At the extremity of northeastern Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park forms borders with Kenya and South Sudan. It is located in the Kaabong district close to Karenga, and it is 250 km northwest of Moroto town. The largest and most important town in the Karamoja region is Moroto. Additionally, Kidepo Valley National Park is 560 km away by road from Kampala, the capital of Uganda. For this trip, a 4×4 Extended Safari Land Cruiser is highly recommended.
The most remote national park in Uganda, Kidepo Valley National Park boasts one of the most amazing landscapes of any park in East Africa. It provides a stunning view of the stunning Savannah and mountain landscapes that culminate in a craggy horizon. A select few who brave the arduous trek north via the Karamoja region will concur that Kidepo is Africa’s most exquisite wilderness and the most stunning National Park. During game drives across the park, Uganda Safaris to Kidepo Valley National Park offer chances for amazing wildlife encounters.
A visit to the hot springs at Kanangarok, which span the Kidepo River, is highly recommended. The Apoka camp is 40 kilometres away. Locally, they go by Maji Moto. In this area, there’s a good chance of sighting zebras, elephants, giraffes, lions, ostriches, and kudus. The name Kanangarok Hot Springs, which translates to “place of black stones” in the local tongue, refers to a tiny group of naturally occurring hot springs in Kidepo National Park, close to the Sudanese border.
Our visitors are astounded by the route we take through the two primary biomes of Kidepo on the way to the Hotsprings: the semi-arid short grass area in Kidepo Valley National Park and the Savannah grasslands of the Narus Valley. The indigenous people who live close to the park have a rich and varied culture that includes, among other things, traditional dances, handicrafts, spears, and beaded hand bungles. One of Uganda’s most solitary tribes, the Ik continue to lead extremely traditional lives. They reside in seclusion atop Morungole Mountain. Hikes are included in the approximately 12-hour visitation period to the Ik tribes. They are kind and require reservations for visits.
The Ketebo people, who were the farmers and hunters of Kidepo Valley National Park from 1800 to the present, are also known as the Mening people when they resided in Uganda. They are today residents of Torit, South Sudan. The Katebo people are a subtribe of the Lango people of Uganda, who are also known as the “Loceha/Loceka” by the Didinga and, to most Europeans, as the “Bira” people. The British government established game reserves there in 1958 to keep the animals safe from hunting and to further clean the area to keep tsetse flies under control.
Tourism Activities in Kidepo Valley National Park
Wildlife Game Drives
The game drives begin at six in the morning, in the evening at approximately four in the evening, depending on how you have arranged with the guide, and at seven in the evening. Early morning game drives allow guests to witness the sun rising behind the mountain before it floods the valley. This is a naturally occurring phenomenon, but considering the sheer volume of birds, one could compare it to this. Next, we’ll be able to see herds of elephants, cape buffalos, giraffes, lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, waterbucks, bat-eared fox, Bohor reedbuck, Oribi, dikdik, caracal, and finally, the hot springs at Kanangorok.
The Narus Valley and Kidepo Valley are the usual destinations for game drives. Therefore, the early hours of the morning (6:00 am) and the evenings (4:00 pm) are when wildlife is most active in Narus Valley. There is not much big game in Kidepo Valley, but there is a tonne of scenery to take in on the trip to Kanangorok Hot Springs.
Bird Watching
One of the intriguing things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park is go bird watching. Birdwatching enthusiasts can begin their trip to Kidepo at Apoka Rest Camp, also called UWA bandas. You can later expand it to the boundaries of the Namamukweny and Narus valleys. Abyssinian Roller, Purple Heron, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Clapperton’s Francolin, Black-breasted barbet, Chestnut weaver, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Fox kestrel, Golden pipit, Greater kestrel, Jackson’s hornbill, Karamoja apalis, Northern carmine bee-eater, Purple grenadier, Pygmy falcon, Red-throated bee-eater, Rose-ringed parakeet, Rufous chatterer, and White-bellied go-away bird are just a few of the species you can expect to see on your birding safari here.
Cultural Expeditions
Visitors to Kidepo Valley National Park will have the opportunity to interact with the Karamojong people in Karenga and Kapedo through their cultural experience. Have the chance to talk with and get to know the local elders. Since they maintain cattle, they will show you the kraals, the grinding stones, and the manyattas—grass structures covered with cow dung and twisted into strange shapes. You will find a plethora of additional fascinating stuff, such as their marriage rituals.
The Lorukul Cultural Group will guide you to the Manyattas of the Karamojong people so you can learn about their culture. They are a distant people who inhabit one tenth of Uganda and dwell in the northeast with their herds of cattle.
Together with the Karamojong, visitors will also find the IK People. During your Uganda Safari to Kidepo Valley National Park, you can observe the similarities between these tribes and the Masai people of Kenya.