Facts About Kidepo Valley National Park – Uganda Safari
Facts about Kidepo Valley National Park ; Kidepo valley national park is recognized as the true African wildness the untouched safari destination, which was gazette as a national park in 1962 and it has abundance of big game with over 86 mammal species and around 500 bird species.
Kidepo Valley National Park is located in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s border with Sudan and Kenya, measuring 700 kilometers from Kampala to final destination.
The park is located in the northeastern side of Uganda, approximately 220 kilometers by road northwest of Moroto, the largest town in the sub-region. From Kampala the park estimates 520 kilometers by road, northeast of Kampala ‘’Uganda’s Capital’’. The park has altitude that ranges between 914meter and 2,750meter above the sea level.
Historically, Kidepo Valley national park first gazetted as a game reserve by the British colonial government in 1958 and the people were taken out for the purpose of making it a reserve to protect the animals from being hunted –poached as well as clearing of bush for tsetse fly control.
The park is comprised of the two major valley systems of the Kidepo and Narus Rivers, the valley floors is positioned between 3,000 feet and 4,000 feet.
Kidepo has permanent water hole named as Kanangorok hot spring that extreme north of the park and is the most permanent water source with in the park. More so, park contains clay soil both in Kidepo Valley and White Narus Valley, kidepo Valley comprises of black chalky clay and sandy –clay loam predominant while Narus Valley comprises freer-draining red clays and loams.
Kidepo Valley national park has two main spotting area for wildlife such as The Kidepo and Narus ‘’seasonal rivers’’ which disappear in the dry season, leaving just pools for the wildlife.
The park is surrounded with local communities include Pastoral Karamojong people who are similar to the Maasai of Kenya and the IK people, a hunter gatherer tribe whose survival is threatened.
Generally, Kidepo valley national park is Uganda’s most isolated and unmatched national park and to those who visits the park can take along journey in the north through the wild frontier Karamoja region the area is magnificent. Despite the fact, the park ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. From Apoka to the heart of the park, a savannah landscape extends far beyond the gazette area towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges. Above all, it was named by CNN Travel as the second most attractive and beautiful national park in Africa due to its breathtaking landscape and lots of wildlife with over 86 mammal species and 500 species of birds thus making a paradise birder.
The park experiences dry season which is the only permanent water hole with in the park found in wetland and remnant pools in the broad Narus Valley close Apoka. The seasonal oases with in the park is combined with the open, savannah terrain thus making the Narus Valley the main spotting ground for kidepo prime game viewing location.
Kidepo is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority a body that governs all national parks in Uganda.
Other highlight facts about Kidepo Valley National Park
Tourists Attractions in Kidepo Valley National Park
Wildlife-Animals; Kidepo is a home of big four ‘’4’’ mammals such as elephants, buffaloes, lion leopards and other animals to see include hyenas, bat eared fox, Aar dwarfs, caracal, oribis, Uganda kobs, greater and lesser kuda, Jackson’s hartebeest, bush duiker, zebras, Ostrich, hyenas, bat eared fox, klipspringer, bohor reed buck, Jackal, waterbucks, elands, bush bush among others.
Birdlife; Kidepo Valley national park is a great stopping safari destination for unique species of birds, a home with over 500 bird species which makes it second birding safari destination in Uganda. Some of the bird life to sight see here are Kori bustard, Karamoja apalis, pygmy falcon, black breasted barbet, little bee eater, Ostrich, red and yellow barbet, Kori bustard, Jackson’s hornbill, Abyssinian roller, white bellied go way bird, purple heron, secretary birds, yellow billed shrike many more.
Mount Morungole; This mountain acts as a tourist attraction where you can involve in hiking experience and meet up with the IK people who migrated all away from Kenya to this area, they are the smallest ethnic tribe in Karamoja region. The IK people have made this mountain their home residents and visitors who are nature lovers can hike on the top of the Mount Morungole guided with a park ranger thus Facts About Kidepo Valley National Park.
Apoka tourism Centre ;This Centre is found near the park with overlooks of Narus Valley’s wide range of mammals and also acts as a hub for all activities inside park .They have vehicle hire for the travelers ,same area you can get or book for park guide and ranger .Also have cooking equipment’s for hire the visitors who are camping .Is has well stocked canteen which sells beverages and around the area offers a rewardable scenic views of animals which will be going to feed their thirsty at Narus Valley.
Narus Valley; This valley comprises of beautiful nature filled with rolling grassland plains which are surrounded by distant mountains and Narus River which is positioned down ate the valley. Narus valley is inland area with permanent water which attracts a lot of wildlife species which gather to drink water mostly especially during the dry season.
Kidepo Valley; This valley is hallmark for wildlife viewing mostly in dry season when thick grass is dried off thus leaving the valley will a long trail of white sand between the water banks covered with Borassus palms
Namamukwenyi valley; Namamukwenyi valley also found with in park in the north western part of the park. The word Namamukwenyi its in local language which means a place with no birds but it is opposite way to it. Meaning a great spotting areas for numerous birds with in the park and some of birds to see along here include white crested turaco, green wood hoopoe, common bulbul, Abyssinian roller, eastern paradise whydah many more thus Facts About Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park Activities
Game drive
The park being the untouched Uganda safari destination, it boosts with over 76 mammal species with28 species endemic to only karamong region such as bat eared fox, striped hyena, caracal, aardwolf, cheetah, hunting dog many more. There are three session of game drive viewing in the park morning, afternoon session and night sessions. The best adventurous time to see lots of animals is in the morning hours when animals are still active and easily seen in game tracks of Narus valley, Kidepo valley and Apoka tourism center among others .On your game drive expect to view animal species like bushbuck, bohor reedbuck, oribis, Jackson’s hartebeest, zebras, buffaloes, bush pig, Jackal, warthogs, Rothschild giraffes, eland, bush duiker many more. The best time to see variety of animals is in dry seasons when there no rain.
Nature walk –Hiking
Along this thrilling activities tourists get chances to explore the park on foot which can be carried out around Apoka Rest Camp, Lomej mountain as well as Narus and Kidepo river. You can be able to hike to the top of Morungole mountain visit the in IK people among others, have great views of animals, bird in the trees, Kanangorok hot springs, beautiful landscape among many.
IK people;
They have been existing here for years though it’s a small group people of about 10,000 people who live in the Morungaole Mountains ,The IK people migrated from Ethiopia but first settled in Kenya and later migrated to kidepo valley national park .They are known as hunters gathers but later started consistence farming ,honey production and goat rearing .You visiting the park on your next travel to Kidepo ,you will have chances to learning about their culture ,how polygamy is part of life many others.
Best time to visit Kidepo valley national park
Kidepo valley park can be visited all year around but best rewardable months to enjoy activities is during dry seasons when roads are passable and large concentration of animals are seen clearly around Narus valley animal can be seen quenching for their thirsty thus Facts About Kidepo Valley National Park.
Accommodations in Kidepo Valley national park
The park offers comfortable accommodations ranging from luxury to budget such as Apoka rest camp, Apoka safari lodge, Kidepo savannah, Kidepo savanna lodge all lodges have good amenities suitable for your comfortable stay such as en-suite bathroom, laundry services, swimming pool, spa, fire place, siting lounge for relaxation and great views of the animals in the park thus Facts About Kidepo Valley National Park.
With the above in fact, they definitely show you how Kidepo Valley national park is a beautiful game park with scenic landscape, unique with abundance of wildlife, attractions thus a Uganda safari destination worth a visit.
