Exciting Journey to Kidepo Valley National Park

Your long-anticipated and exciting journey to Kidepo Valley National Park, Uganda’s real and untouched African Wilderness is always like a dream come true. This once-in-a-lifetime journey, for many travelers, has its roots tied to the renowned explorers and other exploits in the Pearl of Africa. For most visitors, traveling to this stunning safari destination found in the Northeastern side of the country personifies imaginations of a phenomenal trip that is complete with risk, daring as well as unmatched wildlife viewing adventures as well as breathtaking landscapes and sceneries. As travelers enter through any of the Kidepo gates, the excitement is obvious and palpable regardless of the challenges (such as bad roads, long distances, and bad weather) encountered while getting there.

A typical trip to Kidepo Valley National Park begins in Kampala or Entebbe by renting a safari vehicle or taking a domestic flight, especially for visitors who can’t stand the 10-14 hours of driving to the remote safari destination. For those opting for road trips, you can make several stops en route to Kidepo Valley National Park because there are several unmissable attractions such as Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary for rhino tracking or better still because the landscape and scenery are interesting and jaw-dropping. Lunch will also be enjoyed en route. Your safari destination, at the end of the day, would be any of the numerous Safari Lodges that include Apoka Safari Lodge, Adere Safari Lodge, Zebra Safari Lodge, Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp, and Kidepo Savannah Lodge among others.

Things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park

On your exciting journey to Kidepo Valley National Park, there are several activities to do and these include;

Game drives

Game drives in Kidepo Valley National Park are generally eventful, and visitors have great chances of spotting Uganda Kobs, Defassa waterbucks, African bush elephants, Cape buffaloes, blue monkeys, Olive baboons, Lions, leopards, cheetahs, Topis Jackson’s hartebeests, Rothschild’s giraffes, zebras, and more. Some of these animals will be spotted just a few minutes after driving from the Lodge. Game drives are done in the mornings (usually starting as early as 6:00 am) and afternoon (beginning at 4:00 pm) to catch up with animals when they are more active. Game tracks through Narus Valley and Kidepo Valleys are the most rewarding and worthwhile.

Nature/bush walks

All your guided bush walks in Kidepo Valley National Park will be accompanied by experienced Ranger guides who boast extensive knowledge of the Protected Area, its rich wildlife, the plethora of birds, as well as unique vegetation. This activity is perfect for visitors who wish to see the wildlife up close and personal, or even those who wish to appreciate the intricate details of Mother Nature surrounding you.

Birding tours

Birding safaris in Kidepo Valley is another thrilling adventure to be enjoyed during your exciting journey to Kidepo Valley National Park, majorly due to the hugely diverse selection of colorful feathered beauties. Over 475 species call this Park home and the areas of Narus and Kidepo Valley are the most favored.

Cultural tours

Whether you love sampling local cuisines, getting entertained in local dances, or purchasing local artifacts, cultural tours remain the only way to experience the lifestyle and traditions of people living around Kidepo Valley National Park.

Apart from the above-mentioned popular activities, there are many other things you can do during your exciting journey to Kidepo Valley National Park and these include photography, landscape and scenery viewing, wilderness Camping, and hiking Mount Morungole, to mention but a few.

Best time to undertake your exciting journey to Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park is usually at its best in June to September and December to February, because water is scarce and animals tend to gather around waterholes thus making them easier to sight. Also, the grass thin out, which also makes the dry season the best time of the year to explore this exceptional African Wilderness for game viewing.

How to get to Kidepo Valley National Park

There are two ways to get to Kidepo Valley National Park and these are by air or by road. If you go with air transport, you can book the services of domestic airlines like Aerolink that operate chartered and scheduled flights from Entebbe International Airport to Kidepo airstrip, and these flights last anywhere between one and a half to two hours.

For road, there are several routes to use and they include the Kampala-Mbale-Sironko-Moroto-Kotido-Kaabong-Kidepo Valley National Park lasting 12 hours, the Kampala-Soroti-Moroto-Kotido-Kaabong-Kidepo lasting 13 hours, the Kampala-Karuma-Lira-Kotido-Kaabong-Kidepo lasting 12 hours, or the Kampala-Karuma-Gulu-Kitgum-Kidepo taking about 10 hours.