Guide to Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda

Kidepo valley national park has changed over years largely based on what globalization does and how its algorithm works. Globalization leads to interchange of world views, products, ideas, advancement in transportation and other aspects of culture. In the mid-19th century as a result of globalization that led to advancement in transportation, the British gazette the land into a game reserve from pastoralists then after in 1962 the reserve was converted into a national park named kidepo with the first warden Ian Ross a Briton. The park derived its name from a kalimajong word kidep which meant to pick. The kalimajong used to go to the present river kidepo which is still dotted with borassus palm to pick fruits, later on letter “o” was added to the word kidep by the British colonialists for easy pronunciation.
The park is divided into two major valley systems that is the Kidepo and Narus valley, the Narus valley has freer-draining red clays and loam with the highest concentration of wild life due to the consistence in drainage resulting from the continuous flow of water even in the dry season. These seasonal oases, combined with the open, savannah terrain, make the valley the park’s game viewing location; here tourists are able to view pygmy crocodiles, herds of buffaloes, and tree climbing lions amid the sausage tree branches. The kidepo valley is predominant with block chalky clay and sandy-clay loam, the streams in the valley are seasonal with only Kanangarok being the most permanent source of water in the valley all their banks being dotted with palms. Here tourists are able to view ostriches moving in flocks, elephants crossing from the South Sudan’s kidepo valley game reserve.
Location of kidepo valley national park
It’s located at the extreme North North eastern corner where Uganda meets with South Sudan. The north western boundary of the park runs along the international frontier with South Sudan, abuts against kidepo game reserve and falls short off only 5km2 to Kenya. Kidepo is approximately 520 kilometers by road, north east of Kampala and it covers an area of 1442km2 which makes it the 3rd largest park in Uganda.
Wonders of kidepo valley national park
Kidepo is one of the only game parks in Africa where one is most likely to encounter the famous “big five” that is the lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes and rhinos crossing from South Sudan. The park offers an excellent game viewing experience due to the diversity of endemic species given that it is the only park in Uganda where visitors are able to view both zebras and giraffes as well as being the only park in the country where one is able to find common ostriches which is certainly a sight to see.
The vegetation and game of the park are more typical of Kenya than the rest of Uganda. Throughout the park the landscape is studded with small hills, rocky outcrops and inselburgs of combination that makes kidepo a unique prime tourist destination. It was ranked 3rd famous for
its great cats and great migration, then in 2014 it was listed among the top 10 best parks in Africa and Uganda’s most beautiful park (CNN).
Kidepo is one of Uganda’s prime most remote but spectacular national parks that harbors scenery unsurpassed in any other park in east Africa, indeed its remoteness and low visitation makes it the perfect destination for an African wilderness safari.

Where to stay

The park has a number of well-established accommodation facilities namely Nga Moru wilderness camp outside the park, Apoka safari lodge, and Apoka rest camp for budget tourists both situated within the park. It also has self-catered campsites of Kakine and Nagusokopire.

How to get there

Kidepo valley national park can be reached by road and air which is the best way, charter flights are arranged at Kampala (kajjansi airstrip), Kampala aero club and Entebbe with eagle air and the flights take about two hours. It’s also safe to drive through the remote karamoja region which takes 10 to 12 hours from Kampala.