Country Side
Kidepo Valley National Park lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys between Uganda’s borders with Sudan and Kenya, some 700km from Kampala. Gazetted as a national park in 1962, it has a profusion of big game and hosts over 77 mammal species as well as around 475 bird species. Kidepo is Uganda’s most isolated national park, but the few who make the long journey north through the wild frontier region of Karamoja would agree that it is also the most magnificent, for Kidepo ranks among Africa’s finest wildernesses. From Apoka, in the heart of the park, a savannah landscape extends far beyond the gazetted area, towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges. During the dry season, the only permanent water in the park is found in wetlands and remnant pools in the broad Narus Valley near Apoka. These seasonal oases, combined with the open, savannah terrain, make the Narus Valley the park’s prime game viewing location. .
Why Visit Kidepo National Park?
- Breathtaking land scape
- One of Africa’s most prized, less explored destinations
- Exceptional wildlife sightings on thrilling game drives
- Kidepo is a birdwatchers paradise-specifically for those interested in Africa’s birds of prey.
- The park contains two rivers – Kidepo and Narus – which disappear in the dry season, leaving just pools for the wildlife.
- The local communities around the park include pastoral Karamojong people, similar to the Maasai of Kenya, and the IK, a hunter-gatherer tribe whose survival is threatened.
What to do in Kidepo National Park?
GAME DRIVES
Kidepo Valley National Park has a great diversity of animal species of which 28 are not known to occur in any other Ugandan park. Most of the drives can be done along Narus valley as the park’s wildlife congregates here much of the year. This area has adequate track circuits enabling visitors view the animals at a close range
NATURE - BUSH WALKS
There is nothing like taking a walk on the wild side
Eplore the savannah by foot. Accompanied by an armed guide you will venture along dry river beds, over rocky outcrops and through bush land to track the resident wildlife.
- Lamoj Mountains: Most of the hiking is conducted on Lamoj Mountains only a couple of kilometers from the Headquarters of the Park. This area is in the Narus Valley, a prime game viewing area
- Kidepo River Valley: Visitors may as well go to see the marvelous Kidepo River Valley. The river is dried out through the biggest part of the year. A stroll on its wide bed of white sand or in the barassus palm forest which feels like an oasis in the sahara, is a fascinating attraction
KARAMOJONG VILLAGE VISIT
A unique insight into the warrior tribe’s way of life
The name Karamojong is derived from a phrase meaning ‘the old men can walk no further’. Originally from Ethiopia, this tribe settled in the north east of Uganda. Related to the Maasai, this is a warrior nomad tribe for who, for generations, pride and status were cattle and for who cattle raids were the rule of the day. Since the disarmament however, things have calmed down. Cattle is still king, but subsistence farming has become a lot more common.
A cultural visit to their manyatta, will give you an insight into this fascinating community, its culture and traditions
A CULTURAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE IK TRIBE
The IK people are one of the original tribes and were here long before the Karamojong arrived. Initially they used to occupy areas of the current Kidepo Valley National Park but when their original home was declared a national park they were forced to move northwards to Mount Morungule. This brought extreme famine and the IK people had to adapt new practices and skills to forge their way of survival. They used subsistence farming, hunting and fruit gathering to overcome famine but were continuously raided by neighbours. Today, they are one of the smallest and most marginalized tribe in the country with an estimated total of 10,000 people. There are fears that this tribe might be on the verge to extinction but mere resistance has led to their continuous survival
Today, visitors are availed with an opportunity to visit Ik. This all day venture up and down steep mountains in some of the most stunning scenery, will give you a rare insight in the tribe, adds a bit of income to Ik’s community and helps to create some awareness