Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s most distant national park and it is located within the semi-arid, rocky valleys of Karamoja province along the national border of Southern Sudan and Uganda in the far north. it was declared a national park in 1954. However to date there are just a couple of holidaymakers on safari in Uganda that have been able to visit this stunning park and enjoy the remarkable beauty of this natural wilderness.
Kidepo National Park lies between an Altitude of 914 meters on the valley floor of Kidepo and 2749 meters on Mt. Morungole
it covers a total area of 1442 sq. km, and its terrain is covered with different vegetation types which serve as wildlife habitats among which are: the montane forest, open thorny scrub, open savannah scattered with trees, the semi-desert scrub, several woodlands plus open thorny bushes.
Bird Watching in Kidepo Valley National Park
The birding Safaris in Kidepo normally begin at Apoka Lodge or at the Park Headquarters with great views over the Narus Valley. those enthusiastic about bird watching in Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park is the perfect place to be as it has a bird list of over 470 different species, which makes it the second best destination to see birds next to the renowned Queen Elizabeth National Park. A number of eastern “specials” like the Black-breasted Barbet can be seen here many of which can’t be seen in other parts of the park.
Some of the bird species you will see in Kidepo Valley National Park include:
The Ostrich, Yellow-billed Shrike, Ruppell’s Starlings, Mosque Swallow, Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Nubian Woodpecker, Vinaceous Dove, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Little Weaver, Hoopoe, the Black Coucal,
Yellow-rumped Seedeater, Marsh Tchagra, swallows, African Moustached Warblers, Clapperton’s Francolin, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Karamoja Apalis, African Swallow-tailed Kite, Black-bellied & Black-faded Waxbill, Rufous & Chestnut Sparrow, Kori, Red-fronted & Black-breasted Barbets, Chestnut- crowned Sparrow Weavers, Eastern Yellow & Jackson’s Hornbills, Pygmy Falcon, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Grey-capped Social & Speckle-fronted Weavers, Stone, Fox Kestrel, White-headed & White-billed Buffalo Weavers, Yellow-spotted Petronia, Steel-blue & Strawtailed Whydahs, Heuglin’s Francolins, Partridge, Hartlaub’s Bustards, Sunbirds, Yellow-billed Shrikes, Black-headed Plover, Eastern Violet backed, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, Fan-tailed Raven, Violet-tipped Courser, Rose-ringed Parakeet, Four-banded Sand Grouse, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Slate-coloured Boubou, Red billed Oxpecker, Superb Starling, White-faced Scoops Owl, White-crested Turaco, White- Little Green Bee-eater, bellied Go-away bird, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Foxy & Red pate Cisticolas, Abyssinian & Rufous-crowned Rollers, White-bellied Tit, Singing Bush lark, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, and the Red-winged Lark.
Wild animals you expect to See on a Safari in Kidepo National Park
Kidepo Valley National parks prides in a mammal list of over 80 different animals among which ar 28 species endemic only to this park such as the Bat-eared Fox, and cheetahs during your Safari in Uganda, the best way to see the different wild animals within this greatly endowed national park is on Game drives.
Unfortunately the area in which Kidepo National Park is located suffered war back in former president Iddi Amin’s regime during which several animals were killed however today the number of animals here is steadily fast rising and some of the animals you will see include: lions, the Bohor Reedbucks, Striped Hyena, Buffaloes, Beisa Oryx, Leopards, Lesser Kudu, Waterbucks, Grant’s Gazelle, Guenther’s Dik Dik, Elephants, Kongoni and Zebras.
Where to stay in Kidepo National Park
Apoka Safari Lodge – a privately owned nice place offering great views over the Narus Valley.
Apoka Rest Camp
The Kakine Self-catering Campsite
Basic bandas that are managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority
How to get to Kidepo Valley National Park
This beautiful National Park may be arrived at by either road or air transport. However the most commonly used means is road. The 12 hrs drive route through Mbale, Soroti as well as Moroto covers 840km in a 4WD car. Or you can opt to use the shorter route which takes you through Karuma, Gulu and Kitgum arriving Kidepo in 10hrs. The flight take 2 hrs maximum from entebbe airport.
