Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is one of Uganda’s most spectacular parks and it is located in Uganda’s remote north –eastern corner. It is 1,442 square kilometers and harbours scenery unsurpassed in any other park in East Africa.Kidepo vally National Park consists of asemi-arid climate with one rainy season per year that’s April- September .It receives 890mm of rain fall of the southern part while 635 is received in the north. Tucked into the corner of Uganda’s border with Sudan and Kenya, the park offers breathtaking Savannah landscapes, which end in rugged horizon. A huge latitudinal range and correspondingly wide climatic conditions have evolved an extremely diverse flora. The park has got a variety of animal species which equally abundant including many which are found no where else in Uganda.
The park’s vegetation is described as open tree Savannah which varies in structure and composition. Mountain forest dominates some of the high places, while areas along the Lorupei River support dense Acacia geradi forest. The flora and fauna of the park are more typical of Kenya than the rest of Uganda. The landscape of the park is studded with small hills, rocky outcrops and inselbergs from which one can obtain stunning views in all directions.
Where to stay
There are avariety of lodges found in Kidepo Valley National Park and includes Apoka safari lodge, Apoka rest camp, Nga’ moru camp and many more.
Apoka Safari Lodge
Apoka safari lodge is located on a picturesque kopje overlooking the Narus River valley in the remote and beautiful Kidepo Valley National Park.. Kidepo Valley National Park is located in the north-eastern part of Uganda, bordering Sudan to the North, the Napore Mountains to the West, and the Morungole Mountains to the South. The Kenyan border is just 5 kilometers from the Park’s Eastern boundary. At the crossroads of Kenyan, Sudanese and Ugandan ecosystems, Kidepo provides an amazing wildlife experience in a remote and pristine wilderness. The Lodge is a relaxed and a very remote location of the park which provides a quiet, private and unique fulfilling experience
Nga’ Moru camp
Nga’Moru Camp is located on the border of the Kidepo Valley National which is 4kms from the Katurum Gate. Accommodations in either Safari Tents under thatch or in Cabanas, and in en-suite are all comfortable. The camp offers a true bush experience in one of the most beautiful Game Parks in Uganda The camp 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. Elephant, Hyenas, Waterbuck, Zebra and Lion are frequent visitors to Nga’Moru.The camp borders Kidepo Valley National Park which lies 320 kms north of the capital city of Kampala. Fly to Kidepo from Entebbe in under 2 hrs or take an adventurous drive via Gulu and Kitgum in 10 hrs
Apoka rest camp
Apoka Rest Camp consists of 16 self contained chalets which is a hostel consisting of 14 Bandas each having 2 beds; the Bandas are actually not self contained. With regard to visitors who choose camping, this park has 2 ‘Do it yourself’ camping grounds. You have to carry your own tent along with other camping gear.
Meals:
Guests should come with enough food as well as drinks to last them throughout their stay within the park. Cooking may be organized by the staff of the camp and also other additional diet for example chicken plus goat meat may be organized from the close by community intended for visitors that plan to stay for a longer time.
Bandas offers a financial budget price, guests are recommended to carry there own food and even find the toilet facilities just outside the Bandas or your cabins. The spectacular rocky attractiveness of Kidepo Valley National Park combined with the wild animals that waits are going to be well worth it.
Activities to enjoy at Apoka rest camp Lodge
Game Drives
Guided nature Walks within kidepo
Bird watching
Visiting the local Karamajong community
Getting there
Road Transport:
Kampala- Karuma-Lira-Kotido-Kidepo-705 km
Kampala-Mbale-Soroti-Moroto-Kidepo-792 km
Kampala-Mbale-Sironko-Kotido-Kaabongo-Kidepo-740 km
Kampala-Soroti -Katipos via Amuria 656 km
Kampala-Karuma-Gulu-Kitgum-Kidepo=571kms
Driving would be more rewarding as vast parts of Karamoja are scenic and total wilderness. However road conditions are some times difficult and 4-wheel drive vehicles (4WD) are recommended and security is not guaranteed. Visitors should note that the road mainly in use from Kotido to Kabana passes via Kanawauat.
Visitors intending to travel by road are advised to contact Uganda wild life Authority (UWA) headquarters to seek advice about conditions and safety on the roads.
