Perched in the northeast of Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park is a renowned outback in the East African region offering unforgettable wildlife encounters. The park comprises two major river valleys draining it that is to say the Kidepo and Narus river valleys. Open savannah plains make up the bigger part of Kidepo. Certainly, these make it an ideal place for the lives of several animals to flourish.
Kidepo is not only known for its captivating vegetation and wildlife but also offers the most remote experiences and exciting African community encounters. Kidepo surely has a lot of endowments to amaze all sorts of travelers.
A brief history of Kidepo Valley National Park.
In 1958, the area where the park lies was gazetted as a game reserve by the British colonial government. Subsequently, they evicted the local people who were coexisting with the wild animals. This move was to ensure the maximum protection of the endangered species. They were on the verge of extinction due to unkind human activities for instance poaching, and habitat destruction.
Tsetse flies infested the reserve a few years later which further put the lives of the masses at a huge risk. Part of the bush was cleared as a remedy to control the spread of tsetse flies by the locals. However, this wasn’t a good move for the conservationists. Meetings were held with the locals and the best option was to evacuate the place. Some left peacefully and others were forced out.
In 1962, the fresh Ugandan government under the leadership of Apollo Milton Obote upgraded the reserve to national park status. Kidepo Valley National Park has since then been the go-to area for visitors looking to have exceptional wildlife encounters.
Location and accessibility of Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park lies next to Karenga in the present-day Kaabong district in the northern provinces of Uganda. It occupies an area of approximately 1442 square kilometers. Kidepo is about 520 kilometers away from Kampala, the capital of Uganda. It is approximately 220 kilometers off the town of Moroto – the busiest town in the region. The quickest route to the park is using the Kampala-Gulu highway. Guests may also choose to fly to the park. One can board from Kajjansi or Entebbe International Airport to Kidepo Airport in the park.
Uniqueness and main attractions of Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park stands out from the rest of the parks in Uganda due to its captivating landscapes. Kidepo is also unique in the sense that it is the only national park in Uganda where one can view cheetahs and the rare African wild dogs.
It is equally important to point out that Kidepo Valley National Park offers sightings of Ostritches. They are the fastest birds on land. Travelers to the park stand a chance of watching them take off.
Kidepo Valley National Park offers the most remote experiences in all the Parks of Uganda. Visitors thus have the chance to stop and reflect on the wonders of life. There are various unexploited areas in the park hence making it a favorable place for adventure lovers.
Activities done in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Bird watching. Hosting over 300 species of birds, Kidepo is on of the important bird-watching areas in the region. There are several designated bird-watching spots in the park. They have the state-of-the-art binoculars to enable the guests to watch both near and far species. The birds of the park include Abyssinian ground hornbills, African darters, African jacanas, great blue turacos, and vultures.
Game drives. Rangers and guides accompany the guests on game drives. They help the traveler track and observe the animals within the park and their fascinating behaviors. Guests get the chance to observe lions, leopards, African buffaloes, elephants, cheetahs, African wild dogs, and antelopes.
Hiking. The hiking activities in Kidepo are conducted in the Morungole mountain ranges. A hike to the summit of the mountain exposes the traveler to the views of the underlying savannah grasslands and thousands of buffaloes, zebras, and waterbucks.
Community visits. Travelers in Kidepo get the opportunity to meet and interact with the Karimojong and Ik people. They are the earliest inhabitants of the Kidepo land. They are popular for their unique cultures and traditions ranging from the ways of life, dressing, and culinary. Travelers to the park get insights into the lives of the natives which even makes the safari more satisfying.
Best time to visit Kidepo Valley National Park.
The best time to visit Kidepo is during the dry seasons. This is the most appropriate time to visit because the roads are not muddy and it’s thus easy to access all corners of the park. The dry seasons take two forms that is to say, the long and short dry seasons. The long dry season runs from early June to September. The short dry season on the other hand runs from December to February before the heavy rains of March.
In summary, for a spectacular safari to Kidepo, please SEND INQUIRY or directly reach us at +256 393 247 137 / +256 742 678 918 to speak to the reservations office.
