Night Game Drives in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the most rewarding safari destinations in Uganda for game viewing. It is found in the northern region of the country, bordering South Sudan and Kenya, and it was gazetted in 1962 to protect the Big game that existed at that time. Night game drives in Kidepo Valley National Park allow travellers to see nocturnal animals in their natural habitats. Its one of the most unexplored parks in East Africa, allowing visitors to have an authentic African safari experience. Kidepo Valley National Park is the third largest national park in Uganda, covering an area of about 1,442 square kilometers. The park is blessed with unique natural systems, such as wetlands, riverine forests, savannah grasslands, rolling hills and acacia woodlands, which provide habitats to the park’s wildlife and bird species. It is home to over 480 bird species, including savannah birds, water birds, birds of prey, the park’s endemic species and migratory birds. It also has up to 80 mammal species, including the Big Four mammals, 28 endemic species like dik diks, caracals, cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, kudus, aardwolves, striped hyenas and more. If you are planning a safari to Africa and seeking tranquillity, Kidepo National Park should be added to your bucket list.
Night Game Drives Experience in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the four parks which offer night game drive safaris in Uganda. These are guided safaris that take place after sunset to explore the park’s unique wildlife and bird species in the darkness. They start with a briefing about the rules and regulations of the park and meet their assigned guides. This is a guided activity led by an armed park ranger who protects participants from wild animals and a knowledgeable park guide who identifies various nocturnal birds and animal species and provides more insightful information about them. It is done in a 4×4 pop-up or open jeep vehicle, which allows them to clearly see animals from a distance using spotlight torches.
Nocturnal animals are animals that rest during the day and are most active at night. It is very hard to spot them during daytime and if you happen to consider yourself lucky. They go out in the wild at night to look for prey or graze. Travellers will have a chance explore the open savannah grasslands. Night game drives in Kidepo Valley National Park normally take place in the Narus Valley, because it has a high concentration of mammal species and permanent water sources. Visitors will spot animals like leopards, aardwolves, bat-eared foxes, striped hyenas, spotted hyenas, African civets, genets, honey badgers, porcupines, bush babies, and birds, including Verreaux’s Eagle-owls, African scops owl, spotted Eagle-owls, and Night jars.
Best Time to Visit the Park.
The park is open throughout the year, and the best time to do night game drives in Kidepo Valley National Park is during the dry season. The dry season is commonly known as the peak season, which runs from December to February and June to September. During this season, the park receives little to no rain, and the vegetation cover is short, which allows visitors to clearly see animals using a spotlight torch. The tracks are dry, which makes it easy to penetrate them in search of nocturnal animals. However, visitors can also do game drives during the wet season, which is from March to May and October to November. They should note that during this season, the park receives enough rainfall, and the tracks are muddy and slippery, making it challenging to penetrate them.
