Things to See
Birds
Kidepo National Park is notably one of the top birding destinations Uganda boasts of. The 1442sq.kms protected area shelters more than 475 bird species making it the 2nd after Queen Elizabeth N/Park with a huge profusion of bird species. Bird watching in Kidepo never disappoints and your birding tours guarantee exciting sights of Ostriches, Purple heron, Standard winged nightjars, Kori bustards, White crown shrike, Fox kestrel, Clapperton’s francolins, African grey flycatchers, Verraeux’s eagle, Black breasted barbet, Pygmy falcon. Kidepo bird watching is best conducted around Narus Valleys, Apoka Rest Cam area and Namamukweny Valley.
Activities to do-Kidepo National Park
Once you have access to Kidepo, then there begins your Kidepo N/Park expedition. Kidepo National Park is blessed with diversity of activities all ushering visitors into its untapped natural wonders. They include;
Guided game drive
Enjoy the best of Kidepo game drive in the morning, afternoon and night often done via Narus Valley. Narus Valley is Kidepo National Park’s unique spot with a huge concentration of animal species usually spotted during the dry season. They include African bush elephants, Antelopes, Big Cats, Warthogs, Hyenas, Birds, Zebras, Giraffes and you can the best of your game viewing while in 4WD vehicle with pop up roof.
Birding
475 bird species are all in Kidepo for you to explore and they include among others the Ostriches, Silver bird, Karamoja apalis, Kori bustard, Purple heron, Black breasted barbet, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Brown woodpecker, Nightjars. In Kidepo, birding is exceptionally done around Narus River, Apoka Rest Camp and essential tools to consider a must have are; camera, daypack, pair of binoculars.
Nature walk/Hiking
Experience Kidepo on foot, get out of your safari vehicle navigate through the park’s scenic vegetation. The best nature walking sites in Kidepo are Mt. Morungole, Mt. Lomej and Namamukweny Valley. Enjoy clear view of animal species and surrounding areas while on top of these natural features.
Best time to visit-Kidepo National Park-dry season
The dry season is without doubt the best time to visit Kidepo National Park for a holiday. There are only 2 drier seasons; June to August and December to March. They are most preferred months of the year if you are to have the best of Kidepo guided game drive/game viewing.
Best time to visit Kidepo National Park for game viewing
The best time to consider visiting Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP) for wildlife/game viewing is often during the dry season. The best drier months therefore are December, January, February/September, October November. It is during the drier months of the year when Uganda safari holidaymakers can clearly sight a range of wildlife as they gather at small oasis to drink water.
During the wet/rainy season, there is heavy rainfall and majority of wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park move to higher ground making it hard to find them while on game drive. This often occurs during the wet months of the year that is in April, May, July to August.
Top accommodations in Kidepo National Park
Kidepo National Park is with no doubt a complete Uganda safari destination and though it has fewer accommodations, there is an option for all holidaymakers to retire for the night. The available places for stay in Kidepo include Budget, Midrange and Luxury including Apoka Safari Lodge (Luxury), Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp (Midrange) & Apoka Rest Camp (Budget & Midrange).
Getting there
By road: Kidepo NP is 521kms off Kampala Capital, Central Uganda and accessible 10-12 hours’ drive. There are other routes which take you fewer hours to reach the park like Moroto-Kidepo 219kms. Other routes leading to Kidepo include the Kampala, Lira, Kotido to Kidepo route; Kampala, Gulu, Kitgum to Kidepo route and Kampala, Mbale, Soroti to Moroto route.
By air: Air transportation has also made it easier to reach Kidepo as it is possible to take a flight from Entebbe Airport (EBB) or Kajjansi airfield and land at Apoka Airstrip.