Kidepo National Park lies in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Karamoja province on the extreme northern border with Sudan, and is, therefore, Uganda’s most remote national park worth visiting on your Uganda safari. The spectacular beauty of this pristine wilderness impresses all that make tour Kidepo Valley. For birders, Kidepo Valley National Park offers a bird list of over 475 species. Kidepo valley is home of the dry, eastern “specials” not found in any other Ugandan national park and being some of East Africa’s rarest and most sought after birds are the Black-breasted Barbet and Karamoja Apallis among others. Kidepo valley Birds List>>>>.
Status: National Park since 1954
Size: 1442 Sq km
Elevation: 914m on Kidepo valley floor to 2749m atop Mount Morungole
Birds Recorded: 475 species.
Suitable time: March-April for all the specials and many transit migrants, albeit good year – round.
The time required: 4-7 days.
Habitat: Semi-desert scrub, open thorn-bush, open thorn-scrub, long and short-grass open tree savannas, riparian woodland including Borassus and Kigelia woodland, thick, “miombo- like” woodland, montane forest, and granite outcrops.
Key Species of Birds
Wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park
Over 80 species including 28 that are peculiar to only and only kidepo in Uganda have been registered including charismatic African animals such as Bat-eared Fox, Carcal, Cheetah and Klipspringer. Striped Hyena, Lesser Kudu, Grant’s gazelle, and Beisa Oryx are becoming locally extinct. Other large mammals have shown a considerable recovery and there is now a healthy population of Buffalo, Elephant, Common Zebra, and Kongoni. Predators are common including Spotted Hyena, Leopard, and Lion. Oribis roam the Narus Valley, whilst the dry thorn thickets in the north accommodate Guenther’s Dik-Dik. Senegal Galago and Side-striped Jackal may be located in the rest camp at night and White-tailed Mongoose can easily be seen on a night drive. The park is also famous for a diverse reptile fauna.
Bird Watching
For birders, the Apoka Rest Camp and Park Headquarters overlooking the shallow, southern Narus Valley is a great spot to begin your Kidepo birding tour. The attractive Silverbird and small bands of Yellow-billed Shrike are common in the thorn trees around camp, as does a number of other widespread species such as Vinaceous Dove Hoopoe, Nubian Woodpecker, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Mosque Swallow, Ruppell’s and Superb Starlings, Little Weaver and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu. A small permanent water hole at the edge of camp is home to swallows and a variety of seedeaters including Yellow-rumped Seedeater. Its common night visitor is the Four-banded Sandgrouse, Buffaloes, Elephant and occasionally Lions. Clapperton’s Francolin, Black Coucal, African Moustached and Broad-tailed Warblers, Marsh Tchagra and Crimson-rumped Waxbill may be spotted in the grass along the normally dry stream bed neighboring the camp or along the track to Amok lodge.
Accessibility to the park
Kidepo Valley National Park can be accessible either by road or by air. The most commonly used route from Kampala is Mbale, Soroti and Moroto route, an 840-km journey which takes a minimum of 12 hours using a sturdy 4WD to complete.
Accommodation
The privately owned Apoka Rest Uganda safaris Camp overlooks the Narus Valley offers comfortable rooms.
National Park Bandas at Apoka, with bedding, mosquito netting, hot showers, fresh drinking water and firewood provided cost $ 22 per person per night. It is advisable that you bring all your own food although it can be cooked for you on request. Drinks are available from the Camp shop.
In conclusion therefore, Kidepo Valley National park is an exceptional game Park in Uganda. The farthest National park is a true definition of African Wilderness which offer you the natural feeling of nature. Enjoy guided game viewing, cultural tours, camping, bird watching and forest/nature walks for a memorable wildlife experience with Gorilla Trek Africa