Chartered aircraft from Entebbe International Airport to the Park Headquarters. The Civil Aviation Authority manages an airstrip at Lomej about 3 km south of the Park Headquarters.
ACCOMMODATION AT Apoka Lodge or UWA Banda Facilities
4 Days Safari to Kidepo Valle Lodge National Park
Day 1:Kampala – Kidepo Valley National Park.
Your driver/guide will pick you from Kampala at 6.00am.You will start the drive to Kidepo Valley National Park with lunch en route at Gulu town Continue to drive past Kitgum town and be driven through Karamojaland up to Kdepo Vaelly National park . The park offers breathtaking Savannah landscapes, which end in rugged horizon. A huge latitudinal range and correspondingly wide climatic conditions have evolved an extremely diverse flora. Unique birds are found here like the Ostrich , kori bustard and secretary with 463 bird species. Kidepo have species not found anywhere in Uganda like the bat –eared fox, striped hyena, aardwolf, caracal and cheetah. In this park can meet prides of lion heard of elephants , buffalo, giraffe, eland, zebra and many more. Thus, the tour activities at the park begin the next day.
Will have Dinner and overnight either at :
- Apoka Lodge for the luxury,
- Nga’Moru Camp for mid range facilities accommodation
- or UWA National Park Bandas for the mid range and Kakine Campsite for basic accommodation.
Day 2 :Kidepo Valley National Park.
Morning after breakfast do a game drive. You will most likely be able to view those animals that are unique to the African Savannah like giraffe, antelope, lion, elephant, hyena, buffalo and the Uganda Kob.. The splendid Kidepo river valley dominated by borassus palm forest, startling savannah landscape and the stunning view of the Narus valley situated in the southwest of the park. To the north of Sudan at the Lotukei Mountains and the Morongole range which marks the southern boundary of the park and ending the trail at the Kanangorok hot spring with a view of a number of faunas that can be seen wandering around like the tall Ostrich. After will be driven back to Park bandas for lunch and resting
After lunch will take on another game drive in the evening exploring different wildlife in the area. Seeing heards of buffaloes, elephants and a variety of birds like ostrich herons, OR or visit the Kanangorok Hot Springs. / Apoka Lod Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight at your facility.
- Apoka Lodge for the luxury,
- Nga’Moru Camp for mid range facilities accommodation
- or UWA National Park Bandas – Apoka Rest Camp for the mid range and Kakine Campsite for basic accommodation.
Day 3: Kidepo Valley National Park.
Morning and evening game drive in the park exploring different wildlife in the area. The game drive will give you chances for bird watching having a chance to see some of the rear bird and animal species like the cheetah and hunting dog, bat-eared fox and stripped hyena. The less common ungulates include klipspringer, dikdik and bride gazelle. Other large ungulates include zebras, Rothschild’s giraffes; antelope species you could encounter include roan antelope, bush buck, eland, and bohor reed buck and jackson hartebees buffaloes, elands, bushbucks, waterbucks, elephants and the jackal, among many others. Birds like the Karamoja apalis and the black breasted barbets, black-headed plover, black-bellied bustard, common buttonquail and flappet larks, harriers, red-winged lark, northern red bishops and white-winged widowbird among others.
See herds of buffaloes, elephants and a variety of birds like ostrich herons, Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight at your facility.
In the evening you will go for the Cultural tour in the Karamajong community and this will enable you spend some time with Karamajong people where you will get to know more about their culture and ways of life and beliefs. From here you will understand, by the end of the tour, why their pride makes them slow to adapt to the dynamic world and their love for cattle is comparable to the better known Masai of Kenya and Tanzania. Return for dinner and overnight stay:
- Apoka Lodge for the luxury,
- Nga’Moru Camp for mid range facilities accommodation
- or UWA National Park Bandas for the mid range and Kakine Campsite for basic accommodation.
Day 4: Kidepo Valley National Park – Kampala.
Morning will be driven back to Kampala. After stop for lunch on the way and proceed Arrival will be in the evening. END OF SAFARI:
Please Note the safari cost will include:
- Meals and accommodation at full board
- Full time safari driver /guide
- Park fees, , game drives
- Applicable government taxes
- Drinking bottled water while driving on safari
Excluded are:
- Beverages and bar bills, phone calls, personal insurance and any other services of personal nature like souvenirs, tips, laundry etc
