Kibale National Park, Uganda’s third-largest park, spans an area of 1442 km2 with an elevation range of 914 to 2,770 meters. It’s located in northeastern Uganda in the Karamoja region, the land of the Karamajong people, who have held on to their traditions and resist the pressures of civilization.
Kidepo National Park is a true African wilderness, shipped into the widest savannah landscapes and rugged mountains. The park is divided into two sections of the Narus Valley system, which contains the highest concentration of species due to the Narusi swamp’s perennial water supply. And the Kidepo Valley part stretches northward to the permanent water source in adjacent South Sudan, the Kanangorok hot springs.
The Narus Valley is a great place to see wildlife and a variety of plants through expansive, open savannahs. The valleys stretch through Apoka, the park’s center, where the glitzy Savannah scenery stretches beyond what the human eye can see. This unrated savannah opening accommodates numerous wild animals, including the tower of giraffes, herds of bushbuck, Uganda kobs, Oribe, zebras, warthogs, waterbuck bushbuck, Kudus, fox, hyena, aardwolf, jackals, Jackson’s hartebeest, eland, dik dik, ostrich, cheater, civet, hunting dog, and numerous other amazing encounters. .
Things to do at Kidepo Valley National Park
Wildlife Game Drive
Game-drive adventures are mainly done at Narus Valley, which has the highest concentration of wildlife, especially around the Narus wetland. Some of the big five are evident, including elephants, buffalo, lions, and leopards. Predators can be seen roaming in the evening as they enjoy their meal. Expect larger herds of antelope species, including Jackson’s heartbeats, bushbucks, oribi, and Uganda kobs, as well as a number of zebras and giraffes, warthogs, wild dogs, and many other animals. A night game drive can be done with your own safari vehicle for an additional $40 USD. Predators that are actively hunting can be seen during the night game drive.
Wild nature walks
Get closer to nature by taking nature-guided walks to nearby settlements, but only when accompanied by an armed ranger guide. The golden-rested savannahs are walked by nature. It is the finest place to view many bird species and other wildlife, and it can also take you to places with interesting cultures.
Mountain hiking
Around Kidepo National Park are various isolated rocky hills and relatively raised cones. These are perfect for climbing adventure experiences, and among these is Mt. Morungole, and this hiking trail leads to the Ik people, the most difficult hike. A certain level of physical fitness is definitely required for the trek. From the point when your vehicle can no longer go any farther, you will need to walk for more than 12 kilometers.
Birding
Kidepo Valley National Park is a birder’s paradise, with about 500 different bird species recorded within. Taking the Narus Trail offers bird aficionados amazing birding adventures, especially near the wetland. Bird species here include carmine, secretary bird, ostrich, especially in the Kidepo valley, Kori bustard, Abyssinian ground hornbill, yellow-billed hornbill, Karamoja Apalis, black-breasted barbet, silver shrike, Nubian woodpecker, vivacious bird, hoopoe, scarlet-chested sunbird, white-bellied go-away bird, singing bush lark, and little weaver, and the list continues.
Cultural encounters
The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) arranges excursions to nearby communities for cultural experiences. Kidepo’s cultural tours showcase a variety of Karamajong clans and their distinctive lives, as well as the uncommon IK people. The IK tribe is the smallest in Uganda and speaks a language resembling Spanish. They have persisted in maintaining their unique personal style while avoiding contact with Western society.
Along with being outdated, they also scoffed at their traditional beliefs, such as their insistence on their own Akuj god, whom they think bestows all of their animals, and their rejection of the other foreign religions practiced in Uganda. Visitors to towns near Kidepo Valley National Park, such as the Lurukul cultural community nearby, can engage in culturally entertaining activities and access it.
Outdoor camping
A unique adventure that should be experienced in the middle of the more expansive savannah, far from people. Get accompanied by an armed ranger guide into the park’s wilderness, and you choose a pleasant spot for the night. Enjoy the king’s night roar coming closer and closer. You can camp in the wilderness with your own equipment, rent a camper van, or make an effort to travel with a UWA-armed ranger guide. In the midst of irate predators, you will have the ultimate wilderness camping experience.