Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley found in Northeast Uganda bordering Kenya and Sudan covering 1442 sq km. Kidepo is referred to as Uganda’s most remote national park. It has magnificent scenery featuring Savannah and mountain landscape and it lies in a rugged, semi-arid valley of Karamoja region. For any birder Kidepo has over 475 species including East Africa’s rarest and most sought after birds such as Black-breasted Barbet and Karamoja Apallis.
Highlights
Wildlife Game Drives,Visiting Kangorok Hot Springs,Birding,Hiking Mt. Morungule,Cultural trip meeting the IK/Karamojong Tribe.
Wildlife
Kidepo’s mammal list of over 80 species includes 28 that are found in no other Ugandan National park. There are 77 species of Mammals recorded, amongst these are: the Bat eared Fox, Klipspringer, Carcal, Strait Hyena, Ungulates like Bush Elephant. Other mammals in Kidepo include Buffaloes, Bohor Reedbuck, Zebra, Kongoni, and Spotted Hyena, lion, leopard and Waterbuck.
Oribis are plentiful in the Narus Valley, whilst the dry thorn thickets in the north are home to Guenther’s Dik Dik. Senegal Galago and Sidestriped 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 very rich and diverse reptile fauna.
Birding
The Apoka Rest Camp and Park Headquarters overlooking the swallow, southern Narus Valley is a grand spot to start your Kidepo birding. A small permanent water hole at the edge of camp attracts swallows and a variety of seedeaters including Yellow-rumped Seedeater and 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.
Key Species of Birds
Ostrich, Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Stone Partridge, Kori, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Bruce’s Green Pigeon, African Swallow-tailed Kite, White-bellied and Hartlaub’s Bustards, Rose-ringed Parakeet, White-bellied Go-away bird Four-banded Sand Grouse, Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Eastern Yellow and Jackson’s Hornbills, Pygmy Fox Kestrel, Falcon, Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned Rollers, Abyssinian Ground, White-crested Turaco, Clapperton’s and Heuglin’s Francolins, Violet-tipped Courser, Black-headed Plover, Singing Bush Lark, White-faced Scoops Owl, Little Green Bee-eater, Pied, Isabelline and Heuglin’s Wheaters, African Grey Flycatcher, Red-fronted and Black-breasted Barbets, White-bellied Tit, Northern White-crowned and Yellow-billed Shrikes, Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, Slate-coloured Boubou, Fan-tailed Raven, Superb Starling, Pygmy and Beautiful Sunbirds, Rufous and Chestnut Sparrow, Brown-backed Woodpecker, Red-winged Lark, Foxy and Red pate Cisticolas, Green-winged Orange-winged and Red-winged Pytilias, White-browed and Chestnut- crowned Sparrow Weavers, Grey-capped Social and Speckle-fronted Weavers, White-headed and White-billed Buffalo Weavers, Ethiopian Swallow, Karamoja Apalis, Brown-rumped Bunting, Steel-blue and Strawtailed Whydahs, Red billed Oxpecker, Black-bellied and Black-faded Waxbill, Eastern Violet backed and Yellow-spotted Petronia.
Cultural Trip meeting the Karamajong tribe
The Karamajong tribe operates the North-Eastern part of Uganda. Explore and learn about the culture of this remote tribe with Lorukul culture group which is located outside Kidepo Valley NP. The Karamajong mainly herd livestock. Walk with your guides to the traditional homesteads also reffered to as “Manyatta”, cattle enclosures and granaries can also be seen. Meet the king of the karamajong who will tell you more about his tribe and beliefs. The cultural trip fee contributes to putting up essential facilities in the region like clinics.
Accommodation
Apoka Safari Lodge is located in the middle of Kidepo National Park with spacious rooms and private veranda. Each room has a sitting room and bathroom. A restaurant and swimming pool are available as well.
Apoka Rest Camp, run by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, offers comfortable bandas within the national park, including bedding, mosquito netting and showers. It is suggested that you bring all your own food although it can be cooked for you if necessary.
Nga’moru Wilderness Camp: Nga’Moru Camp is situated on the border of the park only 4kms from the Katarum Gate. Here you will find comfortable accommodation in either Safari Tents under thatch or in Cabanas, and all accommodation is en-suite. Nga’Moru is located on a hill, and the camp offers spectacular views of the Narus valley and the savannah plains stretching all the way to the Morungole Mountains. Hyenas, Elephant, Waterbuck, Zebra and Lion are frequent visitors to the Camp.
It is recommended that a ranger-guide accompany you at all times whilst at Kidepo Valley National park and this can be arranged on arrival at Apoka. Park officials recommend that all vehicles travelling north into the Kidepo Valley be escorted by multiple armed guards due to the intermittent presence of poachers and cattle rustlers in the area. Kidepo Valley National Park is accessible either by road or by air.