Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP)
Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP) lies in the far northeast of Uganda. It is one of the most alluring destinations in Uganda with a strong wilderness atmosphere, rugged mountain scenery and exceptional game viewing and birdwatching. It has an altitude range of between 914m and 2,750m above sea level, and a surface area of 1,442 km2. The highest peak in the park is Mt. Murungole (2,750m) on the southeastern border. The slightly higher Mount Lutokei (2,797m), which lies just within the Sudan border, is visible from several points in the park. The mountainous terrain is interrupted by Narus Valley in the southwest and the Kidepo Valley in the northeast. The dominant vegetation is open or lightly wooded savannah, interspersed with patches of montane forest, riparian woodland, thick miombo woodland, borassus palms and rocky koppies. Low rainfall and a long and severe dry season of almost six months which is most felt between October and March-under the scorching breath of the tireless northeast wind, is perhaps the best time to visit as it creates conditions that are good for game-viewing. At this time most animals just converge on the available water points so as to survive the adverse effects. This making game viewing very easy. The animals leave Kidepo Valley, which dries up very rapidly once the rains have ceased, and move to Narus valley where there is enough water until the rains are back in March or April. The Kanangarok Hot Springs are worth a visit.
Kidepo Valley wildlife
Kidepo boasts of one of the most exciting faunas of any Ugandan national park. With 86 mammal species it is ranked the third in the country. Large mammals including 28 species found nowhere else in the country make the park yearned for by many tourists. The bird checklist of 463 species ranks this park second to Queen Elizabeth National Park. The variety of butterflies and other smaller creatures is far less than in the forested national parks of western Uganda.
The most common animals in Kidepo include patas monkey, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, African hunting dog, striped-hyena, lion, leopard, cheetah, mustelids, mongoose, genets, small cats, aardwolf, and caracal. Others include 17 antelope species, 7 of which are only unique to this park namely, Grant’s gazelle, greater kudu, lesser kudu, Biera Oryx, mountain reedbuck, Guenther’s dik-dik, and roan antelope. Then other more antelope species in the park include eland, Defassa waterbuck, common duiker, oribi, klipspringer, Uganda kob, Jackson’s hartebeest, Bohor reedbuck, and topi. Kidepo is also a sanctuary to Burchell’s zebra, warthog, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, and bushpig among others.
Birding in Kidepo Valley National Park
For the visiting birder, Kidepo Valley NP offers a birdlist of over 463 species, a total second only to Queen Elizabeth NP. Amongst the host of dry, eastern “specials” not found in any other Ugandan national park are some of East Africa’s rarest and most sought-after birds such as Black-breasted Barbet and Karamoja Apalis.
In the Narus Valley, at the Apoka Rest Camp and Park Headquarters, birding becomes so exciting. The Yellow-billed Shrike and the attractive Silverbird can be sited near the Camp. Other bird species in the vicinity include Nubian woodpecker, Mosque swallow, Vinaceous Dove, Ruppell’s and superb sterling, Hoopoe, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Red-cheeked Cordon bleu, and Yellow-rumped seedeater. Along the track to the Apoka Lodge one may be able to see Clapperton’s Francolin, African Moustached and Broad-tailed Warblers, Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Bruce’s Green Pigeon and Brown parrot. Around the airstrip one can spot Singing Bushlark, black-bellied Bustard, Harlequin Quail, Common Buttonquail, Black-headed Plover, Flappet Larks and Croaking Cisticola among others.
Main activities in Kidepo Valley NP:
- Game drives
- Birding
- Nature walks
- Cultural visits to Karamajong settlements (Manyattas)
