Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is arguably Uganda’s best Park besides being considered among the best 8 safari destinations in Africa. Kidepo Valley Park by far gives you the perfect and most authentic Africa Safari. The wildly untamed and untouched beauty of Kidepo vividly brings the true beauty of Africa, like 50 years ago. Kidepo Valley National Park has been largely recognized for its unmatched authentic African wilderness. In 2016 it was named the third best park in Africa by CNN. 2017 Best African destination according to Wonderlust Movement.
Kidepo sits on 1,442km2 and was gazetted in 1962 the same year Uganda got its independence. It is located in northern eastern Uganda, 700km from Kampala, Uganda’s capital. The long haul journey makes it almost impossible for most tourists to travel there. Those that endure the journey or even pay extra to fly to Kidepo are rewarded by the most scenic views of the sprawling open savannahs. These are home to the largest herds of Water buffaloes in Uganda and some rare animal species that can only be found in Kidepo.
Best Time for Safari in Kidepo Valley National Park
The best time to visit Kidepo is in the dry season from September to March in order to get to see most of the animals as they crowd in Narus valley, an area in the park that provides water for these beautiful creatures to quench their thirst. The water levels drastically drop during the dry seasons of the year and the only source of water can be found at Narus valley hence making it an ideal point for game viewing. In the wetter months of April to August, River Kidepo has a reasonable amount of water for the animals to drink.
Kidepo valley a semi-arid dessert, is home to over 77 mammals and over 475 bird species. It gets pretty hot during the day temperatures ranging from 210 C -340C but during the night temperatures drastically drop and therefore it is important to also carry a few warm clothes when visiting this park to help through the cold nights especially if you plan on camping. Request a Quote
The activities that can be done in Kidepo valley, game viewing of the plenteous wildlife, birding, cultural encounters with the Ik tribe, a very unique group of people and Karamojongs, hiking Lamoji Mountains.
Accommodation at Kidepo National Park
Accommodation used to be a challenge initially. There were only two lodges; the UWA bandas and Apoka Safari Lodge. The Apoka UWA Bandas were recently renovated and remain the cheapest option for accommodation at the park. Four more mid-range and high-end lodges are being established to cater for the increasing number of visitors to the park. You can book Adere Safari Lodge for mid-range, Apoka Bandas for Budget, Savanna Safari Lodge for lower mid-range and Apoka Safari Lodge for high end.