When in Uganda, you think about which national parks to visit and have a glimpse of Uganda's gift of nature, then Kidepo Valley National Park shouldn't miss on your list.
 |
| Location of Kidepo Valley on Uganda's map. |
Kidepo lies in the far northeast of Uganda, isolated from the rest of the country by the arid badlands of Karamoja. It's one of the most alluring tourist destinations in Uganda, but seldom visited due to the cost and difficulty of getting there. It has a rugged mountain view, good atmosphere, game viewing and birdwatching.
It covers an area of about 1,442 square kilometers and its highest point, Mt. Morungole rises on the border. The dominant habitat is open wooded savanna. Kidepo protects about 86 mammal species, with the bird checklist at 463 species confirmed and 26 species unconfirmed and a variety of butterfly species and other small creatures.
When you visit Kidepo, you can record a minimum of about five primate species, with 20 predators, like the bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, aardwolf, cheetah, side-stripped jackal, spotted hyena, leopard, lion, mongooses and a few other rare species in Uganda's national parks. You also have a chance to at least see some of its 12 antelope species, which include: the greater kudu, the lesser kudu, Guenther's dik-dok, mountain reedbuck (seen nowhere else in Uganda), eland, common duiker, klipspringer, oribi, defasa waterbuck, bushbuck and bohor redbuck. Elephants, Burchell's zebra, warthog, bushpig and buffaloes are also seen in Kidepo.
You can also think of birdwatching, with Kidepo's relatively small size, as many as 100 bird species of Uganda's bird species are found there. The bird specials include, the common ostrich, red-throated bee-eaters, black-breasted barbets, northen brownbul, golden pipit, chestnut weaver, carmine, kori bustard -to name but only a few of the more visible species.
GETTING THERE:
Due to the small portion of tourists visiting Kidepo, safari from Kampala can be arranged through local operators in Kampala.
