Kidepo Valley national park | Birding Paradise in Uganda

Kidepo Valley national park is one of the Africa’s finest wilderness area and the second biggest national park in Uganda located in the far end of the northeastern Uganda stretching along the borders of Uganda with South Sudan and Kenya, the par is situated near Karenga in Kaabong district with Moroto as the nearest Town. Moroto is the largest and main town in the Karamoja region, from Kampala it is about 560 kilometers from Kampala all to thrill while on Uganda Safaris.

The park covers an area of 1,442 square kilometers, the landscape of the park is transverse by the Kidepo and Narus rivers, dominated by the Morungole Mountain standing at the altitude of 2,750 meters and is partly dominated by rugged savannah. The park is found in the rocky semi-arid Karamoja province.

Kidepo valley national park harbors outstanding landscape scenery unrivaled by any other national park in the whole of Africa featuring a wide latitudinal array of remarkable vegetation.

WILDLIFE IN KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Kidepo Valley national park is a home to77 animal species including resident carnivore species which are only endemic to Kidepo, animals in the park include hunting dog, bat-eared fox, cheetah, striped hyena, caracal, aardwolf, Beisa Oryx, Lesser kudu, grant’s gazelles, elephant, oribis, Burchell’s zebras, Jackson’s hartebeests, bush pigs, cape buffaloes, bohor reedbucks, warthogs, defassa waterbucks, Rothschild giraffes, bush duskier and elands, bushbucks, in addition to lions, common zebras, leopards, plus several small cats such as the side-striped jackal, Kongoni, black-backed jackal spotted hyena, lions among others.

There are also 5 species of primates in Kidepo Valley national park such as the endemic Kavirondo bush baby, Orbis found within the Narus Valley, Guenther’s Dik Dik, the Senegal Galago, and the White-tailed Mongoose

BIRDLIFE IN KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Kidepo valley national park is a birder’s haven hosting the second highest population of birds in Uganda and is listed among the top destinations in Uganda, the park is a home to over 470 species of birds with 60 of these species recorded in nowhere else in Uganda and 56 species of raptors recorded and migratory bird species arriving in November to April. Birds in Kidepo Valley national park include Egyptian vulture, Black coucal, Dark chanting goshawk, Marsh Tchagra, African Moustached francolin, Red-winged pytilia, Golden pipit, Red-billed oxpeckers, African grey fly-catcher, Jackson’s hornbill, Steel-blue Whydah, Rufous chatterer, Fox kestrel, Hoopoe, Purple Grenadier, Greater kestrel, Crimson-rumped waxbill, Northern carmine bee-eater, Black breasted barbet, Rose-ringed parakeet, Verreaux’s eagle, Clapperton’s Francolin, Pygmy Falcon, White-bellied go-away bird, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Ethiopian swallow, Karamoja apalis, Scarlet chested sunbird and Superb starlings among others

THINGS TO DO IN KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

GAME VIEWING

Game viewing is one of the most exciting and rewarding activities in Kidepo Valley national park, the park is a remarkable Uganda safari destination for wildlife sightings including big cats such as lion, leopard and cheetah. Game viewing is done on game drives which is the best way of exploring the park, the drives are most done following two 20 kilometer tracks through Narus Valley which is rich with wildlife.

Kidepo Valley national park attracts a abundance of wildlife most especially the Narus Valley such as antelopes, cape buffaloes, zebras, elephants, warthogs, hyenas, waterbucks, giraffes, bat-eared fox, aardwolf, dik-dik, caracal, lions and leopards among others. Game viewing is commonly done in the Narus Valley and Kidepo valley. These game drives are offered as morning game drive, full day game drive, evening game drive and night drive. Morning game drives are best for spotting various species of animals as they are more active, the morning game drives start as early as 6:00 am, evening game drives start at 4:00 pm and night game drives start at 6:00 pm and they are done with a help of a spot light.

Game viewing in KAidepo Valley national park does not only offer you sights of various wildlife and birds in the park, it also offers breathtaking views of the open landscape of the park surrounded by spectacular mountain landscape which is a true definition of African wilderness.

BIRD WATCHING

Kidepo Valley national park is a bird watcher’s paradise and listed among the top ten destinations in Uganda to do the interesting bird watching activity, bird watching in the park starts from the Apoka Rest Camp and is best done in the Narus valley and Namamukweny valley. On a birding safari in Kidepo Valley national park expect to see various colorful bird species including raptors, 60 species which haven’t be recorded anywhere else in Uganda and other. These birds include

HIKING AND NATURE WALKS

Hiking and nature walks are adventurous activity offering an opportunity to explore the endless of Kidepo Valley national park on foot, these activities are done together with an expert ranger guide who will share with his knowledge of the eco-system of the park. Nature walks while on Uganda Safaris Tours bring you close to the animals such as elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, zebras, cheetah, leopards, lions which will encounter along the way. You will spot various birds such as Eastern chanting Goshwak, Grassjopper Buzzard, Montague’s Harrier, Fan Tailed Raven, the rare stone Partridge among others. Nature walks are generally done in the Narus valley which offers excellent animal and bird sightings.

Hiking in Kidepo Valley national park is done on the Lomej Mountain, hiking takes about 4 hours on a trail of 5 kilometers starting as early as 07:00 am in the morning from the Apoka Tourism Centre, as you hike Lomej Mountains you will enjoy scenic views of the endless plains of the park and the surrounding areas.

CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Cultural experience in the park offers a visit to the karamojong local people living in the communities of Karenga and Kapenda, this experience offers a deeper insight into the lifestyle of the karamojong, their culture and norms. The Karamojog are nomadic pastoralists depending rearing of majorly cattle as a way of life, these people live in the remotes areas of North Eastern parts of Uganda.

While on your visit you will have an opportunity to meet the local elder’s w ho you will interact with, participate in rearing of cattle, grinding of millets on grinding stones, visit the Manyattas which are built using grass, timbers and smeared with cow dug and man. You will also be entertained by local dances and drama.

You can also the IK people living on the top of Mount Morungole, the life style of the IK people is strikingly similar to that of the Karamojong and the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania. Visiting the IK people involves hiking Mount Morungole which takes about 12 hours.

HOW TO GET TO KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

BY ROAD – Kidepo valley national park can be reached by road from Kampala the capital of Uganda using 4 routes such as

Kampala – Karuma – Gulu – Kitgum – Kidepo route of 571 kilometers
Kampala – Karuma – Lira – Kotido – Kidepo route of 705 kilometers
Kampala – Mbale – Sironko – Kotido – Kaabong – Kidepo route of 740 kilometers
Kampala – Mbale – Soroti – Moroto – Kidepo route of 792 kilometers

BY AIR – Domestic and chartered flights to Kidepo Valley national park are offered from Entebbe International airport and Kajjansi airstrip to Apoka airstrip, these flights are offered by various domestic flight operators such as Aero link offering flights departing at 12:30 pm and arrive at Kidepo at 14: 45 pm in the afternoon.

WHERE TO STAY IN KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

There are alimented number of accommodation options in the park and these are situated around the park boundaries, these facilities are categorized as budget, midrange and luxury as below

LUXURY