Kidepo Valley National Park

This most remote and difficult park to access, lies in the northeast corner of Uganda and is seldom visited by tourists because of the difficulty of getting there. However, despite the drawbacks it has been voted in the top three game parks in Africa by National Geographic magazine. It is a most spectacular park having rugged savannah and mountain scenery. Due to its remoteness and difficult accessibility it is one of the few national parks in the whole of Africa which has evaded the strains and damage resulting from human encroachment and has thus preserved its tranquillity and wilderness with exceptional game viewing.

Kidepo harbours a large variety of animals and birds some of which are not to be found in any of the other National Parks in Uganda. Key amongst these are cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, aardwolf, caracal, greater and lesser kudus and ostrich. There are also large numbers of elephants, zebras, buffalo, giraffes, lions, leopards, jackals, hyenas, hippos, crocodiles and the large array of different antelope species. This park also has some amazing bird life and is second only to Queen Elizabeth National Park. Some species of birds are only found in this park and notable amongst these are over 50 species of raptors, tawny owl, secretary bird, kestrels, falcons, various bee-eaters, carmines, Abyssinian ground hornbills and ostrich. In a nutshell this park teems with wildlife.

The park offers some excellent game viewing circuits in the prime wildlife areas near the Winy river and the rock escarpment to the south west.

Getting there:

Over 850 km from Kampala by road this is not a particularly comfortable drive. It is recommended you try to drive there over two days with an over-night break in between.

By Air: It is possible to charter small aircraft services though, naturally more expensive. The airstrip at Apoka has access for light aircraft.

What to do:

• Game Drives
• Nature walk
• Karamajong cultural tour

Best time to go:

All year round though the rainy season (August- October) can make the roads difficult. In the rainy season the long grass also limits game viewing opportunities.