Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s most recently unveiled wildlife park. It is by far one of the most scenics and has unbelievable numbers of game that have regenerated not more than two decades ago. Two broad Valleys describe the park; Naru’s Valley, which is in the south-west and most moist is where most game and the world’s largest herds of African buffaloes love. And the drier and exotic Kidepo Valley that has a network of season sandy rivers.

Vegetation: The acacia-filled Kidepo Valley National Park covers a variety of Habitats namely among which include dry montane forest, plain Savannah grasslands, thick miombo-like woodlands and the fascinating rocky outcrops.

Kidepo Valley National Park Mammal List

Kidepo’s mammal list of over eighty species includes twenty-eight restricted-range species. Amongst these are such charismatic African animals as the Bat-eared fox, Cheetah, Klipspringer and more. Unfortunately, Kidepo Valley suffered the same fate as many other Ugandan parks during the Amin era and is still recovering from years of poaching that left game herds depleted. Striped Hyena, Lesser kudu and Beisa oryx have not been seen at all in recent times and are presumed to be locally extinct. Other large mammals have shown a remarkable recovery, and there are now healthy populations of African bush elephant, Common zebra, African buffalo, Bohor reedbuck, Waterbuck, Grant’s gazelle and the Hartebeest. Predators are plentiful, the Leopards and Lion relatively common. Oribi is abundant in the Narus Valley, while the dry thorn thickets in the north are home to Gunther’s Dikdik. Senegal Galago and Side-striped Jackal may be found in the rest camp at night, and White-tailed Mongoose is common but more likely to be found on a night drive. The park also has a vibrant and diverse reptile fauna.

Kidepo Valley Animal Safari — **Common Jacka**l

Kidepo Valley National Park Bird Watching

Kidepo valley national park has a record of 480 species of birds. The Apoka rest camp and park headquarters overlooking southern Narus Valley is a great spot to begin your Kidepo birding. The attractive Silverbird and small bands of Yellow-billed Shrike, frequent the thorn trees around the camp as do several other widespread species such as Vinaceous Dove, Hoopoe, Nubian Woodpecker, Mosque Swallow, Ruppell’s and Superb Starlings, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Little Weaver and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu. A small permanent water hole at the edge of camp attracts swallows and a variety of seedeaters including Yellow-rumped Seedeater. It is visited at night by Four-banded Sandgrouse, Elephant, Buffalo and occasionally Lion. Clapperton’s Francolin, Black Coucal, African Moustached and Broad-tailed Warblers, Marsh Tchagra and Crimson-rumped Waxbill may be seen in the rank grass along the normally dry stream bed adjacent to camp or along the track to Apoka lodge.

Uganda Birding Tour Kidepo Valley — Superb Starling

Local People:

The Karimojong people live around the area grazing and searching for water to feed their animals. The other people in the area are the Pokot.

Kidepo Valley National Park is accessible either by road or by air. The most commonly driven route from Kampala is via Gulu and Kitgum, a nine hours journey. Take a 4WD to complete.

CNN 2013, ranked href=”https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/uganda-kidepo-park-top-destination/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Kidepo Valley National park 3rd best national park in Africa

Kidepo Valley National Park

Size: 1,442 sq km
District: Kabong
Altitude: 914m on Kidepo valley floor to 2749m atop Mount Morungole
Geographical location: North of the country, bordering Kenya and Sudan between the hills of Karamoja and Nagoya Valley.
Best Visit Period: March-April for all the specials and many transit migrants, although good year-round.