in tourist vehicles that are good with all terrain to reach all ends of the park.
Bird watching. Kidepo National Park is home to a variety of bird species that can be observed by visitors when they pass by. Some of the most outstanding birds are the African jacanas, African fish eagles, turacos, Abyssinian ground hornbill, black bee eaters, cinnamons, cuckoo shrike, egrets, hammerkops, secretary birds, grey crowned cranes, marabou stocks, saddle billed stork and vultures.
Cultural encounters. Visitors to this awesome national park have the opportunity to visit some of the most exciting tribes in Uganda, such as the IK and Karamojong. They provide sensational entertainment to visitors and tell interesting stories about their ways of life.
Mountain climbing. Travelers to the park can also indulge in mountain climbing in the Murungole ranges. The hike to the top of the mountain unveils the beautiful scenery of the surroundings of savannah and spotted shrubs.
Attractions in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Wildlife species. Kidepo National Park is a habitat for a variety of wildlife species which tourists can get the opportunity to set their eyes on. These include the big four that is to say lions, leopards, buffaloes and elephants alongside cheetahs, hyenas, zebras, giraffes and antelopes.
Mountain Morungole. This beautiful mountain stands up high above the savanna plains and creates a beautiful scenery that is good for photography.
Narus Valley. It’s yet another outstanding landform in the stunning Kidepo National Park. The River Valley is a feeding ground for animals and an attraction itself due to the beautiful scenes it creates in the park. It is good for nature walks and conducting game drives along.
How to get to Kidepo National Park.
Visitors undertaking journeys to Kidepo National Park can either use road or air transport. Visitors traveling by air may board flights from Kajjansi Airstrip or Entebbe international airport to Kidepo Airport. Road transport users can use the Kampala – Gulu highway. This is the shortest route from Kampala to the park, taking about 10 hours and 21 minutes for 567.9 square kilometers.
Where to Stay
High-end Lodges in Kidepo NP:
- Apoka Safari Lodge
Mid-budget Lodges in Kidepo NP:
- Kidepo Savanah Lodge
- Adere Lodge
- Zebra Safari Lodge
Low budget Lodges in Kidepo NP:
- Apoka Bandas