Kidepo Valley National Park, which lies in the North-Eastern part of Uganda along the border with Kenya and Sudan is considered the most beautiful park in Africa because of its breathtaking wilderness, unspoiled by development.
The park has a wild remote feel as it’s located far away from the capital city and in the untapped Karamoja region. But visiting it is worthwhile because it offers a true wilderness feel with its spectacular savannah landscape and mountain ranges in the backdrop.
Kidepo is also devoid of the huge masses you can find in most game parks so, you can peacefully tour and take scenic photos without any disruption from other tourists.
Since it’s found in a semi-arid area, the climate is pretty much hot, with temperatures rising to 40°C/104°F during the day but dropping to 17°C/63°F at night. The area has one wet season from April to August, making it usual for Karamoja to have droughts and for the two rivers in the Kidepo Valley – Narus River and Kidepo River to dry up during the dry season.
Activities to Do
Game Drives
Clear bush tracks will take you to Narus river valley- a place teeming with wildlife to see lions, elephants, Rothschild giraffes, jackals, hyenas, and the large herd of buffalo, among other mammals.
As you take the game drive, you’ll marvel at the mountains standing majestic in the backdrop of the park. As well as enjoy sightings of various wildlife such as buffalo, hyenas, and ostriches.
Another popular place for viewing wildlife is at the seasonal Kidepo River where you can see the zebra, cheetah, Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, and ostrich.
Cultural Visits
Kidepo boasts of two culturally rich tribes – the Karamojongs and the IK. The Karimojong are the dominant tribe in Karamoja and are mainly pastoralists because of the arid climate of their region and their near worship adoration of cattle.
They live communally in large homesteads called Manyattas that contain huts that they stay in. A cultural visit to a manyatta will expose you to the Karamojong’s way of life where you will enjoy their folklore and cultural dance of jumping high up into the sky.
Whereas the endangered IK tribe, who are hunter-gatherers and one of the smallest tribes in Uganda, live atop Mountain Morungole.
A hike up to the mountain top to visit them can take you about half a day, and it’s a tough and tiring trek that can physically test you, so you need to be fit to embark on it. But, it’s worthwhile because upon reaching the peak, you’ll get welcomed with wide smiles, dance, and music from the IK people.
Plus, the view from up there is amazing! You’ll get to interact with the tribe and visit their homesteads called Asaks within their friend-based neighborhoods called Odoks.
Birding
This park is an exceptional birding site for avid birders as it’s a habitat to about 475 birds, a number that is only second to the over 600 bird species found in Queen Elizabeth national park.
An experienced guide or ranger will accompany you on the bird-watching safari to the best birding areas in Kidepo Valley around Apoka Rest camp, Namamukweny (which ironically means a place without birds) valley, and the outer edges of the Narus Valley.
Some endemic birds you will see include the Abyssinian roller, Black-breasted barbet, Chestnut weaver, Fox Kestrel, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Golden pipit, Greater kestrel, Jackson’s hornbill, Pygmy falcon, and the near-endemic Karamoja Apalis. The other common birds will include Little bee-eater, Dark chanting goshawk, Red-and-yellow barbet, and ostriches.
Camping
For the brave and outdoorsy, Kidepo Valley has two remote but fully-equipped camping sites atop a hill within the park you can stay at.
From that high altitude, you can enjoy the breathtaking aerial views of the valley and its game as well as watch the sunset over the vistas. If you prefer a more protected campsite, you can stay at the UWA ranger post in Apoka and interact with other vacationers around the campfire.
Mountain Climbing
A Hike up to the Lonyili summit is a worthy adventure as you’ll get a good thrill out of it trekking through the montane forest, which is home to several primates like the black colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, and the white colobus monkey.
You’ll also enjoy the stunning views of the Kidepo Valley, South Sudan, and the forest canopy from the top. The Lonyili Mountain is located outside the Kidepo Valley national park, but close to it to make the adventure part of the park experience.
